George Dyer's Otira Hotel.ca.1889-1899.

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DescriptionStephen Wright.."This was taken sometime between early 1889 when the hotel opened and 1899. George Dyer, who was a coach driver before becoming publican of the second Otira Gorge hotel, died on 10 November 1899 (see Grey River Argus 11 Nov 1899 p2).'The 40-roomed hotel was opened in early 1902 (see the 'Greymouth Evening Star' 30 January 1902), closely following the arrival of the railway at Otira. The station had opened in November 1900. James O'Malley, who built the Terminus Hotel, had previously purchased the Otira Gorge Hotel in 1899, so from 1902 there were two hotels at Otira. The Terminus Hotel was destroyed by fire in November 1911, was rebuilt and survives to this day, now known as the Otira Stagecoach Hotel.

The two-storeyed Otira Gorge Hotel had been built in 1888, was initially occupied by George Dyer, and remained until 1916 when it was burnt to the ground. The hotel was the second ‘Gorge Hotel’, replacing the original single-storeyed hotel at the foot of the gorge which proved vulnerable to river flooding. Dating from 1866, that building survived until the 1890s (see bottom of p. 35 in ‘Railway through the Rata: Memories of Otira’). After the 1916 fire, the second Gorge Hotel was rebuilt as a single-storeyed hotel which likewise succumbed to fire in 1941. It then moved across the river to an existing building between the main hotel and the State Highway 73 underpass. Commonly known as the ‘top pub’ to distinguish it from the main hotel down near the village, its accommodation licence was cancelled in 1953 and half a century of Otira having two hotels came to an end.Date of Photo1889 - 1899Map^[1]ContributorJesse Guy

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Location (city or town)OtiraPersonGeorge DyerLandmark (Place)George Dyer's Otira Hotel

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Category TagHotelsMenuBy Topic | Leisure Time | Travel

From Facebook

Date Created2nd April 2020CommentsDorothy Wills By the look of the dress on the people this is a fairly old photo

Theresa Gibson - the facade. Gives her a welcoming appearance.

Kevin Voigt Thinking this was across bridge on l h side going up gorge

Noeline McCaughan If that is so it is probably the one that was destroyed when there was a violent storm one night causing Barrack creek to flood and the resulting surge of water and boulders buried the flat and the building.

PaulAnthony Teens Kevin Voigt there was an old chimney block where Rod Buchanan had beehives. Late 50s

Bryan McNabb There is a flat area on the left immediately after driving over the one way bridge over the Otira River heading up to the Arthurs Pass Village, could it have been possibly there?

Kevin Voigt Bryan McNabb both right Paul &Bryan, not sure on yours no line but up there quite possible

Brian Steele Does anyone know when it closed down or last traded. I can never remember it so it was before my time

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