Although there had long been a hotel at Ōtira, the township expanded when the Ōtira railway tunnel was being built, from 1907 to 1923. Accommodation for construction workers made up most of the settlement: huts for the single men and bungalows for families. Although the population declined after the tunnel was opened, Ōtira remained a base for railway maintenance until 1999, when the remaining houses were sold.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
West Coast Historical Museum
Reference:
#3837
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.
Tāpiritia te tākupu hou