The name original of the town was chosen by an early group of religious zealots who mistook the north flowing river in the vicinity of the town for the source of the Nile. It had been a good rain year and the river flowed strongly and the vegetation was lush. They had left the vicinity of the Great Marica in the western Transvaal and decided to trek to the Holy Land to escape the ‘unholy machinations of the British. They were known as the “Jerusalem gangers” (Jerusalem travelers). The misunderstanding was strengthened by the discovery of what appeared to be the ruin of a pyramid. It was, in fact, the natural hillock, Kranskop.
The current name of the town is that of the indigienous name of Kranskop namely Modimolle. Early pioneer history is abundant in the town of Modimolle (Nylstroom), which is also noted for its table grape industry and annual grape festival. Historic buildings in the town include an old church dating back to 1889 and Strijdom House, a small but interesting museum. It was the house of J G Strijdom Prime Minister from 1954 to 1958. At one stage he was the only National Party MP for the Transvaal. He was a Member of Parliament for nearly 30 years.
Nylsvlei Nature Reserve, situated between Modimolle (Nylstroom) and Mookopong (Naboomspruit), supports one of the greatest concentrations of waterfowl and bushveld birds in the whole of South Africa.
Facilities: 1 Airport, 1 station
Educational Facilities: 2 pre-primary schools; 5 primary schools; 2 high schools; 1 technical college.
Hospitals: 2 provincial
Main Places of Interest: Strydom House Museum, Reformed church, concentration camp cemetery, Kranskop-Modimolle, game farms
