Thursday, February 20, 2014

Old Wagga Wagga : Fitzmaurice Street

Photograph : commercial building,Fitzmaurice Street,1978. National Trust RRC

Wagga Wagga City Library and it’s local studies collection have some excellent resources for anyone researching or with an interest in Fitzmaurice Street. The original business district of the town, Fitzmaurice street has undergone boom and bust, floods, and a major makeover in recent years.
Three resources to get you started: 
Fitzmaurice Street: Now and then, compiled by Jill Harris of the Riverina Archives, 1989, contains a concise history, a plan of the street, and encourages the reader to carry out their own research using the book as a guide.
The Fitzmaurice Street , Wagga Wagga Streetscape Review : is the report commissioned in 2002 by Wagga Wagga City Council for a makeover of the entire street .
There is a fascinating exhibition now showing at the Museum of the Riverina, "People and place : Fitzmaurice and Baylis Streets, Wagga Wagga", until the 30th of March, at the Museum's Historic Council Chambers site, opposite the Victory Memorial Gardens. Check the Museum of the Riverina's website for further details and opening times. www.wagga.nsw.gov.au/museum/exhibitions/current-exhibitions
  
The Wagga City library catalogue also has entries from the historic rate books and the local studies local history photograph collection has been partially digitised and those images are accessible through the library catalogue.
If you are a member of the library you can request to view any item in local studies, for use within the library. Have fun researching!