Philadelphia is slow to reveal itself. Disguised behind a group of trees just off the N7 between Durbanville and Melkbos, the town houses around 700 people, wheat farms that stretch as far as the eye can see, and a distinct divide between the old and the new.
Philadelphia is split into two. On the one side of the N7 is the old part, and on the other is the newer, strictly residential part.
The newer part of the town began developing around 15 years ago, but the old town’s signpost informs that it has been around since 1860. This is where you can find the life of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia is a small town just off the N7 that first appears to be a group of trees surrounded by fields of wheat. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
The first thing that you will see as you drive into the old part of town is the church’s steeple peeking its way through the trees.
Most of the roads on this side are gravel, and the crunch of the sand under your feet is probably the only noise you will hear as you walk them.
Any walk in Philadelphia will be a short one since it takes no more than 5 minutes to stroll down the main road. On its sides are smaller roads with a handful of shops, restaurants, and houses.
At the end of Philadelphia’s main road is another wheatfield, owned by the church. This is according to Wesley Williams, the only real estate agent in Philadephia. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
There’s not all that much to see in Philadelphia, but in its stillness, there is much to learn.
Those who sit in the stillness
Philadelphia Winkel is the convenience store of the town, and on its porch stretches a long bench where Anne-Marie Neethling, one of the oldest residents of Philadelphia (90), sits.
Residents of Philadelphia come to the small convenience store to buy pies, snacks and basic household items. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
“I have been living in Philadelphia for 40 years,” she says, as she prepares to share all that she knows about the town.
Down one of the first side roads is Magic Minerals, a well-known crystal shop, which Anne-Marie says was the original grocery store of the town.
Opposite it is Karma, a shop housed by the old post office. Here, you can buy goods like handbags, jewellery, pots, and scarves.
Magic Minerals and Karma are one of the few shops in small town Philadelphia. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
Anne-Marie weaves the scarves sold in Karma and says that she used to work in the post office when it was still functioning. She says working there allowed her to meet everyone in the town.
“Now, most of my friends from then have either passed away or moved to old age homes,” she shares.
Residents of Philadelphia also don’t receive post anymore, which Anne-Marie says they must go to neighbouring towns to collect.
Nelly Mclean, the owner of Karma, says that there used to be a bank in the building.
“The bank only opened one day a week on a Friday and that’s when all the farmers would come and do their banking,” she states. Like the post office, there is no bank in Philadelphia now.
McLean, who describes Philadelphia as rustig, moved there from Melkbos a year ago. When asked what drew her to the small town, she replied that she had no idea.
“It just happened”.
Philadelphia’s family
Philadelphia Winkel is owned by Anne-Marie’s son, A.B Neethling, and his wife, Alta Neethling.
Philadelphia Winkel is a family-owned convenience store in Philadelphia where the owners know all of the customers names. “You become a family in the village,” says A.B Neethling, one of the owners. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
As you enter the store, you’ll notice a wall covered in signatures.
Alta explains that the wall is categorized by different sections, namely, ‘the famous’, ‘the infamous’, and ‘the men and women in blue’.
“That’s the police, the fire brigades, the metro police… all of them- because none of them get acknowledgement for what they do,” says A.B, as he points to the third section of the wall.
The wall also contains clippings from newspapers that feature people from the town who have passed away.
A.B knows the name of almost everyone that walks into the store.
“You know what’s the difference between living here and anywhere else?”, asks AB, “One thing. I always ask people the question of whether they know 8 people living around them, and they never do. Everywhere else is too big”.
Behind a French garlic baguette flavoured packet of Lay chips, is the signature of South African singer Valiant Swart and a few other famous names on a wall in a small convenience store in Philadelphia. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
The old and the new
Anne-Marie is not too fond of the new part of town, whose residents she refers to as stadsmense.
“Everyone used to know everyone”, she says, “but now with the new side of town we don’t know each other. They like to keep to themselves”.
“I never see anyone. I think they could go dead in their houses, and no one would know”.
The more traditional houses in the old town of Philadelphia sit along unpaved roads, while the newer side is more suburban. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
Wesley Williams is one of these newcomers and is also the only real estate agent in Philadelphia.
“There’s definitely a dynamic between the new side and the old side of the town,” states Williams. He says that the old side is Afrikaans, whereas the newer side is more English.
“I’m probably the only coloured person that’s living [on the new side],” he says, explaining that he had his reservations before moving to Philadelphia given that the old town is more white and Afrikaans.
A ‘locals only’ time slot for Philadelphia’s small convenience store. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
However, he says that he enjoys living in the town with his wife and children.
“It feels like a getaway”, he says, “even though it is not far from the city centres”.
Williams explains that if you live in Philadelphia and you spend time with the places around you, then no matter who you are, you become a family with the community.
Set in wheat
What you see is quite literally what you get in Philadelphia. This is because there is no more room for expansion, says Williams.
An aerial shot of Philadelphia in 1988, before the construction of the new side of town began. The photo was taken by A.B Neethling, a local convenience store owner. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
He explains that limited water supply is one reason behind this.
Another is the fact that the surrounding farmland which belongs either to the church or are high commodity wheat farms, will never be sold into development, claims Williams.
“We know Philadelphia will always be the way that it is right now,” he says.
Quietly united
While there may be distinct differences between both the people and the buildings in the old and new parts of the town, a common thread amongst residents seems to be their appreciation for the quiet relaxation of Philadelphia.
If you ever find yourself jetting down the N7, slow down and take a turn in Philadelphia. There’s a stillness there that will pulse through you like no city bustle ever could.