Jan Meyer, a well known gold prospector, and members of the Pretorius family had a vision of a town in this area. In 1891 a syndicate was formed with Jan Meyer as Chairperson. The members were very optimistic about the potential development and the talk of the proclamation of a town. Huge profits were expected from the sale of land. The town Meyerton was officially proclaimed on 6 June 1891. It acquired municipal status in 1961.

Today, Meyerton is a small town with a population of approximately 12,000 and is located in a predominantly rural area. Sited close to the Klip River, a tributary of the Vaal River, its primary industries are ceramics and metal related manufacturing.