Akaroa Historical Overview - Christchurch City Council

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SNAPSHOT OF AKAROA IN 1900
The 1903 Cyclopaedia of New Zealand described Akaroa as a “long favourite holiday
haven not only for New Zealanders but visitors from Australia and the Old World”. The
landscape offered scenery, salubrity, history and 'difference' and the town was said to
have an “arcadian character almost peculiarly its own in New Zealand”. 130
The town's relative isolation and the vestiges of French influence continued to strongly
inform its image as a sleepy hollow and a novelty. Visitors were enchanted by the
remaining French street names, 131 the use of French measurements for road widths
(instead of chains used in the English part of the town) and the legacy of the French
orchards and vineyards. This certainly contributed to its success as an early tourist
destination and by the end of the 19 th century Akaroa's role as North Canterbury’s
premier seaside resort was well-established.
In 1900 Akaroa was still largely a waterfront town, with some cottages and houses
scattered up the small valleys but little building yet apparent on the spurs and hillsides.
Many cottages and houses still sat on large sections and there were still empty spaces
between groups of buildings. The town began, at its northern end, at the start of Rue
Lavaud; to the south it did not extend past Cemetery Point. It already had the two
centres that remained until the end of the 20 th century. There was a line of commercial
premises around the curve of Beach Road and up Church Street and another at the
intersection of Rues Lavaud and Balguerie, where the post office and bank were located
in older buildings that were soon to be replaced.
The town’s three churches were all at the northern end of the town, but the southern
end had the main public meeting place, the Oddfellows Lodge building, and the town’s
library. There was coming and going over the coach road to Little River (where
connections could be made with trains to and from Christchurch), but the town’s three
wharves remained busy.
Figure 5.45. Bruce Hotel 1890s with Christchurch coach.
Ref: Carte de visite. Private collection, J Pyle
130 Cyclopedia of New Zealand Volume 3: Canterbury and Provincial Districts
131 Original street nomenclature was anglicised as French predominance waned.
AKAROA HERITAGE OVERVIEW : SECTION 5 THE COLONIAL TOWN 1850 TO 1900 PAGE 81