Lye Bows Historic Area

Butchers Gully, ALEXANDRA

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Bow's Historic Area was one of the sites identified for registration as part of the Chinese Site Registration Project in 2001. Lye Bow's Historic Area consists of the surviving evidence of the orchard and surrounding wall with an adjacent area of alluvial gold workings and associated features, including a representative length of the Alexandra Borough Water Race, and the probable site of Lye Bow's house. Lye Bow's market garden, orchard and associated workings represent the interrelationship of goldmining and support industries in Otago. It also provides an important illustration of the transition from gold miner to settled orchardist, a relatively rare example of such long standing operation run by a Chinese immigrant in Otago. The proposed Lye Bow's Historic Area provides archaeological and historical insight into the life of a Chinese market gardener and orchardist who operated a commercial concern for over forty years in the arid conditions of Butchers Gully. The associated gold workings and remaining section of water race, later sold to the local Council by Lye Bow for town supply, provide essential context emphasising the interrelationship of mining, supply services and water in this spectacular landscape. The nature of the surviving historic evidence means that this site tells the story of Lye Bow's life, and has the potential to provide further understanding of that story through archaeological study and interpretation.

Lye Bows Historic Area. Plan of Historic Area from registration report. | 25/06/2004 | NZ Historic Places Trust

Location

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List Entry Information

Overview

Detailed List Entry

Status

Listed

List Entry Status

Historic Area

Access

Private/No Public Access

List Number

7547

Date Entered

6th June 2004

Date of Effect

6th June 2004

City/District Council

Central Otago District

Region

Otago Region

Extent of List Entry

Lye Bow's Historic Area consists of the surviving evidence of the orchard and surrounding wall with an adjacent area of alluvial gold workings and associated features, including a representative length of the Alexandra Borough Water Race, and the probable site of Lye Bow's house.

Legal description

The proposed Historic Area includes land within the following parcels - Sec 25 Blk II Fraser SD - Crown Land Blk II Fraser SD - Crown Land reserved from Sale (marginal strip) - Pt Sec 18 Blk II Fraser SD - Sec 1 SO 24421 Conservation Purposes NZ Gazette 1997 p.3871. - Pt Sec 1 Blk II Fraser SD - Pt Sec 1 Blk II Fraser SD (RT OT313/12) - Closed Road Blk II Fraser SD - Sec 20 Blk II Fraser SD It does not include the legal road (Lye Bow Road Parcel ID 3184965)

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