Saint John, New Brunswick, is Canada’s oldest incorporated city (1785). Its history is long and storied.
It was first inhabited by the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), Mi’kmaq, and Peskotomuhkati Nations. Then, French explorer Samuel de Champlain arrived in 1604, on the feast day of St. John the Baptist, and changed the name of the river from Wolastoq to St. John River.
Following the American Revolution, 14,000 British supporters arrived, permanently transforming the then small trading post. On May 18, 1785, the two settlements of Parrtown and Carleton amalgamated to become the City of Saint John via a Royal Charter, making it the first incorporated city in Canada.
Saint John grew into an industrial powerhouse. By 1851, it was the third-largest city in British North America, driven by world-renowned wooden shipbuilding and the influx of Irish immigrants fleeing the Great Famine. In 1877, Aa devastating blaze swept through Uptown Saint John, destroying more than 1,600 buildings. The subsequent rebuilding—heavily influenced by Boston architects—left the city with its iconic brick and Victorian architecture.
Yesterday, I joined members of the #Kennebecasis Valley Camera Club on a foray through the uptown area. It’s the neighbourhood where I was born and grew up. We started in the center, at Kings Square. As you’ll see in the photos, the uptown area is perched on top of a hill sloping down to the harbour in one direction and toward Courtenay Bay in the other. People used to marvel at the fact that girls and women living in the area all had slender, well-shaped legs. Those hills would be why!
Then, we ventured down Charlotte Street, past the old Trinity Anglican Church, and onto Princess Street. The architecture and details on building facades is a tribute to the craftsmen of old. I attended that church as a child, sang in the choir, and was married to Ian there as well.
Before proceeding to the harbour, we roamed down Germain Street, visited a few of the unique shops along the way and took pictures of what is, technically, the front of Trinity Church – although most people use the Charlotte St. entrance.
Then it was down the alleyways between buildings to the harbour.
It’s no wonder that tourists love exploring the city. There are unique things to see, shops to visit, and friendly people more than willing to chat. Since moving away after high school graduation (a FEW years ago) I’ve developed a new appreciation for Saint John. I need to do another walkabout soon and capture the old City Market, more of the harbour and the activity at the foot of King Street. Saint John is best known for its deep-water, ice-free harbour, its vibrant and arts-focused Uptown core, and the spectacular Bay of Fundy tides that fuel the world-famous Reversing Falls Rapids.
Like most people, I always thought I had to travel to exotic locations to find unique photo opportunities. I have learned that that is far from the truth. It’s all right here, in New Brunswick, in my very own backyard!
Capturing Cherished Memories 