Fauresmith is the second oldest town in the Free State and has quite an interesting history. At first a farm named Sannahspoort, Fauresmith was eventually established and named after the Reverend Phillip Faure of the Dutch Reformed Church in the Cape Colony and Sir Harry Smith.
Fauresmith is the only town in South Africa, and one of 3 in the world, where the railway line runs down the centre of the main road. It is situated on the R704 and is 130km south west of Bloemfontein. Today, Fauresmith is a potato and lucerne farming town and is well known for its equestrian show. The annual Equestrian Endurance Race takes place in Fauresmith, where horses and riders must complete a gruelling 205km course during the 3 days of the event.