The Barberton Mountain Range, 2001 image from NASA's Landsat 7
satelliteThe mountains around Barberton are the oldest in the world
dating back 3.5 Billion years, and these mountains include some of the
oldest exposed rocks on the planet (only rocks from the Isua
greenstone belt in Western Greenland are older). These volcanic rocks,
which scientists call the Barberton Greenstone Belt, have given up
direct evidence of conditions of life on the surface of the very early
earth.
In the satellite image, the bare rocks of mountain peaks appear as a
pale gray-green, accentuated by the sharp relief of sunlit slopes and
their shadows. Deeper shades of green indicate vegetation, including
some vegetation on the lower slopes.
In the mountain valleys, bright
green areas suggest well-watered grassy areas and crops. Deeper green
areas are probably forests. The series of bright green circles north
of the town of Barberton result from center-pivot irrigation systems.
The area north and west of Barberton appears slightly pale and fuzzy
compared to the rest of this image, probably the result of low-lying
haze.
The first form of life on earth, a bacterial micro fossil
Archaeospheroides barbertonis was discovered here and has been
identified as being 3.2 billion years old.
Gold
19 June 1984, Participants in the Barberton Centenary Trek make their
way through the Kaap Valley en route to Barberton for the 100 year
celebration.In 1881 gold in the Barberton area was discovered by Tom
McLachlan who found alluvial gold at Jamestown.
However due to the
location (the hot lowveld region was rife with malaria) no-one wanted
to go there until Auguste Roberts (French Bob) discovered gold in
Concession Creek in 20 June 1883. This discovery resulted in a gold
rush to the area.
On 21 June 1884, Graham Barber wrote a letter to the State Secretary
to inform him that he and his two cousins Fred and Harry discovered
payable gold on state land where the Umvoti Creek entered the De Kaap
valley.
The State Secretary then asked the Magistrate in Lydenburg to
investigate the matter and for David Wilson, the Gold Commissioner, to
submit a report. Wilson investigated on 24 July 1884 and declared the
township of Barberton.
At first it was just a simple mining camp but grew when Edwin Bray, a
prospector discovered gold in the hills above Barberton in 1885 and
with 14 partners started the Sheba Reef Gold Mining Company.
Large amounts of money flowed into Barberton and the first Stock
Exchange to operate in the then Transvaal opened its doors. More
buildings were erected, billiard saloons and music halls established.
The Criterion and Royal Standard hotels were opened.
Barberton flourished for only a brief period and soon the inhabitants.
