What Do Beavers have to do with Blenheim?
by Michelle Berridge – April 3rd, 2009. Filed under: South Island.
What do beavers have to do with Blenheim? Or the Marlborough region, for that matter? That’s what I wondered when I strolled down to central Blenheim’s riverside amphitheatre and came across a bronze sculpture of two beavers. These water-dwelling rodents certainly aren’t a native New Zealand animal or even an introduced one. In fact, I’ve never even seen one in a zoo!
Well, it turns out that the beavers are actually in homage to a couple of Blenheim’s previous names. From 1850 to 1859 Blenheim was known as ‘The Beaver’ or ‘Beaver Station’; rather ignoble names that hinted at the new Marlborough settlement’s tendency to flood! Drainage works over the decades have largely relegated this tendency to history – along with the names. So these two bronze beavers have taken up residence as a quirky reminder of Blenheim’s watery past.
I don’t care if the name is quirky! i just want those bronze beavers on our marina! An aside; we had some sidewalk work done this week and sneaked a beaver into the drying cement. Guess what the contractor (a complete stranger) said? Oh i love the beavers! I take my son to see them all the time!
