Kōrero: Historic places

The rebuilding of towns was welcomed by residents because it was thought to show progress. The first image captures the demolition of the old, frontier-era Chavanne's Victoria Hotel in Whanganui in 1870, with the ends of the new building on either side. So the hotel could carry on trading, the ends of the new building were constructed around the old building. When these were completed, the old building was levelled and the new one completed. The second photograph shows the new, grander hotel a decade later.