History of Jackson's

Historic Tavern and Tearooms, representing over 135 years of West Coast history.

Adam and Michael Jackson built their first pub in 1868. This was washed away in a flood, but continued to operate under a tarpaulin shelter until a replacement was completed in 1872. This, in turn was replaced and the current tavern was completed in 1910 and stands 300m west of the original site.

When the Jackson brothers opened their first pub, they drew much of their custom from gold seeking travellers from Canterbury, making the treacherous 5 day journey on foot via Arthur's Pass.

Although most of the early transport into and out of the coast was by boat, more and more were taking this overland route. The tavern did a roaring trade with these travellers, drovers, miners, hunters, and for a number of years, railway construction workers.

The Arthur's Pass road, known today as State Highway 73, was eventually built when the Canterbury Provincial Council decided they had had enough of seeing the gold leave Hokitika and go direct to Nelson by boat.

They employed stagecoach drivers and guards to provide safe escort for the transport of the gold. In 1865, the escort made one poorly patronised return trip and never ran again. The completed road however, remains today, and winds up and over some of the wildest and most spectacular mountainous terrain in New Zealand.

Today, Jackson's Tavern has been faithfully restored to reflect the history of a by-gone era, and is a true representation of the West Coast, and the way it was!