Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The stories about the lives of service personnel named on war memorials have often been lost in time. Their stories lived in the memories of their relatives, who are often no longer with us. Dorothy Pilkington writes about a research project to discover the identity and stories of the young men who served in World War 1. She discovered the life story of Alexander James (Jim) Low, a soldier memorialised on the Feilding War Memorial in Manchester Square. The research uncovered details of his early lfe and his service during Woirld war 1.

This map shows Kairanga County as it stood in 1916.

The Kairanga County Council was established in 1902 as a result of the amalgamation of the Manawatū Road Board and the Fitzherbert Road Board. The County amalgamated with the Manawatū County in 1988 to form the first Manawatū District Council. In 1989 most of the former Kairanga County territory was amalgamated into the Palmerston North City Council boundary.

Enjoying a quiet moment on Salisbury Street, Ashhurst. The road became part of SH3 due to the closure of the Manawatū Gorge but was quiet during lockdown - one of the positive parts of the lockdown.

Logo for the Centennial production of Under The Sun.

Jenny McLeod was commissioned by the city of Palmerston North to compose music to commemorate its centenary in 1971. The resulting work, Under The Sun, was performed twice during Palmerston North's Centennial production, on 29 and 30 May 1971. With Under The Sun, ‘New Zealand ceases forever to be a provincial society’ wrote playwright Bruce Mason in the New Zealand Listener.

Under The Sun was the major cultural event of the Palmerston North centennial. It was brought to production by Peter Tulloch. The work included more than 1000 performers, some 440 of them school children. There were four orchestras, six choirs, ten conductors, a rock band and stroboscopic lighting, with images of children’s paintings projected around the perimeter of the Pascal St stadium, where it was performed. This ‘total theatre experience’ was the initiative of Morva Croxson and told the story of the galaxy.

Festival of Cultures Lantern Parade 2018

Savage Crescent is in the West End area of Palmerston North, bounded by College Street, Cook Street and Park Road. Fifty acres was bought by the Government for the development, and between then and 1944, 245 state houses were built. For the time, Savage Crescent was designed upon the most modern ideas, as a garden suburb, with a large central, recreational area, communal garages and a variety of house designs built for the sun and with ample gardens. While the majority of the houses in Savage Crescent are now privately owned, the precinct remains as a significant example of state housing in New Zealand.

This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 27 December 1962, "In Palmerston North for the national women's softball tournament, Miss C. Corbett (left) and Miss J. Shelton of Wellington, spent a damp time in their tent at the Palmerston North motor camp last night. They are seen putting out their sleeping bags to dry today."

Film created by David Evans of the City Council's Planning Office on 16mm Cine-Kodak Super-X filmstock.
Created to demonstrate inner city traffic flow problems in the mid 1950s, this film shows a unique slice of Palmerston North daily life with a variety of makes and models of cars, streetscapes, bicycles and pedestrians.

Text found with film:
"Fitzherbert St, clock tower - too flickery very little of use"

M D (David) Evans was a planning assistant from 1955 to 1968, Deputy City Planner from 1968 to 1978 and Senior Planning Officer (Design and Development) from 1978-1988.

This plan for the new Palmerston North Post Office was designed by the architect Joshua Charlesworth (1861-1925) for the Public Works Department in 1903. The original plan is held by Archives New Zealand as part of the contract file for the agreement between the Public Works Department and James Trevor & Sons, Wellington.

Written on the postcard is "This is the water fall where Palmerston gets it town water supply from you will see me sitting by myself in a white shirt this is the place where we was going in the motor car taken with my camera Bert." Bert Albert is the person sitting in a white shirt.

This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 28 January, 1959. "Im so frightened. I don't know how I am going to do the part," confides Niki in 17-month-old Lynette Owen-Taylor at the Opera House yesterday. Niki had been chosen to play a small walk-on part in "Ladies Night in a Turkish Bath" and Lynette, whose parents play leading roles assures Niki that stage life is fun."

This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 13 February 1961: "Visitors to the city yesterday are here seen relaxing in the Square gardens and taking full advantage of the bright sunshine."

Balloons released at the opening of Broadway Avenue following it's redevelopment.

Go-Kart Racing on Broadway Avenue

William Park established his book seller, stationer and newsagent business in Palmerston North in 1878. This is his second premises, built 1884, in The Square. William Park is standing second from right.

The official opening by Mr Moohan, Minister of Railways, at the Longburn end of the deviation, just outside Palmerston North. To his right is Mr W B Tennent, Mayor, and Mr W Nash, Prime Minister.

This video shows local events that took place in Palmerston North in the mid 1930s. Subjects include chariot racing, fun in the Esplanade, 50th jubilee of Palmerston North parade in 1937 and footage of a Springbok vs Manawatu match. NOTE: There is no audio to accompany this footage.

This booklet was produced by the Junior Chamber of Commerce. It argues the case that Palmerston North's Milson Airport should have been the home to the Trans-Tasman Air Terminal due to the city's status as the "geographical centre of New Zealand" and the number of train lines that connected the city to the rest of the country. This booklet outlines some interesting information about Milson Airport and Palmerston North in general.

This two story building was erected c1877-1878 on the western corner of The Square and Fitzherbert Street (now Fitzherbert Avenue) and occupied by the Bank of New Zealand until 1901. It was sold to Mr Richard Leary, chemist, of Palmerston North who moved it to a site in Church Street west and converted it into a private residence. It was later owned by Mrs Frederick Riddiford and Captain J D R Hewitt and family. In 1944 it was sold to the Palmerston North Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's Association for use as Club headquarters. It was demolished in 1972. Mr James Cannons, driving the traction engine through The Square, was employed by the contractor. Another view of this building being moved was published in the Weekly Graphic newspaper 24 August 1901, p365.

Three children posing in fancy dress outside a house. Probably related to the Pike family.

A prize-winner in the Moutoa and District Rodeo Association Children's Calf Ride receives their ribbon and award at the Linton Rodeo.

For two days and two nights in June 2017, George Street and Coleman Mall were open to Pedestrians only for the Winter Festival, featuring live music, food, fun activities and building-sized projections. The weather was unusually fine and tempted thousands of people to venture outdoors to join in.

The craft group "Wooly Riot" claimed responsibility of the yarn bombing of Charles Monroe statue. The group also yarn bombed the "Who's Afraid" sculpture in front of The Regent Theatre, the entrance to The Esplanade, and the concrete boulders at the entrance of Palmerston North.
The craft group "Wooly Riot" claimed responsibility of the yarn bombing of Charles Monro statue. The group also yarn bombed the "Who's Afraid" sculpture in front of The Regent Theatre, the entrance to The Esplanade, and the concrete boulders at the entrance of Palmerston North.

An air-operated coal crane at the Palmerston North railway yards. On the foreground: railway worker Jim Daley.

Syd Jensen stands with his Triumph GP and a KTT Velocette motorcycle, alongside a year's worth of trophies, shields and banners from the 1949 racing season. Syd Jensen was a very successful pilot, aircraft builder, businessman, engineer, racing driver and motorcyclist. He started racing motorbikes in the 1940's, competing very successfully in New Zealand, UK and Europe. By the 1950's, he had started to race cars. As a business man he ran a bike shop in Palmerston north, and then owned a car sales and BMW import company. The Jensen family owned property of the Kairanga road with an airstrip and hangar. Syd had a pilot licence by 1947. See A175/ 387.

Palmerston North held its 75th Jubilee Celebrations during the week of 15th March 1952. Shown here is a line of cars lead by a jigger taking part in the parade. The building to the right of the cars is the Waldegrave Building, still standing today [2016] on the corner of Broadway Avenue and The Square.

The mural on the side of the recycling centre on Fergusson Street.

The lakelet was the main feature of the last quadrant of The Square to be developed by the Beautifying Society. James Nash, Mayor of Palmerston North, standing centre on the bridge, is opening the Lakelet before a crowd. The Lakelet is shaped as a butterfly, with the 'wings' bisected by a bridge as its body. It is also referred to as the Butterfly Lake.

Colour postcard showing buses travelling arund The Square.

Gardeners working on the floral clock in The Square. Located opposite the Post Office, the clock was erected in 1971 to commemorate Palmerston North's centenary.