From 1834 to 1836, whalers lived at a station in the Fortrose area, and the first surveys for a town – slightly to the west of Fortrose's present location – gave it the name of
Russelltown. In the mid-19th century, Fortrose acquired its current name, a tribute to
Fortrose in Scotland, from a Scottish
drover. Its location at the Mataura's mouth meant it developed as a port to service the local region, and in 1875, a long jetty was built. However, Fortrose's economy declined after the
Tokanui Branch railway was opened to Waimahaka in 1899 and then Tokanui in 1911, as the railway provided much quicker transportation for freight to
Invercargill. A number of Fortrose residents fought overseas in
World War I and
World War II. Six were killed in the former and two in the latter. A round obelisk stands in Fortrose as a memorial to the deceased; it was unveiled in 1922 in honour of the World War I victims, with the names of the World War II casualties added later. == Economy ==