At the time of this photograph the Palmerston North railway station and yards were in Main Street, just down from The Square. Percy Humpries (left) and Andre Zentveld are show here 'cleaning the points' in the Palmerston North railway yard near the old weighbridge. The buildings on the left consist of the weighbridge, goods office and goods shed.

This stone is set into the wall of a 1908 building, situated in Berryman's Lane off Princess Street, between Main Street East and Broadway Avenue. When the photograph was taken it was occupied by the Manawatu Scottish Centre. The original building was once the Orderly Room of the Manawatu Mounted Rifles, opened 30 July 1908. For photograph of building see 2009N_A58_WAR_2212.

Flooding around a home in Palmerston North

In 1952, Palmerston North celebrated 75 years since being proclaimed a Borough. A parade of decorated floats was part of the week long celebrations. This float was entered by Palmerston North Cycle Retailers.

The man in the centre is Mr Samuel Jickell, who was the Palmerston North Borough Engineer and on the right is Mr Christian Voss. The date of this photograph suggests these men were on their way to the construction site of the second dam at Turitea.

The first school in Palmerston North was situated on the corner of the Main Street East and Princess Street on the site of the Empire Hotel [2015]. However, the original site proved too small and in 1890 - when the roll had reached 400 - classes were transferred to a new building in Campbell Street. There were four main incarnations of Central School - The Original School (corner of Main and Princess Streets, 1872-1890), Campbell Street School (1890-1922), Central School (Featherston Street, built 1922), Central Normal School (became a practice school for teachers college students in 1956).

Northcote Hospital on Grey Street is seen here in 1944 soon after the completion of extensive renovations. The building was built about 1904 for Mrs Freeman for use as a private hospital. The improvements of 1944 was financed by Miss Flower, designed by Mr R Thorrold-Jaggard and constructed by the McMillan brothers. When it reopened in late 1944 the hospital was described as one of the most up-to-date private hospitals in the country.

These American roller dance champions were in Palmerston North to give a performace at the Waldegrave Skating Rink. They toured the country for two weeks giving performances and seminars.

The newly completed Civic Centre, for the Palmerston North City Council, was completed in 1979, and staff moved in January 1980. Office space was designed to be open plan.

Restalzig (sp?) Cottage was the residence of Mrs. Annie Astbury, at 28 Campbell Street, Palmerston North.

Panoramic view taken from close to the railway line in the centre of The Square, Palmerston North, with Main Street East on the left, the Church Street East corner at centre and Fitzherbert Street (now Avenue) on the right. The photograph was taken before the Te Awe Awe statue (built 1907) and the Millar and Giorgi shop was built in the Square (1902), dating it to sometime before 1902. Buildings include: The United Farmers Co-operative Association Ltd (second from left), established in 1895; the Club Hotel (the lower two-storey building on the other side of the Church Street corner); the second Occidental Hotel, with distinctive tower, on the corner of Fitzherbert Avenue. It was first built in 1887, was burnt down in September 1891 and was replaced by this similar building which was also destroyed by a fire in 1927.

This photograph looks down Broadway (formerly Broad Street), towards The Square. Many pedestrians, cyclists and motorists can be seen looking at the fire engine on the right hand side. Its ladder is clearly visible and a fire hose can be seen on the road.

A group of men work on a slip consisting of boulders and gravel almost covering the width of the road. The Manawatu River is running very high.

This, the first, control tower at the airport was built c1939. It was replaced by a new control tower, opened March 1965, which provided a better view of the airport, and more modern equipment. The old control tower stayed in use for a time as it housed the ariport lighting equipment, but was finally demolished in 1970.

It is thought the loader is the first Barber-Greene bucket loader in New Zealand and the metal pit is on the riverbank at the end of Albert Street. Child Bros, Carriers and Fuel Merchants, were established in 1919 in McGiffert Street by Mr E G Child and his sons W J and E G Child. A metal crushing depot and plant was later opened in Albert Street, near the Manawatu River. The business later became known as Child Metal Ltd.

The Grand Hotel is situated on the corner of The Square and Church Street West. It was built in 1906 and replaced the Provincial Hotel on the same site that was gutted by fire. The turret was subsequently removed as an earthquake risk and today the top floors of the former hotel operate as commercial offices.

A wedding photograph of William Henry Harold Foster and Doris Irene Lyon. The military badge on William's suit indicates he served in the First World War. He served in the New Zealand Rifle Brigade from 1916 and did not return to New Zealand until August 1919. Mr Foster's parents ran Foster's Boarding House, at the corner of Douglas Square and Mersey Street.