We revisit the look and feel of long-remembered shops and businesses that lined the centre of Whanganui during a golden era of commerce.

Victoria Avenue, running straight through the commercial centre of Whanganui, flourished in the 1870s. Throughout boom and bust, the Avenue has remained a constant in the heart of Whanganui.

In 1901, the first cars arrived with a speed limit of eight miles per hour. Initially the roads were of dirt. A windy day brought choking dust, and when it rained, the Avenue turned to mud, bogging down vehicles and people. Victoria Avenue was one of the first streets in Whanganui to have its surface sealed in 1902.

Trams appeared in December 1908 with the first line to Aramoho. Gas street lamps glowed all night except for when there was a full moon.