The Victoria Esplanade gardens were opened in 1897. The phoenix palms were first planted along Victoria Drive in the late 1930s, although many of them have since been replaced.
Creator: Massey University
Place: Palm Drive, Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North
Date: circa 2000
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."
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: 1961-02-13T00:00:00+00:00
This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 29 August 1960 "Probably the busiest place in Palmerston North yesterday was the Esplanade. During the afternoon, traffic reached almost congestion point and obtaining a...
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: Palm Drive, Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North
Date: 1960-08-29T00:00:00+00:00
This image was taken for a story that ran in the Manawatu Evening Standard on 08 April 1963, "Workmen of the parks and reserves department of the Palmerston City Council were using a new machine in the Esplanade this morning. The equipment consist...
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: Palm Drive, Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North
Date: April 8, 1963
This negative comes from the Elmar Collection - a large series of semi-identified and unidentified images from the 1930s-1970s.
Creator: Elmar Studios, 459 Main Street, Palmerston North
Place: Unknown
Date: January 7, 1955
Development began on the Victoria Esplanade in Palmerston North, named to mark Queen Victoria's 60th jubilee, in 1897. The phoenix palms were an initiative of Peter Black, curator of the gardens 1908-1946.
Creator: Unknown
Place: Palm Drive, Palmerston North
Date: 1950
A bed of flowers planted in front of the Phoenix Palms that line Palm Drive in the Victoria Esplanade Gardens.
Creator: Clarice Parlane
Place: Victoria Esplanade Drive, Palmerston North
Date: 1960s
This photograph of The Square was taken in the vicinity of the Manawatu Standard building. In the foreground is the Lakelet (or Butterfly Lake), followed by the Phoenix Palms that once lived in The Square. The tall building to the right is the The...
Creator: Joe Sing Candids, Palmerston North
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: circa 1974
Looking towards the clocktower in The Square of Palmerston North. In the foreground can be seen the construction of the new Civic Administration Building, built 1976 - 1979, which when completed straddled the road into The Square.
Creator: Manawatu Guardian
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: June 11, 1975
This colour image of The Square shows the quadrant nearest to the corner of Church Street West.
Creator: Colin Rush
Place: Corner of Main Street and The Square, Palmerston North
Date: 1977
A sunny day in The Square is captured in this 1960s slide. The prominent building is the PDC - which once stood on the corner of The Square and Church Street East, where the Plaza Shopping Mall does now [2016].
Creator: Clarice Parlane
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: 1960s
A view of where Victoria Drive and Palm Drive split in the Victoria Esplanade Gardens.
Creator: Maurice Thompson
Place: Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North
Date: October 11, 1963
This image comes from a series of slides taken around Palmerston North in the late 1950s. Many show scenes in The Victoria Esplanade Gardens, but other areas and events around the city are also represented.
Creator: S. A. Free
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: 1950s
Another view of the paddling pool donated to the children of Palmerston North in 1937 by the Returned Servicemen’s Association. The Begonia Hothouse can be seen to the left of the paddling pool.
Creator: Unknown
Place: Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North
Date: 1944
This photograph depicts people enjoying the facilities of The Square. In the centre of the photograph stands the Hopwood Clock Tower. It was built in 1957 from a donation from Arthur Hopwood and the clock mechanism from the old Post Office buildin...
Creator: Unknown
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: 1963
The Hopwood Clock Tower was constructed in 1956 and contains the chimes from the Post Office Tower. The Lakelet was constructed in October 1909 and the jets of water were presented to Palmerston North in December 1966 by Vera Holland in memory of ...
Creator: Unknown
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: 1966
In the right foreground is The Lakelet - constructed in October 1909. It was the main feature of the last quadrant of The Square to be developed by the Beautifying Society. Directly behind The Lakelet is the old Post Office building (built 1904-19...
Creator: Manawatu Guardian
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: 1974
This photograph was taken from the corner of The Square and Main Street West. The bottom right corner shows where the Civic Centre would be built across the road and into The Square. The clock tower in The Square was built in 1957 and contains the...
Creator: Manawatu Guardian
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: 1975
This photograph of The Square Taken was in the vicinity of the Evening Standard building. In the foreground is the Lakelet (or Butterfly Lake), followed by the Phoenix Palms that once lived in The Square. The tall building to the right is the The ...
Creator: Joe Sing Candids, Palmerston North
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: circa 1974
This photograph of The Square Taken was in the vicinity of the Manawatu Standard building. In the foreground is the Lakelet (or Butterfly Lake), followed by the Phoenix Palms that once lived in The Square. The tall building towards the left centre...
Creator: Joe Sing Candids, Palmerston North
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: circa 1974
These Palm trees which were planted in the mid-1930s were designed to line the road in the Esplanade. Development began on the Victoria Esplanade in Palmerston North, named to mark Queen Victoria's 60th jubilee, in 1897.
Creator: Unknown
Place: Palm Drive, Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North
Date: 1944
The Phoenix palms that line one of the many roads that run through. The Victoria Esplanade underwent a variety of improvements under Peter Black, the Curator of Reserves from 1908-1946. These included various footpaths, Victoria Drive, mass planti...
Creator: G R Kay
Place: Palm Drive, Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North
Date: 1950
These palm trees were planted in the mid 1930's. The Victoria Esplanade underwent a variety of improvements under Peter Black, the Curator of Reserves from 1908-1946. These included various footpaths, Victoria Drive, mass plantings (notably of the...
Creator: Unknown
Place: Palm Drive, Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North
Date: 1950
This image comes from a series of slides taken around Palmerston North in the late 1950s. Many show scenes in The Victoria Esplanade Gardens, but other areas and events around the city are also represented.
Creator: S. A. Free
Place: Palm Drive, Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North
Date: 1950s
The Te Peeti Te Awe Awe statue was constructed in the Square, Palmerston North, in 1907. Beyond can be seen the Clock Tower, constructed in 1957 to house the clock removed from the Post Office tower (demolished in 1942 due to earthquake risk). Pal...
Creator: E Viles
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: circa 1960
This booklet has information about the Victoria Esplanade Garden features, including the RSA Paddling Pool, Victoria House (Esplanade Cafe), aviaries, Education Centre (demolished 2017), Rose Garden, Miniature Railway and much more. It also includ...
Creator: Palmerston North City Council
Date: 2000s
This photograph shows The Square from Rangitikei Street through to Fitzherbert Avenue. Notice the three rows of railway lines and the absence of high rise office buildings.
Creator: Colin Rush
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: circa 1961