Paekākāriki's railway history began in 1886 with the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (W&MR) line, making it a crucial hub for changing locomotives on the steep route to Wellington, leading to rapid growth as a seaside resort. The iconic 1909 station, a replacement by NZ Railways after buying the W&MR, became a centre for technological change (steam to electric) and community life, especially during WWII with US troops.