Drift history in a book
MULDERSDRIFT – The book will be released in September, just in time for the 150-year celebration of the district.
It is less than an hour’s drive from both Pretoria and Johannesburg, and widely known for its wedding venues and fishing spots, Muldersdrift has come a long way – 150 years, in fact.
Shenan Cochrane, a resident of Muldersdrift for over 20 years, decided to research and write about the history of the countryside town in The History of Mulder’s Drift – 1850-2015.
The area, which originally included parts of what is now known as Honeydew, was founded by Christoffel Snyman and families like the Mulders have since played a big role in its development.
Cochrane, who also runs a local paper in the area, is on the Community Policing Forum committee and chairs the land-owning association, said she always thought there was a need for a written history of the area. “I work with different people in the area every day, and so started my research,” she said.
The 148-page book, which includes photographs, is still in its finalisation stage, will have 2 000 copies printed by a local business, Avianto Estates.
Cochrane believes that now was the best time to write the book and said, “In five years you will not recognise Muldersdrift“.
The book consists of a written history and a collection of original photographs that families still living in the area provided to Cochrane.
From the first settlers to complaints about the now N14 Highway, the book plans to reveal Muldersdrift and its residents through its history.
“From great escapes and a carriage being washed away, to a haunted graveyard, the highway collapse, the building of a casino, shopping mall and international airport, the book has wonderful details and pictures of the area as it developed through time,” she said.
You can pre-order the hardcover coffee table book by sending a message to 083 510 4745.
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