Plaque on the site of historic first buildings
They are not there any more, but two historic buildings in the Waitahora are to be commemorated by the Waitahora School Centennial Committee on March 21.
They are the first school and the first dwelling built by a European in the Southern Hawke’s Bay, according to historian Ian McGibbon in his book History of Mangatoro Station and the Waitahora Valley.
The first dwelling was built by George Douglas Hamilton in 1861 on a site which is now part of Glenview Farm, as his first home having leased Mangatoro from Nga¯ ti Kahungunu.
He described it as “a very primitive affair made of heart to¯ tara with a to¯ tara bark roof for which I split the shingles and slabs and carried the material on the ground myself.” (Ian McGibbon’s book).
It was replaced by a six-room structure but Hamilton planned to preserve the original to show future generations what early settler life had been like.
Sadly, Turner — a soldier servant — demolished the building during some down time, explaining to Hamilton he was “unwilling to let anyone see that you lived in such a place”.
A plaque will be placed on the site on March 21.
Waitahora School started out as Mangatoro Valley School in 1903 after a huge battle with the government to build it. It cost 320 pounds to build and struggled for teachers and pupils before expanding with the local farming economy according to the Waitahora School 75th Jubilee book.
It no longer stands either but a plaque will be placed on the corner of Waitahora Valley Road and Waitahora Road at 11am on Saturday March 21, followed by a visit to the first house and then finishing with lunch at the former golf club.