ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the example of Richmond Hill, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, with the aim of further unpicking the values at work in the projection of this particular view. The official naming of Richmond Hill in 1991 and its designation as a ‘heritage district’ reflect the broader themes of the nationalist history promoted during South Africa’s apartheid era. The naming of Richmond Hill in 1991 acted as a force for gentrification of the district through repackaging it as a suitably picturesque heritage destination for tourists completing South Africa’s famous ‘Garden Route’ from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. In the process Richmond Hill perpetuates the promotion of a sanitised version of its historical past to a predominantly white middle class and international tourist demographic. It is important to stress the role of the visual sense in contested interpretations of Port Elizabeth’s heritage.
