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The unusual feature of the Langbein home, acquired for Nelson city a couple of years ago by the City Council and the National Historic Places Trust, is that it has known only two families--the Buxtons, who built the lovely old home, and the Langbeins, who bought it in 1901. The builder of the home was Edmund Buxton, founder of the firm of Buxton and Co (now Wright Stephenson's). The exact age of the building is not known, but it is thought that it was built around 1853. It remains a fine example of early cob homes. Much of the timber in its construction was pit sawn and a lot of the other material, timber and slates, was shipped from England. It remained in the Langbein family until it was bought by the council for the city. This fine study of the old home was taken by Ellis Dudgeon.