In 1854, copper was found in the nearby Khomas highlands and the Walwich Bay Mining Company established its offices in the city. Miners and merchants flocked to the settlement, and the researcher and businessman Karl Johan Andersson bought the entire settlement in 1860.
The finding of copper in the nearby Khomas highlands in 1854 triggered an influx as the Walwich Bay Mining Company established its operations in the city. This led to miners and merchants moving into the settlement, with Karl Johan Andersson ultimately buying the whole area in 1860.