Under wraps for decades...

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De Poort: new home of the Wamakersmuseum

THE BIG MOVE to De Poort October 2008

DOMINGO CART & WAGON FACTORY PAARL

De Poort is now home to the
“Wamakersmuseum” - a priceless collection of local carts, wagons and the tools used to make them. Seldom seen by the public, this unique collection is being brought to life again.

Thirty four years ago, the then municipality of Paarl decided to purchase the machinery and tools of the town’s last wagon maker, Mr. Harry Solomon.

In 1973, they paid R600 for this priceless heritage. Carts and wagons were donated by the public or placed on loan for the creation of a “Wamakersmuseum”.

The municipality negotiated with the Rembrandt group to acquire a packing shed on the farm “Groenvlei”. Grand plans for the Museum were made, renewed in 1984, 1987 and again in 1999. Overtime the shed became a dusty, locked venue and the collection suffered from the effects of rust, dust and insects. The municipality and developers sold off the land adjacent to the Groenvlei Store, which is now surrounded by suburbia.

With the support of the Drakenstein municipality & Paarl Museum, that collection was fumigated and the Great Move to a permanent home at De Poort began in October 2008 as soon as construction of the Phase 1 building was completed.

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