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Did You Know… That There’s Another Swannanoa?

by FANS Admin
April 14th, 2013
Welcome sign from Swannanoa, New Zealand

Welcome Sign from Swannanoa, New Zealand

Yes, that’s right. As special as we all know Swannanoa is, we’re not the only place that bears this beautiful name. If you hop on a plane and settle back for a very loooong flight, you can visit the village of Swannanoa, New Zealand, located about 40 miles from Christchurch.

According to Wikipedia, Swannanoa, NZ was originally a farming village and has a population of about 1,000. There’s a small primary school in the community that hosts an annual Country Fair attended by 15,000 people! Not bad for such a small town. But Swannanoa’s main claim to fame is the road that runs through the middle of the town – it’s dead-straight and about 10 miles long. As you can imagine, this has made Swannanoa a popular location for speed trial events. In fact, the World Land Speed Record for motorcycles (184.83 mph!) was set at Swannanoa, NZ in 1955.

The most interesting tidbit in the Wikipedia article about Swannanoa, NZ is this:

 The name Swannanoa originated from American John Evans Brown (aka “Yankee Brown”) who settled on land [in New Zealand] and named it after a North American Indian settlement from his homeland.

Another Wikipedia search reveals that, although John Evans Brown (1827-1895) was born in Pennsylvania, his father owned large tracts of land in and around Asheville. After living in New Zealand for many years, and even serving as a member of the New Zealand parliament, Brown returned to his father’s land near Asheville, where he made a fortune in mica mining. So as it turns out, the name Swannanoa was exported all the way from the mountains of North Carolina to New Zealand!

Do you know more about this story? If so, please send us an email so that we can share this fascinating history with our readers. If you’d like to read more about Swannanoa, NZ on Wikipedia, please click here. If you’d like to learn more about John Evans Brown, please click here.

Categories Other Swannanoa News
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  • County Seeks Community Input on Library Proposal That Includes Consolidation of Swannanoa and Black Mountain Libraries
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  • Swannanoa Welcome Table Plans to Resume Free Meals Soon
  • Tiny Tots Yoga at the Swannanoa Library
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  • Save the Date for the Swannanoa Community Yard Sale
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  • Home
  • About FANS
    • Our Mission
    • History of Our Organization
    • Our Board
    • Get Involved
  • About Swannanoa
    • Facts & Figures
    • Our Community
    • Our Rich Heritage
      • A Brief History
      • Beacon Blankets
  • Our Projects
    • Swannanoa Winterfest
    • Welcome Sign
    • Swannanoa Community Garden
    • Clean-Ups
    • Swannanoa Community Newsletter
    • Community Yard Sale
    • Bus Shelter
    • Greenways
    • Other Projects
  • Photo Galleries
    • Thumbnail Directory
    • Swannanoa Community Garden
    • Swannanoa Yard Sales =>
      • Yard Sale Fall 2014
      • Yard Sale Spring 2014
      • Yard Sale Fall 2013
    • Swannanoa Sweep =>
      • In 2013
      • In 2012
    • Other Events
      • Groovin’ On Grovement
      • River Cleanup
      • Mill Around the Village 2011
      • Mill Around the Village 2012
      • Holiday Party and Benefit 2012
      • Dave’s House Wall Raising in Beacon Village
  • Helpful Resources
    • Swannanoa Organizations
    • Other Information
  • Contact
  • FaceBook