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| History of Charleston
In August 1866 gold was discovered by Timothy & Mark Linahan and party
travelling north from Hokitika.
By October the population had risen to 1200 people, although there were no roads, or tracks and it was difficult country to negotiate.
In December Charleston was named after Charles Bonner, Captain of the Ketch Constant.
He sailed through turbulent waters to bring much needed food supplies to the miners who were close to starving.
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Charleston was a first in many ways....
The first suspension bridge in New Zealand was
built across the Nile river.
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Robert Hannah had his first shoe store in Charleston.
First Casino * Casino De Venice *
T C McCarthy a successful brewery owner who later moved to Wellington
and sold to Dominion Breweries.
Australian dancing girls were imported by the shipload, under a two year contract.
The girls had to be of "Good moral tone" as well as handsome, lissome and well dressed,
did not drink and must behave with propriety.
1869
The population had grown to 18,000
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1870
The population was now estimated at 40,000.
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The main street had 80 hotels and 2 concert halls.
3 breweries The Star, Standard and Strike's.
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In addition every store in town held a wholesale licence to sell fermented and spirituous liquors in quantities of not less than two gallons.
1884
The Mining Warden reported that Charleston had declined in both population and prosperity.
1914
World war 1 started, the miners that were left, downed tools and joined up.
1930
Derelict mines....gorse and scrub, broken chimneys where once a house stood.
Piles of tailings covered most of the town. All that remained was...
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1 hotel, a store, post office, school and police station.
1966
The last remaining building, the European Hotel was pulled down.
The new European was built accross the road
1988
The second European hotel burnt down.
Charleston Today
1999
Population:
Whitebait Season 150
Summer 130
Winter 80 (plus one old grump)
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Visitors examining some of the tunnels
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John and Val considering a prospect
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And the hard won results
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