THOUGHTFUL & ALIVE

The Orginal Murray House.

The Murray House, a true jewel on the banks of the Orange River. Murray Ave 4, build in 1910, just after the first aerial photo taken of the town Upington. Heroldt Murray Sebastian Muller, Upington’s first city and regional planner, and his wife Elizabeth built this house for them to live in. Later years the town also decided to name the street after him.
The Muller’s sold the house to a very well-known builder in Upington, Boet de Plessis. Boet and his wife raised their four sons here. Two of these sons, Frank du Plessis and Jeremy du Plessis, who both lived here for a few years are also well-known Upingtonners that had a big impact on our town. Boet du Plessis was widely known for his excellent building skills and craftmanship and his sons followed in his footsteps with Frank being an engineer and Jeremy who are still very involved at the Municipality.

In 2021 we took the big step and bought Murray Ave 4 from the Du Plessis’s. I have a big passion for heritage and immediately fell in love with the British Colonial Building style and the story of this beautiful house with its rich history. I wanted to better the house but keep as much as possible in its original state. I nurtured each steel frame window and the wooden floors. Even the original plaque with the house number (that was at the back of the house) had to stay.
In March 2022, after we received full business rights, we decided to name the house after Murray House in honour of Sebastian Murray. At the time Sebastian registered the house on his wife, Elizabeth’s, name – therefore we gave the house the nickname of Elizabeth.

I believe that in 100 years our children’s children and their generation will look back and still tell this very important historical story, the house will still be here and someone will be living their passion and dream here. Then we (and them) will be able to look back and realize how important it is to remember our origin, who we are, who our parents and relatives are. Each one of us should know and nurture where we come from regardless anything else. Because in each of us there is a little bit of history that adds to the richness and colour of our country.

May you also find something that you are very passionate about – just like we did with this ultimate destination that we are so thankful and utterly stunned about.
– Isabella Brown