A hotel was established there in the late 1870s and, in 1880, was owned by a Mr Philip Tesch.

William Campbell, blacksmith by trade, of Oakfield Demesne, County Donegal established a blacksmith business next to the hotel in 1882 and purchased the nearby Spreadeagle Farm with his wife Mary (née Falloon).

[2] The statistical area of Ashburton Forks, which also includes Mount Somers, covers 859.39 km2 (331.81 sq mi)[3] and had an estimated population of 2,680 as of June 2024,[4] with a population density of 3.1 people per km2.

The percentage of people born overseas was 22.5, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 48.6% had no religion, 42.1% were Christian, 0.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 1.1% were Hindu, 0.4% were Muslim, 0.3% were Buddhist and 2.0% had other religions.