It was a day of celebration as people gathered to celebrate the centenary of one of the oldest houses in Langebaan.
Known as Die huis met die groot trappe the celebration took place on Sunday 2 December.
Neighbours and those who came a long way with the family who lived in the house reminisced and shared memories.
Elizabeth Haw, who grew up in the house, told Weslander the house had been built by her grandfather old Dr Smit in 1923, one of the first three built along the lagoon.
When he died the house was given to his three children Frederick Smit, Hendricus Smit and Leonora Allan.
Haw remembers the rudimentary conditions as children, with a tin outhouse and potties in their bedrooms, no electricity or running water.
“Over the years upgrades were made, the biggest restoration taking place in the year 2005.
The stairs were rebuilt, bathrooms refurbished, kitchen redone and the partitioning dry walls taken down, restoring the house to its full size and former glory.”
The weekend of celebration was chosen as it was close to the birthday of Haw’s father Hendricus.
“It was a day of celebrating the past and the present. We laughed about the crazy antics we had witnessed over the years.
“These ranged from hair raising rescue missions, to crazy beach antics of cars being stuck in the soft sand. Neither the NSRI nor the parks board were part of those early years.”
Many friends brought gifts to toast the 100 years. “May the treasure of this beautiful home continue to be shared with many generations to come.”
