New Brunswick was inhabited by indigenous peoples that range from the early Mi’kmaq to the Maliseet and Shediac. The area was one of the first to be discovered by Norse explorers because it is so close to Europe, and the Bay of Fundy might have been discovered by fishermen from Breton, Norway, and other countries in the North Atlantic.
Jacques Cartier and Samuel de Champlain both found the mouth of the St. John River, and they were some of the first to settle in the area. This began a long history of conflict between Britain and the French. These two countries waged wars and conflicts over control of this area, and that resulted in the annexation of places like Prince Edward Island.
Almost all of the New France colony was handed over to the British in 1763, and the province was actually part of an area known as Acadia. Loyalist refugees were found settling in the area of New Brunswick during the American Revolution because they feared for their lives. The number got as high as 14,000, and the colony continued to grow even though it was part of the larger group of Maritime colonies.
When the Canadian Confederation was started. New Brunswick became its own province, and they became a French/English province that saw an increase of immigrants. Plus, they followed Britain into World War II before America did.
This province is completely different from the other Maritime provinces that have hills and a rocky coastline. New Brunswick is mostly forested, and the province is extremely rural. They have had issues with transportation because of the forests, but they feature many different trees, birds, and other species that cannot be found in other parts of Canada.
There are uplands in the province that have acidic soil that is good for growing wine, and the province has many marshes near the coast that have been disrupted by invasive fish. Because the province does not focus on maritime commerce, they have not had some of the problems with the fishing industry that other provinces have had.
The province is fully within the Appalachian mountains, and it represents the end of this mountain range. Someone who wants to hike throughout the whole range will find themselves in northern Canada. The views are striking, and there are many backroads that allow you to travel from the most rural areas into larger villages or towns.
This province has a humid continental climate because it does not have as much coastline. The winters are very long, and the spring/summer is moderate. You will not experience the extreme heat you get in southern provinces or cities. Plus, you will have snow and ice for about half the year.
There is far less coastline in this province, and that is why you do not experience the warmer summers or springs that you might get closer to the ocean. Plus, the hills and mountains will collect snow sooner than other parts of the Marit
The economy of New Brunswick is based mostly on agriculture and shipping. The crops in the region are about half potatoes and half standard crops for the industry. A company like McCain Foods operates many facilities in the St. John River valley, and there are many trucking companies that ship items out of the province every day.
There are companies that focus on shipbuilding near the coast, and there are food processing plants that work with farms to help manage the harvest every year. The uplands are excellent for growing, but the trucking industry is needed to bring those crops from the uplands to the processing plants in the valley.
New Brunswick is the largest of the Maritime provinces in terms of total area.
Fredericton is the capital of the province even though St. John is the largest city.
The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world, and you could travel o the coast to see the effects of the tides on the Hopewell Rocks.
The New Brunswick Potato Museum is in Florenceville-Bristol. This town is also the French Fry Capital of the World.
Grand Falls Forge is 70 meters tall, and it pours 90% of the volume of Niagara Falls every day in the spring. It is not as wide, but it will captivate you.
The Hartland Covered Bridge is over 1200 feet long, and it is the longest covered bridge in the world.
Additionally, there are over 60 covered bridges in the province. Sussex is considered the covered bridge capital of the province, and you can take a road trip that will pass by almost all of the old covered bridges.
Woodstock was the first town in the province. It was founded over 150 years ago.
The Reversing Rapids happen at the mouth of the St. John River where it runs into the Bay of Fundy. These rapids feel like they are flowing backward because of the high tides in the bay and the power of the river moving forward.
There is a chocolate museum in St. Stephen that is owned by the Ganongs. They are one of the oldest candy makers in North America.
Finally, Campobello Island was the summer home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He used this retreat while he was President, and the town continued to grow up around his mansion, entourage, and notoriety.
New Brunswick Cities and Regional Municipalities Include:
| Dieppe | Fredericton | Moncton | Saint John |
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