Hamilton, New Zealand

History

The area now covered by the city was originally the site of a handful of Maori villages, including Kirikiriroa, from which the city takes its Maori name. By the time English settlers arrived, most of these villages, which sat beside the Waikato River, were abandoned. The new English settlement was renamed Hamilton after Captain Fane Charles Hamilton, the popular commander of HMS Esk, who was killed in the battle of Gate Pa, Tauranga. The city is located near the southernmost navigable reach of the Waikato River, amidst New Zealand's richest and most fertile agricultural land. Initially an agricultural service centre, it now has a growing and diverse economy.

Related Topics:
HMS Esk - Gate Pa - Tauranga - Waikato River

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