History
The land was purchased in November 1848 by Francis Dillon Bell from the Puketapu iwi. The initial purchase was 1,500 acres (610 ha) but more land was added subsequently. Disagreements over the sale of the land contributed to the First Taranaki War.
A stockade was built to protect local settlers in 1860. Some of the earthworks continued until 1972 when a hotel was built on the site.
Much of New Plymouth's heavy and medium industry is situated around Bell Block, which led to heavy traffic congestion. Construction of an arterial bypass of the town commenced in late 2006. A previously unknown Māori Pā site was discovered during site investigations and was excavated by archaeologists prior to construction.
Read more about this topic: Bell Block
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