Swanston Street in Melbourne, AU is a major street that serves as the main parade route but is also referred to as civic spine for the city. It is filled with theatres, restaurants, active nightlife, public transportations and some of the finest shops in the city. It also has a great collection of businesses, buildings and public sculptures. It has been this way since 1837 when the first blueprint for Swanston Street was drawn by Robert Hoddle. The city got its name from Captain Charles Swanston, the owner of the first bank open for business in Melbourne. This bank was called the Derwent Bank of Hobart. Swanston was also a member of the Port Phillip Association, an organization formed with the purpose of owning and developing the Port Phillip District.
There is a large history behind Swanston Street, starting with the first watch house that was built on the street in 1840. The Melbourne hospital, the first in the retail part of Melbourne, was established in 1842. In 1849, the first watch house was replaced by a much more elaborate building that held an office, two cells and a storeroom. The addition of the Princes Bridge (formerly known as Lennox's Bridge) became the beginning of the commercial hub for Melbourne. Some of the most historical buildings are an Swanston as a result of the gold rushes making them busy with activity and prosperous. The 21st century brought a lot of development to Swanston Street with the addition of Federation Square, the State Liberty as well as the newly renovated Young and Jackson's, one of the most famous pubs in Australia.
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