"I read that the people of Taihape got together and decided they were tired that most of the street names were old British men's names like Albert, George, Edward etc.
"They got together and petitioned the council to change most of the names to native and endemic bird species. They saw Taihape as a town surrounded by beautiful landscapes, native bush and native birds so it should have the appropriate street names."
It was a further three years before the council agreed to the change. In 1914 permission was granted.
"But I couldn't find any documentation of who actually did the naming" said Etain.
"Any further information had kind of run out or simply disappeared I couldn't find anymore on it."
The birds decorating the street signs have become very popular and "constantly photographed" she said.
The local artists making the signs are all working from home and they range from a 90 plus year old woman to a 12-year-old girl, Etain said.
So far nine birds are finished with 15 more to come by the end of July and another nine by October, she said.
Once the design of the bird is completed on paper, a graphic artist transfers them to a special template which then goes to a design company to be made into the aluminium based images.
Already up are the tui, huia, kiwi and kakapo.
All the artists' work will go up at a special exhibition in the Taihape Town Hall which opens on October 5 and runs until October 10.
Representatives from the Department of Conservation, Forest and Bird and the Taihape area iwi Mokai Patea will be at the exhibition with the final night on Saturday culminating in a grand auction, she said.
"As well as all the bird artworks, the artists will also be showing some of their own personal art which will be for sale." Visitors to the town were already commenting to stores about the unique signs, she said.
"We want visitors to really appreciate our town ... And they are, it's wonderful."
