Caversham is one of the older suburbs of the South Island New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is sited at the western edge of the city's central plain at the mouth of the steep Caversham Valley, which rises to the saddle of Lookout Point. Major road and rail routes south lie nearby; the South Island Main Trunk railway runs through the suburb, and a bypass skirts its main retail area, connecting Dunedin's one-way street system with the Dunedin Southern Motorway. The suburb was founded by wealthy pioneer William Henry Valpy, and its name reflects his Berkshire heritage. It grew rapidly during the Central Otago Gold Rush of the 1860s due to its location on routes south to the Otago hinterland. By the end of the 19th century, Caversham was heavily industrialised, and its population included many skilled or semi-skilled tradespeople. This, combined with the community's strong Protestant roots, led to the area's generally left-leaning political stance. It is currently administered as part of the city's South Dunedin ward. At a national level, it is part of the Dunedin South electorate. Caversham is now predominantly residential, with some industrial premises in the east (notably the Hillside Railway Workshops) and a retail district centred on South Road and Hillside Road. Caversham has strong sporting connections, and is the location of Carisbrook, one of the city's main sports venues.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caversham%2C_New_Zealand

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1700:

Great Northern War: Swedish forces led by King Charles XII defeated the Russian army of Tsar Peter the Great at the Battle of Narva. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Narva_%281700%29

1939:

The Winter War broke out as the Soviet Red Army invaded Finland and quickly advanced to the Mannerheim Line, an action judged as illegal by the League of Nations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_War

1979:

The Wall, a rock opera and concept album by Pink Floyd, was first released. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wall

1993:

U.S. President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act into law, requiring purchasers of handguns to pass a background check. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brady_Handgun_Violence_Prevention_Act

2005:

John Sentamu was enthroned as Archbishop of York, becoming the first member of an ethnic minority to serve as an archbishop in the Church of England. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Sentamu

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

sartorial (adj): 1. Of or relating to the tailoring of clothing. 2. Of or relating to the quality of dress http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sartorial

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The one thing that unifies men in a given age is not their individual philosophies but the dominant problem that these philosophies are designed to solve. --Jacques Barzun http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jacques_Barzun