Factory, which had a branch in Milton until the early 1980s. The town's importance in communication in the early years of New Zealand settlement is emphasised by it being one of the two centres first linked by long-distance telephony, with a pioneering line set up between Milton and Dunedin in February 1878. It was not until the early twentieth century that it was superseded in size by the now considerably larger local town of Balclutha. The town was also important in education in early Otago – the Tokomairiro School – now split into Milton Primary School and Tokomairiro High School – was founded in 1856, only eight years after the founding of the province itself, and was one of the province's leading schools for many years thereafter. Electric lighting was installed in 1919. Railway Milton was connected to the national railway network in the early 1870s when the Main South Line was built through the town and goods were first carried in October 1874. The official opening from Green Island to Balclutha was on 1 September 1875. Milton station was east of Clarksville, south of Milburn, from Christchurch and from Dunedin. In 1907, the town became a railway junction when an extension of the Roxburgh Branch was constructed alongside the Main South Line from its original junction at nearby Clarksville into Milton to facilitate better operations. In 1960, Milton lost this status when the extension was removed and the Roxburgh Branch's junction reverted to being in Clarksville. The Main South Line still runs through the town, though the station closed to passengers on 1 December 1970, when the South Island Limited was replaced by the Southerner, which didn't stop at Milton. Milton had an engine shed for two engines, a passenger platform (later extended to ), a 3rd class station, cart approach to the platform, by goods shed, loading bank, cattle yards, stationmaster's house, a refreshment room from 1895 to 1957 and a bookstall from 1897. A turntable was added in 1927. There were fires at the engine shed in 1938 and in 1959, when both A Class locomotives in the shed were undamaged. There was also a fire at the station in 1942 in a large shed in 1944. The stockyards closed in 1971. In December 1988 there was still a station building, verandah, platforms and goods sheds, as can be seen in a 1986 aerial photo, but by