Forgotten cornerstone : a history of Coleman Place in Palmerston North from the late nineteenth century to the early twenty-first century : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History at Massey University
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2023
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Massey University
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New Zealand histories have typically referred to the idea of place in passing, with scholarly examinations featuring and interrogating place less frequently. This thesis examines the development of Coleman Place, a place within Palmerston North’s city centre (adjacent to The Square), that has received little attention within the wider history of its surroundings. Originally government reserve land, Coleman Place emerged organically as a thoroughfare and developed into a commercial space between several streets, part of the developing regional centre in the late nineteenth century. Its name became attached to an early figure in Palmerston North, Sylvester Coleman, who it can be argued was typical of European settlers during this period who came to New Zealand in order to improve their economic and social standing. Despite Coleman’s contributions to Palmerston North in public and private capacities, his historic memory faded quickly after his death in 1881 while Coleman Place developed into a mixed space of commercial and public use. While public use of the space disappeared shortly into the twentieth century, with Coleman Place solidifying into a place of commercial and retail use, the space was also significant in serving for a time as a gathering place in town. Later in the century, Coleman Place became the focus of placemaking within two redevelopments. The first, in 1973, took the form of a pedestrian mall after groups and individuals discussed how it could balance its commercial use while fitting into modernisation of the wider city. Redevelopment was undertaken by the Palmerston North City Council with the expectation to further develop the area, however conditions and priorities did not result in significant changes until 1996 when the city’s main library shifted nearby. Though part of a wider project to create a cultural precinct on The Square’s north western area, this second redevelopment inadvertently reconnected Coleman Place with elements of its past, despite being unrecognisable from its original state. In its present form, having reopened with through traffic from The Square to George Street, it has retained its commercial and retail usage while becoming again linked to public use, housing the library’s Youth Space and becoming used again as a gathering place for various events. Overall, this thesis’ focus on a specific history of Coleman Place offers insights into how places, specifically urban developments, more broadly may be understood. Additionally, it also adds to the historical knowledge of Palmerston North.
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Image 29 is reproduced with permission.