("Little Free State"), and was situated "on the north side of the back of the old Anglican Church" on Adams Road. The house was demolished in 1984. However, the "best guess" for the first house built in Amanzimtoti is 1895, and it may have been on the "headland" south of Amanzimtoti Lagoon.
A photograph of a rowing boat on the Amanzimtoti River taken in 1889, shows the banks of the river vegetated with Phragmites australis, Phoenix reclinata and coastal bush.However a later traveller in 1911 claims to have been the first person to take a camera up the river, but also describes "reed-covered isles", "overhanging trees" and his photographs show Phoenix reclinata growing on the banks.
The railway line from Durban to Isipingo was extended to Park Rynie from 1896, and the first train passed through Amanzimtoti in 1897. This train left Durban on 22 February at 07h55 and consisted of a Dubs-type Engine with two goods trucks, two passenger trucks and a brake-van. There was a tin shanty siding at Amanzimtoti in 1897 which served as a station. The route from the Amanzimtoti train station to Adams Mission was named Adams Road. The first hotel in Amanzimtoti was built in 1898 to cater for holiday makers, some of whom came from as far afield as Johannesburg on specially organised trains. The first hotel was built of wood and iron, and burnt down in May 1899. Amanzimtoti had its first station master in 1902.
In 1902, Mrs K. Swafton visited Amanzimtoti and reported that the area had 1 hotel, (3 or) 4 houses and 12 huts on the lagoon (clustered on the shore between the lagoon andChain Rocks). The huts were made of wood and iron or motor car packing cases and served as holiday bungalows, and two of the houses had been built by the Department of Native Affairs for resident officers. The 5th house in Amanzimtoti was built on the corner of Adams Road and Ross Street in 1908 by the Reinbach family, who were from Cape Town.
