Descendants of the Tainui waka are the first recorded settlers of the area. They established Purakau Pā at the junction of the Kaniwhaniwha stream and the Waipa river and settled the lower valley. Mahanga's son suffered a major defeat to Kawhia Māori and Mahanga suffered a major defeat to Europeans during the Invasion of the Waikato; his land was confiscated and he was forced to relocate to the north. In 1879 peace negotiationsPrime Minister Grey said Harapepe was excluded from the proposal to return Waikato lands to King Tāwhiao, even though former Minister of Native Affairs, Donald McLean, had included it in his offer of terms. A Waitangi Tribunal report says, "This was, it seems, the first official public admission that not all Crown lands were to be made available to return to the Kīngitanga. In particular, the Grey Government planned to exclude the blocks that McLean had repurchased specifically to include them in the package of lands ringfenced for return, which were mostly in the Harapepe district around Pirongia. But Grey did say that some Harapepe lands would be set aside as an endowment for a school at which Kīngitanga children could be educated."
European settlement
During the war the area was settled by British militia, who were banned from leaving the area but often too poor to buy crops to continue living there. Many lots were abandoned; settlers who continued living there constantly feared attack from local Māori and often sought shelter in a blockhouse. A local industry of flax milling, and mixed cow and pig farming. Te Pahu remained extremely isolated for many years, with settlers relying on supplies delivered by the Waipa River. A pub and general store were established in the 1860s, followed by a post office in 1866 and a school house in 1877. The school house was used for monthly Presbyterian church services; it closed briefly and reopened before burning down in 1891; another school opened nearby in 1889 and took in the remaining students. A bridge was built over the river in 1881, reducing the community's isolation. The area was struck by major flooding in 1907 and February 1958, leaving the community again cut off from Te Awamutu and Hamilton. A limeworks was built on Limeworks Loop Rd in 1917.
Harapepe
The name Harapepe remains on the modern map, south of Te Pahu Road corner, though it has lost all but a few houses. It was originally the main military settlement in the area, with –
The importance of Harapepe seems to have declined after Harapepe dairy was built at Te Pahu in 1897 and was joined in 1909 by neighbouring Te Pahu Post Office. A daily mail service to both post offices started in 1913 and was taking passengers in 1914. Te Pahu Hall also opened nearby in 1911. The hall was renovated and extended between 1979 and 1981. As late as 1935 the name Harapepe was still being used to describe a proposed extension of electric power supplies. Harapepe is in meshblock 0860300, which had a population of 201 in 72 houses, spread over, in 2013.
Modern history
In the 1920s and 1930s Robertson, then Hodgson's, Motors ran a daily bus from Pirongia to Hamilton via Te Pahu. A new garage and general store was established in 1952. A limeworks opened in 1972. In 2019, Waikato Regional Council reported a surge of complaints about farm effluent discharges from farms at several Waikato locations including Te Pahu.
Demographics
The Te Pahu area unit covers, centred on Te Pahu, and shows a steady growth in the population, which is wealthier than the national median -
Year
Population
Average age
Households
Median income
National median income
2001
1110
33.9
363
$28,000
$18,500
2006
1194
36.2
411
$29,000
$24,100
2013
1269
41.3
462
$36,500
$27,900
2018
1428
39.1
507
$40,300
$31,800
10.1% of the population are Māori, 56.1% have no religion. Most of Te Pahu village is in meshblock 0860000, which had a population of 189 in 75 houses in 2013.
Education
Te Pahu School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of as of.
