Gapes Valley
Gapes Valley is a valley in the Canterbury Region in the South Island of New Zealand. It is about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) west of Geraldine and located on the Geraldine Fairlie Highway. The valley is nestled between the Waitohi Hill and the Rocky Ridges and is described as being 4 miles (6.4 km) long with the flat land of exceptional quality. Today Gapes Valley consists of a sparse grouping of houses, the hall and a recently established brewery.
History
The valley was named after William Gapes (born in Saffron Walden, Essex, England; twin brother of James Gapes), who after working throughout the region settled on an 123 acres (50 ha) farm in the valley. The valley was once home to a small post office. The Gapes Valley School was opened in 1882 though would later close with students moving to the nearby Hilton School.
Many roads in the area bear the names of pioneer families, such as: Halls, Loves, Patricks, Slacks and Wells.
References
- ^ "Gapes Valley, Canterbury – NZ Topo Map". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
- ^ "'Cyclopedia of New Zealand' Gapes Valley". www.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
- ^ Macdonald, George. "Macdonald Dictionary Record: William Gapes". Macdonald Dictionary. Canterbury Museum. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ Geraldine: The First 150 Years. Geraldine 150 Committee. 1 January 2006. ISBN 9780473110925.
- ^ Journals [and Appendices]. 1 January 1882. p. 75.
44°6′46.16″S 171°8′5.11″E / 44.1128222°S 171.1347528°E
 | This Canterbury Region-related geography article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |