PARYS MUSEUM

  Hundreds of old and historic photos can be seen   here as well as exhibits explaining the early days in   Parys. Many documents and facts are available, for   instance, not many people know that the grounds of   the present Palm Court hotel actually strechted down   to the river. In the days of old, lady visitors at the hotel,   with fancy hats and umbrellas, strolled down through   gardens to the river to take in the scenery. Or, did you   know that the ferry to the old Transvaal actually left   from what is now the Ferry House at O's Restaurant.
Did you drive down President Street recently? You can come and see a picture showing the road as a wild footpath in the old days. Old photos of people swimming and diving at the then famous Mimosa gardens, or photos of the ladies being rowed around the islands for that stolen moment, will bring on a smile. A large scale relief map can also be seen. This will give interested people an idea of the river flowing past Parys as well as a layout of the many islands in the river.

Declared a National Monument in May 1986, The building, erected in 1904, was built in the architectural style of the short 'Orange River Colony' period. The building is one of only a few sites of this period remaining today. Due to a lack of office space, the Municipal Council of Parys bought the plot and building on 27 January 1948 for an amount of 2,525 Pounds. During it's lifetime the building housed Barclays Bank from 1955-1956 and used later by the Oranje Vroue Vereniging. The Municipal Clinic and Health Department was also later housed in the building leading up to the end of 1976.