Norsewood. Wairarapa . New Zealand. - Pictorial Village Signs on Waymarking.com

Norsewood is located in the heart of what was once the dense and towering forest known as the Seventy Mile Bush. The town was established in 1872, with the arrival of 372 Norwegians and 11 Swedes aboard the Norwegian ship Høvding, at Napier on 15 September 1872.
Over the next several years, hundreds of other settlers also found themselves struggling to establish a new life on the many 40-acre bush-covered 'farms' in the vicinity of Norsewood.
When the country descended into economic depression around 1880, with the long awaited railway eventually opening at the point nearest the town in August 1880, bypassing Norsewood and instead going through another town six kilometres away, Norsewood's status declined somewhat. The population today is around 330.

The new village sign, corrugated iron framed with timber features a steel scandi-wheel symbol and a woodsmen's axe.
The Scandi-wheel imagery appears throughout Norsewood. This wheel with a square inside was invented by the Scandinavian settlers for use in the forest. The spokes of normal, less sturdy wheels broke all too frequently in the rough forests so this unique wheel came in great use to the settlers for clearing the forest.

This waymarked sign stands at the southern entrance to the town. Another identical sign stands at the northern entrance near S 40° 04.050 E 176° 13.350.

Occasion Commemorated: Commemorates the Scandi-wheel. Location: Situated at southern entrance to town on SH.2. Plaque: no Construction Material: Wood, corrugated iron and steel. Web Address: [Web Link] Sign Date: Not listed Artist: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
To log a visit, a photograph of yourself or your GPSr by the village sign is required. Some description of your visit would be welcome.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   07/22/2015 waiiti20 visited it 09/29/2010 Punga and Paua visited it

View all visits/logs