The land was purchased in November 1848 by
Dillon Bell from the
Puketapu iwi. The initial purchase was but more land was added subsequently. Disagreements over the sale of the land contributed to the
First Taranaki War. A
blockhouse was built by local settlers in early 1860, in order to protect their homes and farms during heightened tensions just prior to the advent of the First Taranaki War. When government troops arrived, a full stockade was built at the site, known as Bell Block Stockade, Bell Blockhouse or Hua Blockhouse. During this time, almost all Bell Block residents took refuge at
New Plymouth. Much of New Plymouth's heavy and medium industry is situated around Bell Block, which led to heavy traffic congestion. Construction of an arterial bypass of the town commenced in late 2006. A previously unknown
Māori Pā site was discovered during site investigations and was excavated by archaeologists prior to construction.
Marae Muru Raupatu marae and meeting house is a meeting place for the
Puketapu hapū. In October 2020, the Government committed $817,845 from the
Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade it and
Te Kohanga Moa marae, creating 15 jobs. ==Demographics==