Nelson, New Zealand City Guide
For over 20 years, Pamela Lanier's Nelson, New Zealand Travel Guide has been your connection to Nelson's tourism community with invaluable details on local attractions, restaurants, shopping, museums, history, outdoor recreation and more.
Nelson History
Nelson’s history, like that of much of New Zealand, revolves around the Maori who settled the region about 1100 years ago and the arrival of European settlers. The first European to see the Nelson area was Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer, who anchored in Golden Bay in the year 1642. Captain James Cook and his crew visited the Nelson region in 1770. The next was Captain Dumont D’Urville in 1827. Maori tribal wars decimated much of their population opening the way for the New Zealand Company of London to settle Nelson beginning with the arrival of the first settlers in February of 1842. Nelson received its name in honor of Admiral Horatio Nelson who defeated both the Spanish and French fleets during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Nelson was selected due to having the best harbor, however, the lack of arable land made it difficult for the population to thrive. The industries that developed to sustain the population were a brewery, a flax mill, a tannery, a woolen mill and a solar salt works. In 1853, Nelson was given the status of a city, New Zealand’s second city. Nelson College, a school for boys, was founded in 1856 and the Nelson College for girls opened in 1883. Today the economy of Nelson is based on seafood, horticulture, tourism and forestry. The bed and breakfast visitor will recognize that Nelson’s beautiful location and abundance of sunshine make it a popular destination for both international travelers and New Zealanders.
