Witsand is not only rich in natural beauty but also steeped in cultural and historical significance. The area has a long history of human settlement, dating back a hundred thousand years to the earliest humans and, more recently, the pastoral Khoisan people. Evidence of their presence can still be seen in the form of shell middens, cave paintings and ancient artifacts scattered along the coast. The Blombos Cave archeological site, just up the coast between Witsand and Stlbaai, is of particular significance, and the area has given its present-day name to a Stone Age technique of flint tool-making - Stillbay. 
 

Fast-forward 99,800 years to modern times. Witsand consists of 2 places, Witsand itself and the adjacent Port Beaufort. The two places are joined, with the intersection of Main Road and Barracouta Street being the official dividing line. Both are situated on what was originally a farm called Westfield, which had been owned by the Moodie family since the 1830's. The name "Witsand" came into use in the late 1860's when people started coming to the area on holiday, to distinguish it from what was then the industrial area of Port Beaufort. Because of the decline of the port, the town became known to the outside world simply as Witsand. It has continued to gain popularity as a tourism destination, and the conjoined areas now consist almost entirely of holiday homes.

 

Witsand has a compelling history deeply intertwined with maritime trade and the entrepreneurial vision of Joseph Barry, an English settler who left an indelible mark on the town during the 19th century.​ Barry arrived from England in the mid-1800s, lured by the region's strategic location at the mouth of the Breede River and its potential for agricultural and fishing industries. Before his arrival, Witsand was already known as a trading port, however this gained momentum with his arrival. In 1850, recognizing the area's fertile lands and abundant marine resources, Barry established a bustling port (Port Beaufort) to facilitate the transportation of local agricultural produce to Cape Town. This included wheat, wool, ostrich feathers and livestock. His endeavors not only fueled economic growth but also attracted settlers and traders to the burgeoning community.
 

Barry's influence extended beyond commerce. Alongside his family, he became integral to the social and cultural fabric of Witsand, contributing to the establishment of local institutions and infrastructure that shaped the town's development into a thriving coastal settlement.
 

Central to Barry's enterprise was the SS Kadie, a steamship commissioned to enhance trade between Witsand and Cape Town. The SS Kadie, operational from the late 1850s until she sank six years later, navigated the waters of the Breede River Estuary, playing a pivotal role in facilitating commerce and transport. After almost 250 voyages, the SS Kadie foundered on the sandbank at the mouth of the Breede River in 1864. 160 Years later, she remains a visible wreck, a poignant relic of a glorious, bygone era in Witsand's history.
 

Despite his success, Barry's business empire faced challenges with the advent of railways in South Africa during the late 19th century. Just as his ships had been faster and more efficient than ox-wagon transport, steam trains diminished the demand for coastal shipping routes overnight, leading to the decline of Witsand's port and Barry's commercial ventures. The economic landscape shifted, impacting the livelihoods of residents and reshaping the town's economic trajectory. In the late 19th Century, Witsand became a holiday destination for residents of the prospering surrounding area, which later became known as the Garden Route. Attracted by the excellent fishing at the Breede River's mouth and the white sandy beach, the first holiday homes built by the townspeople were little more than reed huts, a far cry from some of the opulent buildings that line the river today.
 

Today, Witsand stands as a testament to its rich maritime heritage and the pioneering spirit of Joseph Barry. The Barry Memorial Church and the remnants of the SS Kadie's wreck continue to evoke the town's storied past as a bustling port and serve as a reminder of its enduring legacy in the Western Cape's coastal history.