Knysna History Elephants rest is an imposing building with unrivalled nature around like the Knysna Lagoon, the heads out to the Indian Ocean and the mejestic Knysna Forest. The origins of the building are obscure but it has been built in the form of a large double storey house which dominates the corner of Rawson Str. The name Elephants Rest was chosen by the original owners. The only interesting facet of the name is off course that it was derived from the majestic and legendary Knysna Elephants, some still free roaming the forests! The origins of the name Knysna are confused but it originated, apparently, as the Hottentot name of the river that flows onto the lagoon. The original form of the name appears to have Xthuys Xna(place of wood). Knysna's most famous resident was George Rex, who, probably falsely, claimed to be the illegitimate son of George III of England and his Quaker wife, who went by the magical name of Hannah Whitefoot. His farm, Melkhoutkraal, was burnt down during a Xhosa raid along the coast. When he re-built it, he married his late wife's daughter from an earlier marriage and prduced six sons and seven daughters. They seem to have formed the leading original family of Knysna. The town itself was founded in 1895 by Lord Charles Somerset on land granted by George Rex. In its heyday, it was a major port exporting wool, timber and railway sleepers. The Thesen family, after whom the island in the centre of the Lagoon is named, founded the Knysna Steam Ship Service with two coasters, the 635 ton Ingerid and the 23 ton Agnar, trading up and down the coast. Today , Knysna is the heart of the Garden Route and offers access to superb beaches, unspoiled natural forests, interesting activities and some of the most spectacular golf courses in the country.
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