Sanson, New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Sanson is a small town in the Manawatu region of New Zealand
. It is located just south of Bulls
and the Rangitikei River
, and west of the city of Palmerston North
. The 2001 census revealed that Sanson's population was 495, a 4.6% decrease from the previous census in 1996. The average household size in 2001 was 2.5 people.
Two major roads of the New Zealand State Highway network
meet in Sanson, State Highways 1 and 3. They run together for six kilometres before diverging again in Bulls. From 1885 until 1945, the Sanson Tramway provided a link with the national rail network
, running south to meet the now-closed Foxton Branch
in Himatangi
.
At the front of the Sanson School is the Sanson Gate, a memorial to soldiers who died in World War I
. It was unveiled on 31 August 1924 and lists the names of twelve deceased soldiers.
The town is often mistakenly called Sandon. This comes from the fact that the town of Sanson was developed on a portion of a much larger block of land sold under the name of "Township of Sandon". The application for the Sandon block was made in 1868 and by 1871, the township of Sanson and surrounding rural blocks had been surveyed and development progressed from this time.
Today, Sanson serves as a small regional town that caters for people travelling through the area via the State Highways. It plays host to cafes, arts & crafts shops and the new Sanson the Salmon tourist sculpture.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is located just south of Bulls
Bulls, New Zealand
Bulls is a small town near Palmerston North on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is in a thriving farming area in the Rangitikei District at the junction of State Highways 1 and 3 about 160 kilometres north of Wellington...
and the Rangitikei River
Rangitikei River
The Rangitikei River is one of New Zealand's longest rivers, 185 kilometers long.Its headwaters are to the southeast of Lake Taupo in the Kaimanawa Ranges. It flows from the Central Plateau south past Taihape, Mangaweka, Hunterville, Marton, and Bulls, to the South Taranaki Bight at Tangimoana, 40...
, and west of the city of Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
. The 2001 census revealed that Sanson's population was 495, a 4.6% decrease from the previous census in 1996. The average household size in 2001 was 2.5 people.
Two major roads of the New Zealand State Highway network
New Zealand State Highway network
The New Zealand State Highway network is the major national highway network in New Zealand. Just under 100 roads in both the North and South Islands are State Highways...
meet in Sanson, State Highways 1 and 3. They run together for six kilometres before diverging again in Bulls. From 1885 until 1945, the Sanson Tramway provided a link with the national rail network
Rail transport in New Zealand
Rail transport in New Zealand consists of a network of gauge railway lines in both the North and South Islands. Rail services are focused primarily on freight, particularly bulk freight, with limited passenger services on some lines...
, running south to meet the now-closed Foxton Branch
Foxton Branch
The Foxton Branch was a railway line in New Zealand. It began life as a tramway, evolved into a railway by 1876, and operated until 1959. At Himatangi there was a junction with the Sanson Tramway, a line operated by the Manawatu County Council that was never upgraded to the status of a...
in Himatangi
Himatangi
Himatangi, formerly Carnarvon, is a small settlement in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located at the junction of State Highways 1 and 56, 25 kilometres west of Palmerston North, and seven kilometres east of the coastal settlement of Himatangi Beach...
.
At the front of the Sanson School is the Sanson Gate, a memorial to soldiers who died in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. It was unveiled on 31 August 1924 and lists the names of twelve deceased soldiers.
The town is often mistakenly called Sandon. This comes from the fact that the town of Sanson was developed on a portion of a much larger block of land sold under the name of "Township of Sandon". The application for the Sandon block was made in 1868 and by 1871, the township of Sanson and surrounding rural blocks had been surveyed and development progressed from this time.
Today, Sanson serves as a small regional town that caters for people travelling through the area via the State Highways. It plays host to cafes, arts & crafts shops and the new Sanson the Salmon tourist sculpture.