Francistown, the second largest city in Botswana, with a population of about 113,315 (urban area - census 2001), and often described as the "Capital of the North". It is located in eastern Botswana, about 400 kilometres north-northeast from the capital, Gaborone. Francistown is located at the confluence of the Tati and Inchwe rivers, and near the Shashe River (tributary to the Limpopo) and 90 kilometres from the international border with Zimbabwe. Francistown was the center of southern Africa's first gold rush, and is still surrounded by old and abandoned mines.

History of Francistown

Although evidence of habitation by humans goes back around 80,000 years, written evidence is more recent. The Ndebele came through the area in the 1820s on their way to Bulawayo, bringing their culture and influence to the Kalanga area of north-eastern Botswana. Reportedly, Nyangabgwe was the nearest village to Francistown to have been visited by Europeans, when it was visited by Robert Moffat. Moffat was followed by a gold prospector, Karl Mauch who, in 1867, found gold along the Tati River.

The current city was founded in 1897, as a settlement near the Monarch mine. The city is named after Daniel Francis, an English prospector who acquired prospecting licenses in the region in 1869. Francis was a director of the Tati Concessions Company, who owned all the land in the settlement. The centre of the new town was formed when the company sold off 300 lots in August of that year. The Monarch mine was not the only mine in operation at that time, and it was widely believed that Francistown would grow rapidly.

In the beginning, the town comprised one street east of, and parallel to the railway line. This street featured a several companies, including a hotel, retail and wholesale shops and three banks. Behind these were the houses of the few white settlers. Segregated areas were made for coloureds and black people in the Satellite township and between the railway and the river respectively.

After Botswana gained its independence in 1966, Francistown was no longer segregated.

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