[5] When Adam Kok II was given possession of the mission station it was on condition that he promised to protect the San against the aggression of the Boers and the London Missionary Society hoped that the Griqua would promote peace in the region.

This violated the agreement made between the London Missionary Society and Adam Kok II[7] and eventually the San were driven out of the area.

The town has a number of declared heritage sites including an historical jail[8] that has been turned into a bed and breakfast guest house.

Two naval cannons stand on top of a small hill which were presented by the Cape colonial government in 1840 to Adam Kok III who was the Griqua chief at that time.

[9] A memorial was erected in Philippolis to commemorate English activist Emily Hobhouse, who worked to bring the poor conditions of Second Boer War concentration camps to the British public's attention.