Thirty years after a flood wiped out their township, about 200 former residents of Kelso attended the unveiling on Sunday of new information plaques outlining their town's history and eventual demise.
West Otago ward councillor Jeff McKenzie, said he was thrilled with the interest in the commemoration, and it was more of a Kelso reunion than an unveiling.
"The unveiling was one thing, but they wanted to get together and have a good yarn.
There were a lot of old Kelso people talking in wee groups."
Former Kelso resident Fiona Hall now lives in Riversdale.
She is the fifth generation of the Logan family, who settled in Kelso in 1862, and attended the weekend event with her parents, three siblings, husband and children.
"There was a big crowd considering there's no-one in the town any more," she said.
"The day meant a lot really, especially to be there with my parents and husband and children.
"I got to catch up with my past, and they got to see my future."
Mrs Hall and Mr Mckenzie both said it was important to record the history of Kelso now, because there was an entire generation who did not know about it, and 30 years on, people were beginning to forget.
