1840, but they took a blow in 1855 when an earthquake raised the low-lying land draining the marshes and cutting off their main source of both food and flax for trading. This misfortune, combined with widespread illness, migration back to Taranaki to settle land disputes, and pressure from settlers for land, gradually saw the Māori population of Te Aro dwindle. The land was part of the New Zealand Company purchase in 1839. It was first developed by settler Wellingtonians as a working-class residential suburb in around 1860, the Aro Valley featured small, narrow sections with closely built wooden or corrugated-iron houses. In the 1840 Plan of Wellington, the Aro Valley consisted of Wordsworth, Aro and Epuni Streets, as well as St John Street, which connected Aro Street and what became known as The Terrace. Of the 13 freehold acres available for European settlers, nine were in Epuni Street. European settlement grew as Maori left the area, including Te Āti Awa who returned to Taranaki in the 1850–60s. Also, in 1855, the opening of the Old Bullock Track meant the valley became an access route for Karori settlers. The only other route to Karori followed what is now Glenmore Street from Thorndon. Devon Street in the north of Aro Valleys principal developer, William Adams and Elizabeth Adams, came from the Southern UK county of Devon. He purchased land here in 1885 and some of the houses built were occupied by his son and daughter in law Maxwell and Lila Adams. Twentieth century A route of the Wellington tramway system was opened in 1904, connecting Aro Street to the Wellington railway station via the city center; it closed in 1957. In the 1960s, The Evening Post described Holloway Road (a street originally known as Mitchelltown on the western edge of Aro Valley) as "sagging stairways with most of the tread rotted away", leading to "sagging, open doors and damp, musty rooms where glass from broken windows crunches underfoot". Matauranga School was a progressive primary school set up by Marie Bell and parents of Aro Valley in 1963 and was a pioneer for the 'free-play' method of pre-schooling within New Zealand. In 1967 it became a full primary school. The school closed in 1982 after teachers Marie Bell and Mike Regan left the school. The site became the current Park and Community centre in 1983 after residents fought the City Council that had