Gregor McGregor was a son of the owner of the Aird property at Fordell. He fell in love with Pura when he was 19, but his parents refused him permission to marry her. When he reached 21 they did marry, despite his mother's continued disapproval.
The two became leading citizens of Whanganui, with Gregor McGregor the first manager of Morikau Station at Ranana. They had a big house in Harrison St, raised funds for causes and were members of the Wanganui Beautifying Society.
When Pura died she gave all her taonga to Whanganui's museum. They are still there, with a picture of her.
After her death her husband erected a memorial to her at Rotokawau/Virginia Lake, on the site of a former fishing village. It was an 8m tōtara canoe painted with the kowhaiwhai designs of her marae.
By 1987 the waka had rotted, and was removed. The Virginia Lake Trust wanted to replace it, Coxon said.
"We wanted to do something, but we didn't know what to do."
He talked to Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall, and kaumātua John Maihi.
Maihi felt the time was right to replace the monument, and with his approval Coxon consulted Whanganui's Public Art Steering Group. The trust met with Chris Scanlon, McGregor's great-great-grandson and a former CEO of the Atihau Whanganui Incorporation.
They decided the new Waka Moumahara should be made out of Corten steel, so it would last in the ground. The group gave $15,000 and the trust raised the remaining $25,000 to make it - a 7.5m steel structure with Whanganui artist Cecelia Kumeroa's design cut into it.
Coxon hopes to open the monument, and a signboard telling the Pura McGregor story, on September 18.
"It would be a tragedy just to plonk it up there without a ceremony," he said.
The McGregor whānau have been supportive of the process. They plan to rededicate the graves of Pura and Gregor McGregor, in the Heads Rd Cemetery, at the same time.
