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The Spirit of a Place
A New History of The Elms Te Papa Tauranga
Brief Description
Hidden in the centre of a busy and fast-growing city lies an oasis of calm, a picture-perfect house surrounded by lush, well-tended gardens. Push open the wooden gate and find yourself transported to another world, into a slice of living history carefully preserved for nearly two...
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The Spirit of a Place
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The Elms Te Papa Tauranga is one of New Zealandβs most important heritage sites, bearing witness to over six
hundred years of significant and at times turbulent history. Absorbing,
accessible and generously illustrated, The Spirit of a Place is a captivating
portrait of this unique site and all the people who have made it their home.
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Description
Hidden in the centre of a busy and fast-growing city lies an oasis of calm, a picture-perfect house surrounded by lush, well-tended gardens. Push open the wooden gate and find yourself transported to another world, into a slice of living history carefully preserved for nearly two centuries...
The Elms Te Papa Tauranga is one of Aotearoa New Zealandβs most important heritage sites, bearing witness to more than six hundred years of significant and at times turbulent history. The Spirit of a Place is a captivating portrait of this unique site and all the people who have made it their home.
Its story is Aotearoaβs history in microcosm. It begins with the arrival of the first Polynesian voyaging canoes to Tauranga Moana, then explores the arrival of PΔkehΔ and the complex interactions that followed. It describes the construction of a magnificent house, the development of its gardens and farms, and the devastating impact of war. And it tells the story of three generations of the Maxwell family who, as a city grew around them, recognised this placeβs significance and dedicated their lives to preserving its physical and cultural fabric β the spirit of the place.
Today, The Elms Te Papa Tauranga is the cityβs premier heritage visitor destination, inviting all to discover its stories and learn about the history of Tauranga and New Zealand as a whole. This fascinating new account shines light on all those who have lived here: MΔori and missionary, women and children, builders and gardeners, protectors and preservers β the kaitiaki of its incredible legacy, which lives on into the future.
Absorbing and accessible, and generously illustrated with photographs, art and ephemera, The Spirit of a Place celebrates the special position held by The Elms Te Papa Tauranga in the history of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780473731847
Publisher: Sherlock & Co. Publishing
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 01 August 2025
Country: New Zealand
Imprint: Sherlock & Co. Publishing
Illustration: 196 x new photographs, historical images/artworks and maps
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 200.0mm
Height: 250.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 328
About the Author
Sarah Ell was born and raised on Aucklandβs North Shore and trained as a newspaper journalist before working in magazines and book publishing. She has a Bachelor of Arts in New Zealand history from Massey University and a Master of Creative Writing from the University of Auckland, and is the author of thirteen books for children and adults, including popular histories Ocean: Tales of Voyaging and Encounter that Defined New Zealand (2018) and Lost Wonders: Vanished Creatures of Aotearoa (2020). She still lives on the North Shore, with her husband, yacht designer Rob Shaw, and their two children.
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