A beautiful re-creation of a New Zealand colonial village using surviving buildings from the surrounding area. Despite its name, Howick Historical Village is actually located in the suburb of Pakuranga. I visited it a decade ago though suspect / hope that little has changed since.
The Howick Historical Society dates from 1962, and the village started to develop in 1972 when the council offered land to put a donated historic house on. Over time more buildings were offered and relocated, quite possible when they’re mostly wooden, and the village officially opened in 1980 with fourteen buildings. It is now home to more than 30 buildings.
Sergeant Michael Ford’s Fencible Cottage is a good example of the homes offered to 2,500 British soldiers and their families who came to New Zealand in the mid 19th century as part of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles. After seven years service they were provided an acre of land and a cottage in Pakuranga, Howick, Panmure, Otahuhu, or Onehunga, to be used as defence posts if needed as these were the times of the New Zealand Wars as the Crown expanded its control across the country, often with violence.
Ararimu Valley School was pretty large.
Sergeant Barry’s Cottage was attractive.
The Wesleyan Methodist Church is a popular place for weddings.
The Early Settler’s Sod Village was particularly evocative of the basic accommodation the early settlers lived in.
Ngamapu’s Raupo Thatched Cottage is a recreation of where the Māori Ngamapu, a mail runner, lived during the 1850s.
The Puhi Nui Homestead was built in the 1860s and lived in by generations of the McLaughlin family for a century. It was moved to the village in 1982 and subsequently moved again within the village.
To finish with more photos from around the village.
