Orange Free State
orange Free State South Africa
I have been driving around the Free State near Smithfield South Africa recently, perhaps there is a political reason the Free State used to be called the “Orange” Free State, but it certainly is orange these days.
The republic’s name derives partly from the Orange River (just as the Transvaal Republic was named after the Vaal River), but both names were bestowed by the Dutch Protestant settlers in honour of the Dutch ruling royal family, the House of Orange.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Free_State
Comment by Brett — February 5, 2009 @ 2:21 pm