Knysna museum

The Knysna museum complex consists of 5 buildings. The first is Millwood House, which was originally built in the Millwood mining village in the Knysna forest. This was the site of South Africa’s first gold rush, albeit a short one.

The entire building was dismantled and moved to Knysna after the mines were closed. It’s one of five buildings that make up the Knysna Museum.

Millwood house

In 1876 farmer James Hooper found the first deposits of alluvial gold in the Karatara River. Alluvial gold was also found in other streams such as Jubilee Creek. The area was declared open for public diggings in 1886, and John Barrington was appointed the official Gold Commissioner. Only 656 ounces of gold was ever extracted but a little village sprung up in the Goudveld area of the Knysna Forests. There were shops and hotels, banks and bakeries. Some of the old shafts and adits can still be seen though covered by thick undergrowth. The only building that has survived amongst the foundations of other buildings is the Monk’s store also known as the Materolli. The name Millwood is derived from a sawmill whose wheel was driven by the water in a nearby perennial creek. Sadly, the whole show was pretty much over by the time Parkes Cottage was built in 1890. Nevertheless, the house was also later dismantled, transported, and re-erected in the main square in Knysna. (near the present-day war memorial) where it was occupied by the offices of G.W. Brent-Steytler It was moved a second time, to Rawson Street where it became the home of Hendrik Barnard, Law Agent., and a third time to Queen Street where it served as the home of the South African Legion.  Now as part of the museum complex it it houses displays about the history of Millwood,

You can take a walk of the old Millwood goldfields. Stroll the 5.6km Millwood Mine walk on the streets that are now empty and overgrown, tourists also get to see some of the old 19th century machinery, such as a huge steam engine, jaw crusher, stamp battery, and boiler where they were left when miners abandoned the goldfields. There is a little tearoom and photo museum in the only one left of some 70  buildings at Millwood,that is open for visitors to come to explore.

Read about the Old Gaol here

Read about Parkes shop here

Read about Pitt Street House here