The town of Caledon is renown for its hot and cold springs. The water is free from any organic matter, and previously utilised for healing arthritic conditions and drank for medicinal purposes. There are altogether six warm water springs and one cold water spring. The Khoi people named the hot springs dispore kamma (“hot water”) and the river catchment the Hacqua (“zebra”).
In 1715 ten hectare ground surrounding the springs were granted to Ferdinand Appel for the development of a health spa. Conditions were not favourable and eventually Governor Janssens persuaded the German doctor Johann Frederich Hassner to take control. He was the owner of the spa from 1805 till 1813. Hassner died in 1820.
The original name at that time was Zwartebergbad. Due to the amount of people visited the warm water springs, there was a need to commune in church service, and thus Caledon has developed around such a need.
The owner of the farm on which Caledon has developed was J. Rademan and he received the amount of 10,000 rijksdaalders.
In 1813 Governor sir John Cradock proclaimed that as a mark of respect to the Earl of Caledon, who was governor of the Cape Colony from 1807 till 1811, the settlement formerly known as Zwartberg shall in future be called Caledon.
In the beginning of the 20th century the spa was developed to a three storey building with hotel and sanatorium facilities and accommodation for three hundred people. The complex was furnished with Victorian style furniture and to compare to today standard absolutely superb. But all things come to an end as the saying goes, and in 1946 this glorious place went up into flames. The cause of the fire never determined, and the complex never rebuild.
Annual rainfall is between 250mm and 500mm. Vegetation is evergreen bush and shrub and grassland. Fynbos, protea and erica is found where civilisation has not taken its toll. A wild flower garden and nature reserve were established at Victoria Park in 1927 by a group of enthusiasts on ground donated by the late Queen Victoria in 1899.
Worth a visit is the Holy Trinity Anglican church, build from sand stone.
The backbone of the economy is agriculture and the most important produce is wheat, barley, onions, potatoes and lesser fruit and vegetables. Sheep farming, especially wool producing, is of importance.
Caledon boasts as the largest malt producer in the southern hemisphere.
Tourist attraction comprises the wild flower garden and the wild flower show yearly in September, a tradition started as early as 1892. A casino, hotel and spa forms part of the tourist attraction.