The small village of Pilgrim's Rest in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa exists because of the discovery of alluvial gold in the valley's small stream in 1873 by Alex 'Wheelbarrow' Patterson. He was a gold prospector (panner) and arrived in the area with all his belongings on a single wheelbarrow. Patterson left the goldfields at nearby Mac-Mac and discovered gold on the farm Ponieskrantz ("ponies cliff"), also known as Pilgrim's Creek. He tried to keep his discovery to himself but was soon followed by one William Trafford, who named the settlement "Pilgrim's Rest", indicating the end of his personal pilgrimage. Trafford spread the word about the gold deposits and thus started the world's biggest gold rush ever.

As time passed and gold was discovered on the Witwatersrand in 1886, near present day Johannesburg, the pilgrims moved on. Only the large syndicates mining at greater depth by means of sunken shafts, remained. Eventually the last remaining gold mine was closed in 1972. The village was declared a National Monument in 1986.

Today Pilgrim's Rest is a living museum, reflecting an architectural style similar to that of 1880 to 1915. As corrugated iron was the easily transported "pre-cast" building material of the time, most buildings were built with this material on wooden frames. Today the town is a quiet and peaceful backwater that caters for tourists from across the world. The Royal Hotel* is a favourite with visitors, whether you decide to stay over or just to enjoy a pint in the hotel's bar.

Shops cater for tourists and you can browse and shop till you drop, whether it be handmade soaps or a photo of your family all dressed up as gold diggers or Voortrekkers from the 1800's. In the main street you can still fill up your vehicle with gasoline from yesteryear's gasoline pumps, all in working condition, and just to bring you back to reality ... today's prices! There are various restaurants and coffee shops. The town's small museum-shop also operates guided walking tours.

In the surrounding area there are excellent trout fishing, hiking and mountain biking venues. A short way from town you'll find Alanglade, previously a mine manager's residence, which is a worthwhile visit for lovers of Art Nouveau and Art Deco.