‘Hunters’ is one of Wagga’s most well known and longest lasting businesses, having been in the same premises since 1872.
William Cowan Hunter was born on the December 3, 1823 in Newtown of Limavady, in the County of Derry, Ireland. Once he had completed his education, he initially worked for his father and then moved on to Derry, Belfast, Limerick, Dublin, and then Manchester and London, before moving to St. Louis in Missouri, in the United States of America.
By the time William was 26 years old, he had joined the Mounted Volunteers of California, Mariposa Battalion, under the command of Major James D. Savage. Around that time, he moved to California to work in the goldmines until 1852, when he left America for the Victorian goldfields. He lived in the new township of Chiltern and opened a bookstore there. He took great interest in the progression of the town and was popular enough to be elected to the first Borough Council.
The Move to Wagga
In 1866, William moved to Wagga with his wife, Emily, and established a new business. His store was located in newly constructed brick buildings at what is now 110 Fitzmaurice Street. He initially advertised the following items for sale: books, stationery, seeds, toys fancy goods, patent medicines, tobacco, snuff, and cigars.
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