Brown purchased of land and his daughter Amelia purchased a further . He then surveyed the land into allotments where the well known streets such as Lilburn, Alnwick, Neville, and Bertram were named. Six months later in May 1854 the allotments were offered for sale in The New Zealander, an Auckland newspaper. Bridge House Lodge, established on the site of John Anderson Brown's home next door to the Warkworth Bridge, is the oldest surviving building in Warkworth. Early industry included logging of kauri and other timbers, flour milling and boat-building. The first portland cement manufacturing works in the southern hemisphere, Wilson's Cement Company, was established near the town in 1884. The company began when Nathaniel Wilson, who manufactured roche lime using local limestone, became interested in cement in 1883 and formed a company with his brothers John and James. By 1910, the cement company had become one of the major employer in Warkworth. In 1918, the company amalgamated with the New Zealand Portland Cement Company, who were based in Motu Matakohe – Limestone Island in Whangārei, and the operation was gradually moved to Whangārei, eventually closing entirely in 1929. The ruins still remain and the mine is now a popular local fresh water swimming hole. In 1883 the Masonic Hall was built and up until 1911 served as a public hall until a dedicated building was constructed on the corner of Alnwick and Neville streets. Across the road on the opposite corner the new post office was built the same year and was furnished with a telephone exchange within 12 months of being open. In 1922 Stubbs Butchery first opened and took over the site on Wharf Street that once housed Bowen's Store, the first commercial premises to be built in the 1860s. During World War II, Warkworth was host to thousands of United States servicemen. There were 25 military camps which sprung up around the town's farmlands. They carried out exercises prior to being sent to the Pacific Campaigns, and were well-received by the community. The historic cement works, which had been closed since 1928, was used as demolition practice by the servicemen. Local government The first local government for the township was the Upper Mahurangi Highway District, which was formed on 24 December 1864. It was one of the first highway districts to form north of the city of Auckland, and was formed to administer the road upkeep