The original Nama settlement was situated at Bijzondermeid 5km south of present day Steinkopf. In 1818 a Rhenish Mission Station was established and in 1821 the mission was moved to current Steinkopf (then known as Kookfontein) due to a perennial spring that is still flowing today.
Rev Brecher later renamed the town Steinkopf in honour of the German minister in London. Today Steinkopf serves a large communal stock farming area and many inhabitants work on the outlying mines in Namaqualand.
Agricultural activities range from intensive crop production and mixed farming in winter rainfall and high summer rainfall areas to cattle ranching in the bushveld and sheep farming in the arid regions. Maize is most widely grown, followed by wheat, oats, ...
