This Week in Saint John History
September 19–26, 2026
Saint John’s history is closely tied to the harbour, shipping, politics, immigration, industry and the people who helped build the Port City. This week includes several events that connect Saint John with major chapters in New Brunswick and Canadian history.
September 19, 1825 — The Great Miramichi Fire
On September 19, 1825, the Great Miramichi Fire began in northern New Brunswick.
The fire became one of the largest forest fires ever recorded in the Maritimes. An enormous area of the province burned, affecting communities, forests, wildlife and the timber industry.
For Saint John, the disaster had particular significance because the city’s economy was deeply connected to New Brunswick’s forests, lumber trade and shipping industry. Timber from the province helped make Saint John one of British North America’s important commercial ports.
The fire remains one of the defining natural disasters in New Brunswick history.
September 20 — Saint John and the Wider Province
September 20 does not have a major Saint John-specific anniversary listed in the provincial historical record, but it is worth remembering how closely the city’s fortunes were tied to events elsewhere in New Brunswick.
During the 19th century, Saint John’s harbour served as a gateway for agricultural products, timber, manufactured goods and immigrants moving throughout the region.
The City of Saint John notes that the city became a leading industrial centre during the 19th century, largely because of its shipbuilding and harbour connections.
September 21, 1893 — A Saint Johner Becomes Lieutenant-Governor
On September 21, 1893, John Boyd of Saint John was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick.
Boyd’s appointment illustrates the influence Saint John residents had in provincial public life during the late 19th century.
Saint John was not simply New Brunswick’s commercial centre. Its merchants, lawyers, politicians and community leaders played important roles in the development of the province.
September 22, 1866 — Confederation Politics
On September 22, 1866, Samuel Leonard Tilley of New Brunswick and Charles Tupper of Nova Scotia initiated discussions involving Prince Edward Island and the proposed union of the British North American colonies.
This was part of the political activity surrounding Canadian Confederation.
Saint John had already been an important stop during the Confederation discussions. In September 1864, Canadian and New Brunswick delegates who had attended the Charlottetown Conference arrived in Saint John before continuing to Fredericton.
The city’s newspapers also played an important role in the Confederation debate. The Saint John Evening Globe became a prominent voice in the political discussion surrounding union.
September 23, 1897 — Walter Pidgeon Is Born in Saint John
September 23, 1897, marked the birth of Walter Pidgeon in Saint John.
Pidgeon was born at 23 Cedar Street and grew up in the city. He later became a major Hollywood actor, appearing in numerous films during a career that lasted for decades.
His story is a reminder that Saint John’s influence has reached far beyond New Brunswick. One of the city’s sons went from the streets of Saint John to an international entertainment career.
September 24, 1918 — The Patriotic Potato Scandal
On September 24, 1918, an inquiry into the “Patriotic Potato Scandal” opened at the Saint John County Court House.
The investigation eventually became a major political controversy in New Brunswick. According to the provincial historical record, the inquiry continued for almost three years and involved allegations concerning patronage, perjury, cover-ups and political corruption.
The episode is an interesting reminder that political controversies involving government spending and public accountability are hardly new.
September 25 — A City of Newspapers
By the late 19th century, Saint John had developed a remarkably active newspaper culture.
The city’s newspapers reported everything from shipping movements and harbour activity to politics, business, crime and social events.
The Saint John Globe, whose publication history dates from September 26, 1866, continued for more than six decades. Its surviving issues are now part of the New Brunswick Historical Newspapers Project, which preserves thousands of pages of the province’s newspaper history.
For today’s readers, these old newspapers provide a fascinating window into what people in Saint John were reading and discussing generations ago.
September 26, 1866 — The Saint John Globe
September 26 is especially significant in Saint John’s newspaper history.
The Saint John Globe began publication on this date in 1866 and eventually became one of the city’s important newspapers. It continued publication until 1927.
Newspapers were particularly important to a port city such as Saint John. Residents wanted to know when ships arrived, what cargoes were being loaded, what was happening in markets overseas and what politicians were saying about Confederation and other issues.
Saint John: A City Connected to the World
The stories from this week show several sides of Saint John’s history.
There is the natural history of the Great Miramichi Fire and its connection to the province’s forest economy.
There is the political history represented by John Boyd and the Confederation debates.
There is the cultural history represented by Walter Pidgeon.
And there is the communications history represented by the newspapers that recorded the city’s daily life.
Saint John was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1785, making it Canada’s first incorporated city. The city’s development was strongly influenced by Loyalist settlement, immigration, shipbuilding, trade and its strategic harbour.
Did You Know?
The old newspaper archives allow us to read the actual newspapers that Saint John residents once read. The New Brunswick Historical Newspapers Project provides access to hundreds of thousands of digitized pages from historic New Brunswick newspapers.
Saint John’s history isn’t just found in museums and monuments — much of it is still waiting to be read in the newspapers of the past.
Sources
City of Saint John — Municipal Milestones
