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This Week in Saint John History September 7–12, 2026

This Week in Saint John History

September 7–12, 2026

 

Saint John has always been a city shaped by its harbour, transportation, communications and connection to the wider world. This week in history includes a royal visit, Confederation discussions, the arrival of the telephone and Canada’s entry into the Second World War.

September 7, 1869 — Prince Arthur Arrives in New Brunswick

Prince Arthur, son of Queen Victoria, began his Royal Tour of New Brunswick on September 7, 1869.

He arrived at Shediac aboard HMS Dart and travelled by train toward Saint John, stopping at Petitcodiac and Sussex. Upon reaching Saint John, he attended a Paris Crew sculling match, an event that reflected the city’s strong sporting and maritime traditions.

 

September 8, 1869 — A Royal Torchlight Procession

The royal visit continued in Saint John on September 8.

A levee and Firemen’s Torchlight Procession was held at Old Government House in honour of Prince Arthur. The following day, the Prince departed by horse and carriage for Woodstock.

Saint John’s volunteer firefighters were already an important part of civic life, particularly in a city where fire had historically posed a serious threat.

 

September 10, 1864 — Confederation Takes Another Step

On September 10, 1864, representatives from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Province of Canada met at Province House in Halifax to discuss the details of union.

By September 12, the delegates had agreed to hold another conference in Quebec to consider a union of British North America.

These discussions eventually led to Confederation in 1867, with New Brunswick becoming one of Canada’s four original provinces.

 

 September 10, 1939 — Canada Declares War

On September 10, 1939, Canada declared war on Germany, formally entering the Second World War.

For Saint John, the war would have a particularly important connection because of the city’s port, shipbuilding, railways and maritime industries. The harbour became an important part of Canada’s wartime transportation network.

The City of Saint John notes that the harbour and shipbuilding industry have played a central role in the city’s development since the nineteenth century.

September 11, 1884 — Saint John Gets Connected

Here’s a fascinating piece of Saint John technological history.

On September 11, 1884, the telephone company in Saint John reported a total of 291 telephones in service.

Imagine Saint John in the 1880s: telephones were still a relatively new technology, yet hundreds were already connecting businesses and residents across the city.

 

 September 12, 1900 — A Major Maritime Storm

On September 12, 1900, the Galveston Hurricane, which had originated off the coast of Texas, reached New Brunswick.

The storm had devastating consequences for the region. Ten fishing schooners from Gloucester County were lost in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The event is a reminder of the dangers faced by Atlantic Canada’s fishing and maritime communities more than a century ago.

 

⚓ Saint John: A City Shaped by the Sea

The events of this week show how many different aspects of Saint John’s history come back to the harbour and the city’s connections with the outside world.

Royal visitors arrived by ship.
Rowers competed on the harbour.
Telephones transformed communications.
Ships and railways became vital during wartime.
And maritime communities faced the power of Atlantic storms.

The City of Saint John describes the community as the “Port City” and notes that its harbour has continued to welcome people from around the world, helping shape the city’s culture and identity.

 Sources

— Historical Saint John newspapers, including the St. John Daily Telegraph and Morning Journal for 1869.

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This Day in Saint John History August 31

This Day in Saint John History

August 31

🇨🇦 August 31, 1946 — A major Saint John military regiment was reorganized

On this day 80 years ago, the Saint John Fusiliers (Machine Gun) were amalgamated with the New Brunswick Rangers to form the South New Brunswick Regiment. The Saint John Fusiliers had originated in Saint John in 1872 as the 62nd “St. John” Battalion of Infantry.

The new regiment was renamed The New Brunswick Scottish only a few months later, on December 2, 1946. Its lineage eventually became part of today’s Royal New Brunswick Regiment.

🌊 August 31, 1835 — Scientists visit Reversing Falls

On August 31, 1835, a geological expedition visiting Saint John travelled to Reversing Falls at the mouth of the Saint John River.

The visitors arrived during a falling tide and carefully observed the dramatic change in the river’s flow caused by the Bay of Fundy’s enormous tides. Their visit is part of the early scientific documentation of the geology and natural phenomena around Saint John.

🏛️ Saint John’s long history

Saint John was incorporated in 1785, following the arrival of thousands of Loyalists after the American Revolution. The city became Canada’s first incorporated city and grew into a major port, shipbuilding and industrial centre.

📜 Did you know?
The city’s military history is closely connected to its development as an important Atlantic port. Saint John-based units served in Canada’s major conflicts, and their traditions continue in today’s New Brunswick military units. This Day in Saint John History — August 31, 2026
Remembering the people, places and events that helped shape the Port City.

History, saint john

This Week in Saint John History August 31 – September 6, 2026

This Week in Saint John History

August 31 – September 6, 2026

 August 31

Saint John’s Loyalist beginnings
Saint John’s modern history is closely tied to the arrival of approximately 14,000 Loyalists following the American Revolution. The community at the mouth of the Saint John River was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1785, making Saint John the first incorporated city in what became Canada.

 September 1

A city shaped by the harbour
By the 19th century, Saint John had developed into a major industrial and shipbuilding centre. Its port, shipyards and waterfront became central to the city’s economy and identity.

 September 2

Remembering Saint John’s Irish heritage 🇮🇪
The great Irish immigration of the 1840s had a profound effect on Saint John. The city received a huge influx of Irish immigrants fleeing the famine, helping establish its reputation as “Canada’s most Irish city.”

 September 3

St. Joseph’s Church milestone — 1954 ⛪
A new St. Joseph’s Church in Saint John held its first Mass on September 3, 1954. The new church was built after the city acquired the original church property as part of the development of the Saint John airport area.

 September 4

An important Wolastoqiyik/Maliseet connection — 1749
On September 4, 1749, Maliseet Chiefs and Captains on the Wolastoq (Saint John River) ratified the renewal of the Boston Treaty of Peace and Friendship, reaffirming Maliseet hunting and fishing rights.

September 5

Canada’s first police union — Saint John, 1918 👮
One of the most notable Saint John events of the week occurred on September 5, 1918, when the first police union in Canada was organized in Saint John. The Saint John Federal Police Protective Association was subsequently chartered on September 10.

 September 6

New Brunswick’s first postage stamps — 1851 ✉️
On September 6, 1851, New Brunswick’s first postage stamps went on sale at post offices across the province. The first issue included three-pence, six-pence and one-shilling denominations.

 Saint John History Fact of the Week

Did you know? Saint John was officially incorporated in 1785, making it Canada’s first incorporated city. That Loyalist-era beginning helped establish the Port City as one of the country’s oldest urban communities.

History, saint john

THIS WEEK IN SAINT JOHN HISTORY August 23–29

THIS WEEK IN SAINT JOHN HISTORY

August 23–29

Saint John has centuries of stories behind its streets, harbour and river. Each day this week, we’ll look back at an event connected with Saint John and the history of New Brunswick.

📜 Sunday, August 23

Saint John’s Paris Crew Defeats England

On this day in 1871, Saint John celebrated one of the great moments in Canadian rowing history.

The famous Paris Crew of Saint John raced England’s celebrated Tyne Crew on the Kennebecasis River and defeated them.

The Saint John crew had already become international sporting heroes after their victory at the 1867 Paris Exposition. Their August 23 victory brought another remarkable chapter to Saint John’s rowing history.

Did You Know?

The crew became known as the Paris Crew because of their famous 1867 victory in Paris.

Featured image idea: Four 19th-century rowers racing on the Kennebecasis River, with spectators lining the shore.

⚓ Monday, August 24

Saint John and the Age of Sail

The early 1800s were a remarkable period in Saint John’s development.

Its location at the mouth of the Saint John River helped turn the community into an important Atlantic port. Shipping, timber and international trade would eventually become defining parts of the city’s identity.

Featured image idea: Saint John Harbour during the Age of Sail, crowded with wooden sailing ships, warehouses and waterfront workers.

🌊 Tuesday, August 25

Conflict Comes to the Saint John River

On August 25, 1758, British military operations were being directed toward the Saint John River during the Seven Years’ War.

Colonel Robert Monckton was associated with the British campaigns of this period, when Acadian communities along the river were targeted.

It was a difficult and violent chapter in the region’s history, and its consequences affected Acadian and Indigenous communities as British control expanded.

Featured image idea: A respectful historical illustration of the Saint John River in 1758, showing settlements along the river rather than depicting battle.

🔥 Wednesday, August 26

Fire in Portland

On August 26, 1841, a major fire struck the Portland area of what is now Saint John.

The disaster began around the Owens and Duncan shipyard and destroyed the vessel Jane Duncan, homes and other buildings.

Fire was an enormous danger in 19th-century Saint John. Wooden buildings, shipyards, warehouses and closely packed neighbourhoods could allow flames to spread rapidly.

Featured image idea: Historical illustration of an 1840s Saint John waterfront fire, with residents and firefighters responding.

🏰 Thursday, August 27

The Struggle for the Saint John River

Long before the modern City of Saint John existed, control of the Saint John River was contested by European powers.

French and British interests competed for control of the river and surrounding territory, while the Wolastoqiyik had lived along the Wolastoq for thousands of years before European colonization.

Understanding this earlier history helps explain why the river became so important to the later development of Saint John.

Featured image idea: An old-map-style illustration of the Wolastoq/Saint John River showing early settlements and forts.

👶 Friday, August 28

An Early Birth at Fort Frederick

August 28, 1762 is associated with an interesting piece of early Saint John history.

Historical records concerning Fort Frederick, on the west side of the harbour, place the arrival of the Simonds-White-Peabody party on August 28, 1762. The settlement that followed became an important part of the development of the community at the mouth of the Saint John River.

The site of Fort Frederick is part of the story of Saint John before the Loyalist city was formally established.

Did You Know?

The modern City of Saint John would not be incorporated until 1785.

Featured image idea: Fort Frederick and the Saint John harbour shoreline as it might have appeared during the 1760s.

⚓ Saturday, August 29

Before Saint John Became a City

To finish the week, we go back to Saint John before incorporation.

The great Loyalist migration of the 1780s dramatically changed the settlement at the mouth of the river. Archival records include a Saint John Loyalist list from 1783–84, including 1,459 names in the Parr-town list and another 613 in the Carleton list.

Parr-town and Carleton would soon become part of something new.

In 1785, they were incorporated together as the City of Saint John.

That makes Saint John’s history visible on both sides of the harbour to this day.

Featured image idea: Parr-town and Carleton around 1783, with Loyalist ships entering Saint John Harbour.

🕰️ THEN & NOW

From Indigenous history along the Wolastoq to French and British rivalry, Loyalist settlement, wooden shipbuilding and international rowing victories, Saint John’s story stretches across centuries.

The harbour, river and neighbourhoods we know today still carry traces of that past.

Come back tomorrow for another “This Day in Saint John History.”

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