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Description

Name: The origin is unknown. It is assumed to be named after Cuba Street in Wellington. The Wellington Street was named after the ship, "Cuba," which landed immigrants on Petone Beach in January 1840.

The map is a derivative of this Palmerston North Borough map from 1923.

History: Cuba Street was one of the city's original streets. It first ended at Short Street (now known as Cook Street) and was extended out to Burns Avenue at a much later date.

For a comprehensive history of Cuba Street, take a look at this Back Issues article by Lesley Courtney.

In 1871, Palmerston’s first public cemetery was established on the site of the present Palmerston North Showgrounds. By 1875, a decision was made to move the cemetery to Napier Road, due to the Cuba Street site being too wet. The bodies were exhumed and reinterred at Terrace End Cemetery.

In 1940, the 28th Māori Battalion trained at the Palmerston North Showgrounds. In 1964, Te Rau O Te Aroha Māori Battalion Hall was opened at 138 Cuba Street, as a national memorial to the men of the 28th Māori Battalion who lost their lives in the Second World War. The hall became a Poppy Place in 2018.

In 1981, Cuba Street was the scene of barbed wire, police lines and protesters; when anti-Apartheid activists opposed the Springbok Tour. Take a look at this Back Issues
article by Stephen Berg to find out more.

Renumbering: The addresses on Cuba Street were renumbered between 1936 and 1939. See p.149 to p.153 of the Rates Register of Street Numbers - Old and New.

Built Heritage Inventory:

Identification

Object type
Map
Content type
Map/Plan
Date
1923
Digitisation ID
2024M_IMCA-DigitalArchive_042458
Format
Born Digital

Taxonomy

Community Tags
cuba street,

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