This cache is in a medium/ small container with a logbook and pencil found on the one-way bridge. You can park on the North side of the bridge and walk to the cache.
Norval’s Pont was originally a farm called Dapperfontein, established in 1835 by Petrus Brits. As Dapperfontein underwent a transformative period, the entrepreneurial spirit of a local sheep farmer and comb maker called John Norval recognized the need for a reliable means of crossing the broad Orange River. Norval hence established a ferry service, utilizing a sturdy wooden pont (ferry boat) that replaced the original rubber inflatables used during Sir Harry Smith's expedition.
The ferry service, known as Norval's Pont, gained immense popularity, particularly among Boers trekking north, offering a vital transportation link between southern and northern South Africa. In 1890, a significant development took place, leading to the inauguration of an impressive railway bridge stretching 500 meters, supported by eleven solid concrete columns and steel sections manufactured in Britain.
The bridge's historical narrative intertwines with the turbulence of the Anglo-Boer War. In 1900, during a strategic move, Boer Generals De la Rey and De Wet attacked Norval’s Pont, resulting in the destruction of three of the bridge’s central columns (see image). Subsequently, a pontoon bridge was hastily constructed by the British sappers, which was later replaced by a temporary railway bridge, that was then converted to the road bridge you are standing on today in search of this Geocache.
The completion of this road bridge unfortunately saw the decline of Norvals' ferry business, prompting his return to farming, but also marking the establishment of the Glasgow Pont Hotel, which still stands in the middle of town. The bridge's enduring legacy lies in its evolution from a crucial wartime crossing to a vital link in the region's transportation infrastructure.