The building of the Clyde Dam shaped Cromwell. Much was lost to the rising water in the name of progress.
The project divided the community and the process of developing and promoting the new Cromwell left in its wake continues to this day.
The area's latest major development also had somewhat controversial beginnings but its benefits have been plain to see this past weekend.
The Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell was officially opened in March but staged its first major race meeting at the weekend, including the Australian GT Championship and South Island Endurance Series and the Toyota Financial 86 Championship, attracting 28,000 people over three days and drawing rave reviews from New Zealand and international drivers, crews and spectators.
The $20 million-plus park faced a long and winding road to fruition.
The brainchild of businessmen Grant Aitken, of Queenstown, and Ian Begg and Allan Dippie, of Dunedin, who were later joined by Scott O'Donnell, of Invercargill, it took seven years to obtain resource consent, following concerns from residents about noise and dust, and from environmental concerns revolving around the endangered chaffer beetle, from the Department of Conservation.
In early 2012, businessman and car racing enthusiast Tony Quinn, who spends his time between Australia and New Zealand, bought the company.
The speed at which he was able to turn the park from a dream to a reality is testament to his vision and determination.
The facility covers 88ha (37ha in forest) on the outskirts of the town, set against the stunning backdrop of the Carrick Range, and includes a 4.5km international-standard track, a national motorsport museum, 48 individually-owned garages for high-performance vehicles, a kart track, a pedal car track and a restaurant.
It is the country's first electronically controlled race track.
As part of stringent resource consent conditions, race days are limited to 16 a year, so much of its success will be based on use of its other facilities, which are open year-round, including the above activities, vehicle testing and proving, and functions and events such as the inaugural Highlands Triathlon Sprint which the park hosted last month.
Mr Quinn has called the facility a ''Disneyland for motorsport fans'' and importantly, international drivers and commentators agree, labelling the facility ''world-class'' and ''incomparable''.
The publicity generated by those sort of reviews, and images of racing action in such a stunning location, will surely help put Cromwell further on the map, and already there are anecdotal reports of visitors eyeing up property in the area.
Mr Quinn is determined to see the facility grow in stature, hoping the Highlands 101 will become New Zealand's answer to Bathurst, and that the park might become the new home of the New Zealand Grand Prix, at present held at the Manfeild Autocourse near Palmerston North.
Local firms were used to construct the park and the Cromwell Community Board is determined to work on ways to make the most out of the facility for the town, and encourage further development.
Certainly, it is exciting to see a significant attraction helping make Cromwell a destination in its own right, and showing visitors to the region there is action to be found outside traditional tourism mecca Queenstown.
And having such an enterprising individual as Mr Quinn flying the flag for Cromwell is significant.
The fact he won the three-hour endurance signature race at the weekend seems fitting for a man who has driven the project's success.
Surely, Cromwell can only be on track for more.
