"Mist frequently clings to the mountains that overlook the former gold mining settlement of Arrowtown of a morning. But as soon as the sun is up, warming the shopfront verandas along Buckingham Street, it could almost be mistaken for a town in the American Wild West, and the name Arrowtown certainly helps fuel that inclination."
"The town’s mining past can be examined through exhibits at the Lakes District Museum, while the remains of a tumbledown settlement once populated by Chinese immigrant workers offers a keen insight into what life would have been like for the miners during the gold rush."
"Hiking trails make the most of the nearby mountains while snowy slopes open during the winter to skiers over on Coronet Peak, 11 miles (17km) to the west."
Arrowtown has one of the best preserved collection of goldfields heritage buildings in New Zealand.
Arrowtown had four churches representing the early immigrant populations. Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican and Methodist. All still operate today except for the Methodist Church.
They used to sell Morphine in the local drug store. That was back in the goldmining days of course!
The Maori name for the river is Haihainui which means ‘Big Scratches’.
Arrowtown was originally known as Fox’s. named after William Fox an early gold discoverer. Then it was known as The Arrow and later Arrowtown.
In the 1950’s many New Zealander’s built cribs ( holiday houses) in Arrowtown and came here for their summer holidays.
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