The Christchurch of July 2011 is a very different city from the Christchurch of July 2010. But while recent changes have been dramatic, Christchurch has always been evolving.
The library has several collections that let you discover the many faces of our city through the years. There are beautiful books, such as Gwenda Turner’s Christchurch, and Christchurch Changing by Geoffrey Rice, and there are some wonderful hidden gems in our online collection:
- Heritage images of early Christchurch and Canterbury;
- Digitised historical maps (click on the link below the images to zoom in on specific areas);
- Christchurch Buildings & Landmarks guide, which details the stories behind many of our city’s landmarks;
- Architectural Heritage of Christchurch – an occasional series of titles published by the Heritage team of the Christchurch City Council;
- The Christchurch Timeline – very handy for keeping track of what happened when!
If these resources whet your appetite, don’t forget to also search the library’s catalogue for more publications about Christchurch and Canterbury. Try the following searches:
I have just placed a hold on Canterbury – The Big Snow, 1992 to see how different Christchurch in white looked then and now.
What other gems showing our city and region’s history would you recommend?
Christchurch City Libraries Blog 