Kruger House, Pretoria facts for kids
Kruger House. A view from Church St, Pretoria, in 1998
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The Kruger House is a famous old house in Pretoria, South Africa. It was once the home of Paul Kruger, who was a very important leader. He was the President of the old South African Republic.
The house was built in 1884 by Tom Claridge, an architect, and Charles Clark, a builder. Here's a cool fact: they used milk instead of water to mix the cement! This was because the cement back then wasn't very good.
The Kruger House was also one of the first homes in Pretoria to have electric lights. Inside, you can see furniture and items from that time. Many of these were gifts given to President Kruger.
On the verandah (a covered porch), there are two stone lions. A rich mining businessman named Barney Barnato gave these lions to President Kruger as a birthday gift on October 10, 1896. Today, the Kruger House is a museum. It helps visitors imagine what life was like when Kruger lived there.
Contents
The Kruger House Story
Building a President's Home
After Paul Kruger became a member of the Volksraad (which was like their Parliament) in 1863, he bought several pieces of land on Church Street. He had lived in other houses nearby before. In July 1884, the Kruger family moved into this special house.
A well-known businessman, Alois Hugo Nellmapius, helped build it. On August 14, 1884, President Kruger hosted a big dinner party. About 60 guests came, including members of Parliament, lawyers, and pastors. They celebrated his "new official residence."
Unique Design and Features
The Kruger House has a mix of building styles. You can see parts that look like Late Renaissance designs. These include the fancy moldings around the front door and on the gables (the triangular parts of the roof).
The front and back porches have an Asian style. The house itself is a long, strong, and simple building. At the front, there are two large drawing rooms. Behind these are four bedrooms. The long, wide front porch was famous. President Kruger often sat there and met with visitors.
Kruger Family Life and Departure
President Kruger and his wife lived in the Kruger House for about 15 years and 10 months. They lived there from July 1884 until May 1900. Most of their children were already grown up and married by then.
On May 29, 1900, President Kruger left his home for the last time. This was just before the British army took over Pretoria. His wife stayed in the house until she passed away in 1901. Many family members, friends, and supporters came to say goodbye to him. A young boy named James F. Smith even brought 29,000 messages of sympathy from American boys.
After President Kruger passed away in 1904, his son-in-law, Frederik Christoffel Eloff, bought the house. He registered it in his son's name. While he was away, the house was rented out as a bed-and-breakfast called "The Presidency."
Becoming a Museum
President Kruger was buried in Pretoria on December 16, 1904. His funeral service was held on the grounds of the house. It was between the Kruger House and the Pretoria Reformed Church (GKSA) across the street.
Later, from April 1920, the Kruger House was rented to a school for midwives. It became a maternity ward where many babies were born until 1932. Because of this, many Afrikaners today can say they were born in the Kruger House!
Over time, people started to think the Kruger House should become a museum. When some of Kruger's personal items were brought back from a museum in the Netherlands, it made people even more excited. These items were first shown in another museum.
The Kruger House officially opened as a museum on October 10, 1934. Mr. Albert Kuit opened it. People who knew President Kruger, like Mrs. LJ Jacobz and Col. Hermanus Christiaan Bredell, gave valuable photographs and other personal items to the museum.
On April 6, 1936, the house was declared a National Heritage Site. This means it's a very important historical place. Since then, some extra buildings have been added to hold all the Kruger items. There's also an apartment and an office. In 1952, the South African Railways and Harbours Administration gave the museum President Kruger's personal train coach. The museum now displays it in the garden under a special roof.
The Kruger House Museum is now managed by the National Cultural History and Open Air Museum. On October 10, 1984, the house turned 100 years old. This was also the 50th anniversary of it being a museum!
Images for kids
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Kruger House. A view from Church St, Pretoria, in 1998
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Inside the Kruger House
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Kruger House from Church Street
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Another view of the Kruger House
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The verandah with stone lions
