Cass, New Zealand
Cass is a locality in the Selwyn District of the Canterbury region in New Zealand's South Island.
It is named for Thomas Cass, an important pioneer surveyor in the area. State Highway 73 passes near the town, and the Midland Line between Christchurch and the West Coast was opened to the town in 1910, with the full line opened in 1923 when the Otira Tunnel was completed. Since November 1987, the world-famous TranzAlpine passenger train has run through the town. There are 5 houses in Cass today, but only one resident, making it one of the few places in the world with a population of one resident.
The Cass Trust Hotel and Tavern Still Operates in the Old Ministry of Works Shed.
For some time from 1910, while the Midland Line was under construction, Cass was the railhead coming from the east coast. At that time, Cass had a population of around 800. The Cass railway station was painted in 1936 by Rita Angus; it is "one of New Zealand's best-loved works of art".
The University of Canterbury has a field station at Cass, commonly used for undergraduate field trips and research.
