This elegant village on the North Shore was established as a borough in 1886, and the early 1900s brought increased development and prosperity.
The buildings in Victoria Road were built in the late 1880s, after a fire destroyed the original wooden ones. The Esplanade Hotel, which still sits opposite the ferry terminal today, opened in 1903.
In 1910, the Harbour Bridge was still about 50 years from being built.
As such, the Devonport Steam Ferry Company was very busy taking passengers to and from Auckland City on beautiful steam paddle ships such as the Victoria.
The wharf was a bustling place, full of commuters – not too dissimilar to today's ferry terminal.
Interested in Auckland's heritage? Auckland Libraries has a wide range of digital resources, including photos, family history and more.
