William Paterson (1755-1810) was one of the first Europeans to cross the Orange river. In 1778 he ventured as far north as Modderfontein (now Keetmanshoop) collecting mainly plants and also some birds.
Keetmanshoop lies on the B4, 500km south of Windhoek. It is the traffic junction and the economic centre for the whole south of Namibia. The town was founded as a mission station in 1866 and named after the German trader Johann Keetman who supported the mission financially.
About 13 kilometres north east of Keetmanshoop lies the spectacular and much photographed Kokerboom or quiver tree forest on the farm Gariganus. The site has been declared a National Monument. The quiver tree is indigenous to the hot and dry southern part of Namibia. The plants are succulents and can reach a height of up to 9 metres in height. They have adapted to the extreme environment conditions by storing water in their trunks. The tree only blossoms for the first time after 20 to 30 years and can reach 300 years of age. The wood is very light and spongy inside. Because the trunk and brances can be easily hollowed out, they were used as quivers by the bushmen who formerly inhabited the area.
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