Palmerston North High School - the first High School building in Featherston Street, Palmerston North, which was opened in 1902.

1900s

New library and borough council buildings, a new King, 25th Jubilee celebrations and the population reaches 10,000

1900		By this time fire hydrants have been installed around The Square and other town areas
	5 September	Public Library re-established and opened in the former Colonial Bank Building
	10 November	The first performance of the newly established Palmerston North Operatic Society - Pirates of Penzance
1901		Population 6,534 (excludes Maori) George Matthew Snelson elected Mayor
	22 January	Queen Victoria dies after a record 64 year reign; She is commemorated in Palmerston North by Victoria Avenue and Victoria Esplanade
	31 October	Death of Palmerston North Mayor George Snelson during his 7th term
		William Thomas Wood elected Mayor
1902		Population 7000 William Thomas Wood elected as MP for Palmerston North Palmerston North Technical School opens Major flood of the Manawatu River Mr Alfred Andrews founds the cabinet making firm of Andrews & Sons on Rangitikei Street still in operation in 2008 in the same place as 'Peter Andrews Furnishers' Carncot School founded by Miss Constance Stanford
	17 February	Palmerston North High School established (later split into Palmerston North Boys' High School and Palmerston North Girls' High School), the first public secondary school
	31 May	Boer War concludes
	11 August	Coronation celebrations for King Edward VII and 25th Jubilee Celebrations of the Borough of Palmerston North King Edward VII Memorial Fountain unveiled in the middle of The Square - celebrates the coronation of King Edward VII and the incorporation of the Borough of Palmerston North
	22 August	First motor car arrives in Palmerston North
1903		Charles Dunk elected Mayor A larger fire substation is built at Terrace End replacing the one built in 1890
	1 July	Evening Standard newspaper purchased by Nash & Coombe
	26 December	Opening of Awapuni Racecourse sees a crowd of around 10,000 people
1904		Edward Orr Hurley elected Mayor A second larger dam is built at Turitea to increase the water supply Palmerston North Beautifying Society is formed by local citizens to beautify The Square Palmerston North Working Men's Club opens their own building George Bernard Shaw visits Palmerston North on his tour of New Zealand St. Joseph's Convent High School opens St. Patrick's Parish School opens 'New' Railway Hotel built on the corner of Main and David Streets.
1904	3 August	Beautifying Society plants first shrub in The Square
1905		Population 9,795 Maurice Cohen elected Mayor
	13 May	Opening of septic tanks & filters at Awapuni, previously sewerage was discharged untreated into the Manawatu River
	July	Borough Council occupies the Municipal Building on the corner of The Square and Church Street West The Public Library swaps with the Council and now occupies the Municipal Offices in Main Street (opposite the Post Office)
	12 July	Opening of the Palmerston North Opera House by Mayor Maurice Cohen
	14 July	The first show is held at the new Opera House - a charitable concert by the Palmerston North Orchestral Society
1906		Population 10,239 (excludes Maori) Abattoir at Awapuni opens
1906	5 February	New Post Office building on the corner of Main Street and The Square is opened by Prime Minister and postmaster-general Sir Joseph Ward. The building still stands but is no longer used as a post office, however the original clock tower has been removed (1942) and the clock and chimes placed in the Clock Tower in the Square (1956) Construction of a new 7 metre dam just downstream of the original weir starts
1907		Richard Essex elected Mayor Kairanga Co-Operative Dairy Company factory at Longburn opens Miranui Flaxmill at Makerua opens
	26 January	Statue of Te Peeti Te Awe Awe officially unveiled in The Square. The statue commemorates a chief of the Rangitane tribe and a significant figure in early Manawatu history
	19 August	Construction of the first (lower) dam on the Turitea Stream is completed & Mayor Cohen turns on the new water
1908		James Alfred Nash elected Mayor David Buick elected as MP for Palmerston North First Palmerston North Plunket Society begins and appoints Nurse Henderson as the first Plunket Nurse Marist Brothers High School opens (Catholic)
	18-19 June	Governor General Lord Plunket takes up temporary residence (till 1910) in Palmerston North in Te Awe Awe Street in the property now known as Caccia Birch House
	6 November	Opening of Main Trunk Railway Line between Wellington and Auckland; this line resulted in Palmerston North becoming the major railway centre in the lower North Island
1909	March 2	Stage one of the Lower Turitea Dam is officially opened by Mayor J A Nash, the dam has a capacity of 4,500 m3 of water
	29 September	Technical School building opens on corner of Princess and King Streets, formerly operating in Cuba Street; this two-storey brick building is preserved as part of the Central City UCOL campus
	27 October	Lakelet in The Square opened, sometimes known as the butterfly lake due to the shape

Disclaimer

Most dates are taken from tertiary sources and accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Researchers are strongly advised to check specific dates in other sources to confirm accuracy to their own satisfaction. All corrections or additional information and dates gratefully considered - please contact the Ian Matheson City Archives.