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Bethulie - Chosen by God The name Bethulie was derived from the french word Bethulia, which means “Chosen by God”.
A Bit of History In 1829 a Mission Station was established by the London Missionary Society for the local people, the San Bushmen, It was originally known as Groot Moordenaars Poort (Murderers Pass) after a very vicious clash between the Sotho and Griqua tribes.
It was founded in 1832 by the missionary Jean Pellissier, whose home is the oldest pioneer building north of the Orange River. It now houses a historical museum displaying items of the past and information on the life and trial of Jean Pellissier and Chief Lephoi and his people.
Until 1833 Bethulie was known as Caledon (after the nearby Caledon River). This name was in conflict with a Western Cape town bearing the same name. Then in 1833 a French Missionary Society, the "Paris Missionary Society" took over control of the ara and renamed the mission station Bethulia, meaning "Chosen by God”.
In 1835 it was renamed - Verheullpolis
In 1863 the town was established and and renamed - Heidelberg.
In 1872 the town was again renamed to Bethulie after the original mission station.
Our town must hold the record for changing its name more than any town in South Africa ifnot the entire world. The original mission building is still located in Bethulie. It is one of the oldest remaining dwellings built by European settlers. It was built by the Rev. Jean-Pierre Pellisier, the first French missionary to be stationed here, and is currently home to the Pellisier House Museum During the Anglo-Boer War (1899 to 1902) the largest concentration camp erected by the British was also situated in Bethulie.
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History 
