A midsummer festival named “Carnival of the Lake” was held on the Hokowhitu Lagoon at Centennial Drive, Palmerston North, January 17th – 20th 1964. A variety of activities ensured the public were well entertained during the four day festival. Here, three Navy divers, from a party of five, tested equipment as part of their display at Centennial Lake [Hokowhitu Lagoon]. They were all members of the Royal New Zealand Navy Diving School based at HMNZS Philomel. The Carnival of the Lake was organised by the Palmerston North Public Relations Organisation and held over Anniversary Weekend in 1963 and 1964.

This building was constructed as the Colonial Bank in c1892. It was used as a Public Library 1900-1905 and then converted into the administration building of the Palmerston North Borough Council. It was increased in 1925 by the addition of the two storey structure at the rear, as seen in the photograph. In 1945 the original front portion was demolished and replaced by a new administration building, today known as Square Edge, attached to the 1925 addition at the back.

William Penny, born 1863 at Penrose, Masterton, was a sheep farmer in the Wairarapa and Manawatu Districts. He was an acknowledged authority on sheep breeding and Lincoln and Romney sheep breeds, and was successful in the show ring. Penny was the Secretary of the A. and P. Association (1911-34), served on the Farmers Union and Meat Control Board, was Director of the Wairarapa Frozen Meat Company (1923), President of the Royal Agricultural Socitey (1924) and a Justice of the Peace. See A. G. Bradfield, The Precious Years, pp.85-88.

This photographs shows students at Palmerston North Girls' High School playing hockey. The school was opened in Fitzherbert Avenue in 1920. Previously girls and boys were educated together at Palmerston North High School.

Shearers at work on A S Aldrich’s farm “Matsubara”, Bunnythorpe, north of Palmerston North. The “Matsubara” homestead of Mr G H Aldrich was located two miles out of Bunnythorpe, on the Bunnythorpe – Ashhurst road. The homestead was built about 1888 and destroyed by a fire in the late 1910s.

A survey party of four men hauling a canoe up the Otaki River. The Otaki River originates in the Tararua Range and flows for 45 km, firstly heading southwest through a valley in the Tararua Ranges. It turns northwest in the area of Otaki Forks, where it is joined by the Waiotauru River. After continuing through Otaki Gorge it reaches the Tasman Sea south of the settlement of Otaki Beach.

Members of the Women's Service League were each paid 1s 3d (one shilling, three pennies) per hour to bag potatoes on Alfred Seifert's Opiki farm in order to earn funds. They also weeded and cultivated vegetables on a vacant lot on North Street. The proceeds from the work went into a parcel fund and those who contributed could submit the names of servicemen overseas to receive parcels. The parcels were packed at the home of Nancy Smith where her mother sewed each parcel in calico to be collected by someone from the Post Office. From left to right: Unknown, Peggy McMahon, unknown, Kitty Landers, Dorothy Anderson, Nancy Stuart, Joan Brown, others unknown.

This photograph shows the access road into the Kahuterawa Valley where bush felling in preparation for farming was taking place in the 1890s. Built in 1890, the original Kahuterawa Valley Road was a six foot track only useful for sledges and went for a distance of 78 chains. Another contract in 1892 saw the road lengthened another 5 miles and 32 chains. A deputation of locals petitioned the Fitzherbert Road Board in 1894 to upgrade the road to a width suitable for wagons and drays. This petition was successful and a team of 40 men, who camped near the Black Bridge for the duration of the work, were employed. This upgrade of the road made wool, timber and general farming much more efficient.

This photograph shows the damaged "Southern Cross" when it landed at Milson Airport, Palmerston North. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and crew of the 'Southern Cross', a Fokker F. VII Trimotor aircraft, were delayed in Palmerston North for several weeks after the aeroplane's wing was damaged during taxiing 4 February 1933. The left wing sank axle-deep in a boggy patch of ground. The left wing and port propellor were damaged, taking several weeks to be repaired. Kingsford-Smith left for Sydney a few days later in the "Makura" for a much needed holiday.

A walkway surrounded by gardens in the Esplanade, near the road. This area was probably originally laid out c1916-20. The Victoria Esplanade Gardens were named after Queen Victoria to celebrate her 60 years on the throne, and opened in 1897.

The Manawatu Scottish Society Pipe Band was one of thirty-six pipe bands involved in a march around The Square as part of the New Zealand Pipe Band Championships held 19 – 21 February in Palmerston North. Front row from left: Dennis Pierce; Neil McIntosh; Briar Hamilton.

The New Zealand Dairy Farmers Union established this factory in 1893. It was bought by Joseph Nathan Co. Ltd who began the first dried milk operations in New Zealand. 'Glaxo' became the brand name for their baby milk product and Glaxo Laboratories was formed in 1937. The factory continued operating until 1973, when Glaxo centred all their production at Botanical Road, Palmerston North.

This photograph shows Queen Elizabeth II at the Milson Airport during her royal tour in 1970.

The interior of Andrews Furnishers Ltd. after its newly renovated premises were destroyed by fire about 2am on 13 July 1977. The fire was one in a series of burglary related fires in the city. One of the oldest family businesses in Palmerston North, F N Andrews Furnishers Ltd was started in 1902 by Alfred Andrews, Grandfather of Directors Maurice, John and Earle Andrew (at time of the fire), on a half acre section in Rangitikei Street. In 1939 the company built a 'modern' two storey shop.

The Youth Centre was built to accommodate 24 young people on remand and 96 longer term young male offenders. It was to have a dual role as a remand institution and training centre for youth. Designed by Struction Group Architects, it opened in 1979 on 30 hectares of land at Linton.

A severe storm which crossed the North Island on 2 February 1936 caused substantial damage in and around Palmerston North, one of the hardest hit towns. Houses lost roofs, chimneys were blown over, the grandstands of the A&P Association, the Awapuni Racecourse and the sportsground were demolished, and a man was killed when he was blown off his roof as he tried to repair it. This photograph shows the damage to the Terrace End Railway Station.

Workmen fitting out a new Leyland charter coach.

The property of Bishop Monrad, former Prime Minister of Denmark and family. Translated from Danish on rear of photograph, written by Olga Monrad, daughter in law of Bishop Monrad: “The lake, called lagoon. The garden fence is visible to the right. The canoe in the foreground, the board doesn’t belong. The Maoris squat. Ditlev is quite good at keeping his balance, getting on board and sitting still, it is a pity that he is not sitting on the empty board”. Ditlev was the first child of Viggo and Olga Monrad, and was born in Wanganui in 1866.

A new coal based Gasworks was opened by the Palmerston North Borough Council 21 December 1923, including a gasholder with a capacity of 500,000 cubic feet. The Gasworks went out of operation November 1970 when Palmerston North was connected to a pipeline from the Kapuni gas field, Taranaki.

In this photograph, we see the members of the Borough Council and their wives at the annual Mayoral Picnic at Tiritea. The newly built Tiritea Dam was also officially declared open by the Mayoress, who cut the ribbon. After inspecting the dam the party were given afternoon tea. Identified in the photograph are: Mayor J.A. Nash - 6th man from left, second row; His wife, Mayoress Elizabeth Nash is on his left; Councillor Edward John Armstrong is possibly on her left; W.H. Collingwood front row, second from right with the hat with grey ribbon; H Palmer second from left, back row with the bow tie; W. Stubbs 3rd from left, back row in white suit; S Jickell second from left, front row. See also W4 and The Birth of Palmerston North, p 92.In July 1888, the Palmerston North Borough Council accepted a scheme to bring water from the Tiritea Stream to the city at a cost of £18,350. The contractors were Coates and Metcalf of Hamilton. The dam was situated seven miles east of Palmerston North and the water was piped first to a reservoir on Tiritea Hill and then to the city over the Fitzherbert Bridge. A second dam was constructed in 1906-1907 and then was raised in height and re-opened on 17th February 1913, submerging the original dam.The present dam was constructed in 1957.

‘The Wattles” was built for Mr William Park, stationer and Mayor of Palmerston North (1893-1895) in 1887, on a 4 acre section. The 20-room house was designed by Ernest Larcomb, a local architect, and constructed of native timbers. The property was particularly known for its gardens. In 1910 William Park sold the property to Frederick Joseph Nathan, another Mayor of Palmerston North, who renamed it 'Moerangi'. After it was sold by Mrs Nathan in 1946 it had numerous owners until it was demolished in 1967.

Mr W A Woolcock and Mr C Hosking conducted their foundry and blacksmith business 1875-c1892, after which Mr C Hosking and Son continued the business on their own account. It is thought this photograph is at the second site of the business, Section 332, Main Street west, where they operated 1882-1905. From left: Mr C Hosking; Mr W A Woolcock; Mr C Hosking (eldest son of C Hosking senior).

Built in 1906, the Post Office on the corner of The Square and Main Street was Palmerston North’s fourth. Due to the risks in an earthquake, the clock tower was removed in 1942. They were re-purposed for the Hopwood Clock Tower. In 1988, when Telecom and Postbank became separate entities, the building ceased to be the Post Office. It currently operates as a restaurant and bar. The rotunda in the centre right of the postcard is the original structure - it was moved to the Victoria Esplanade in 1907 to make way for a larger structure. Behind the rotunda is the train line that ran through the Square until after the Milson Deviation was completed in 1959. In 1964 the last passenger train ran through the Square and the tracks were removed. The spire on the far right is that of the Catholic Church, situated in Broad Street.

New Zealand Laykold Ltd, of Wellington, were the contractors for reconstructing the road between Foxton and Foxton Beach. This firm owned a bitumen factory in Wellington and employed Mr L C Eggers (photographer) as overseer for the contract.

The old gasworks building was located near the railways sheds on Church Street West, which are possibly the ones on fire here. For a full account of the event, see Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9562, 5 August 1913, Page 5 in an article entitled "Explosion and Fire" (available online on www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz).

This portrait shows Vilhelm Klausen Lembert. While not a founding member of the Co-Operative Mauriceville Dairy Co Ltd, he is described as a "guide of (its) destinies" in the company's early, struggling days.

This photograph shows the carpark at the Awapuni Racecourse. The decision to begin race meetings in Palmerston North was made at a meeting of sportsmen in October 1880. D H McArthur was to be President. The first race couse was situated at the end of Park Road and met there from July 1883 until 1903 when the Awapuni Race course was brought into commission (due to erosion at the previous site). A branch railway was laid in 1905 to carry patrons from Palmerston North to the race course.

Either side of the Manawatu River can be seen the road (to right), constructed from 1871-1872, and railway line (left), opened in 1891, that run through the Manawatu Gorge.

The Miranui Flaxmill was the largest flaxmill built in New Zealand, in 1907. The dining room is in front, with rows of sleeping huts behind. At its height in 1926 the mill employed about 300 men.

On July 21, 1919, King George V approved the award of a silk Union Flag to be presented Territorial Force Battalions and Battalions serving overseas. Here the flags are being presented to the 1st, 2nd & 3rd Battalions, Wellington Regiment, after consecration. The Colours (flags) were then laid up in All Saints Church.