Historic Flashback - Colombo St

This photograph is of Colombo Street circa 1930, looking south towards the cathedral. Notice the mixture of transportation modes - automobiles in addition to trams, pedestrians, and quite a few cyclists.

Image Source: Christchurch City Libraries Heritage Collection

Historic Flashback - Double Decker Trams

In honor of the completed restoration of Tram No 26 (see today's News Bite below), these images show the kind of double decker trams that ran from Christchurch city to the suburb of Sumner.

Image Source: Tramway Historical Society, Ferrymead Heritage Park, Christchurch, NZ

Historic Flashback - High Street

High Street was Christchurch's first major thoroughfare. Today, the High Street area is undergoing a bit of renaissance and is home to some of the city's edgier shops, several of which owned by young entrepreneurs.

The first photo is a rooftop view of High Street in 1929, looking southeast from Cashel Street. (I thought it very fitting that this first image shows operable trams on the street, in consideration of Mayor Bob Parker's recent announcement in favor of light rail system and Council's current initiatives to extend tram lines). The second photo was taken street-level in the last month (December 2009) from Lichfield Street, one block down from the first image, and also looks southeast towards the section of the street in which most of the more fashionable establishments presently exist.

Image Source for first image: Christchurch City Library Heritage Images Collection

Historic Flashback - Sol Square

A Southeasterly view of Lichfield Street towards the intersection at Manchester and High Streets; 1878 and 2007. For detailed information about the proprietors and inhabitants of the buildings in the 1878 image visit this Canterbury Heritage Flickr page.

Image Source: Canterbury Heritage