Origins of the Church
As is common with many Karoo towns, Steytlerville’s origins go back to the Dutch Reformed Church. A farm in the Baviaanskloof area called Doorspoort was purchased by the Dutch Reformed Church in 1875 to provide spiritual guidance to local farmers in the area.
The town was established a year later. It was a welcome oasis for the Trekboers or nomadic farmers who were the first settlers in the district.
The town was named after Reverend Abraham Isaac Steytler, who was a minister of the church around 1909. The original Dutch Reformed Church in Steytlerville was built in 1876 and started with 300 members. The building was later replaced with a large neo-Gothic style church on the site of the original town square.
During the Anglo Boer War the town was garrisoned by British Troops as a protection against the raiding Boer Commandos. In the George Hayward Hall there is an interesting little museum that displays the town’s history.