The Saint John Region is steeped in history, with stories that span centuries and landscapes shaped by time. Our region is home to 18 National Historic Sites, each offering a unique glimpse into the past.
Ordnance Building, Saint John
Constructed in 1842 to store weapons and ammunition, this building serves as a reminder of the period of fortification that followed the War of 1812, when fears of American aggression led to a comprehensive defensive strategy. A rare surviving example of a typical ordnance building, it reflects both colonial and Dominion military architecture with its flexible, utilitarian design and sturdy construction. It is one of the few buildings to have survived the Great Fire of 1877.
St. John's Anglican Church/Stone Church, Saint John
Constructed in 1824-1825, St. John's is one of the earliest Gothic Revival churches in Canada. Its name, the Stone Church, reflects the high quality of its regularly coursed masonry. It is designated because it is one of the earliest and best examples of a Gothic Revival church, in the Romantic phase, in Canada.
Fort Howe, Saint John
Late in 1777, Major Gilfred Studholme hurriedly fortified this ridge overlooking the mouth of the Saint John River. Throughout the remainder of the American Revolutionary War the presence of Fort Howe, its guns and garrison, guarded the settlement at the river's mouth from attack by American privateers, a minority of disaffected settlers, and the local Indigenous Peoples with whom a treaty was made here in 1778.
Imperial Theatre, Saint John
Constructed in 1912-1913 to the designs of Philadelphia architect A.E. Westover, Imperial Theatre was built by the Keith-Albee chain of New York City and its Canadian subsidiary, the Saint John Amusements Company. Theatres of this kind, constructed between 1912 and 1930, were among the grandest built in Canada, and acted as a transition between traditional 19th-century theatres and the movie palaces of the 20th century.
St. Luke's Anglican Church, Quispamsis
Built in 1831-1833, this fine vernacular example of classical architecture represents the culmination of the pioneering phase of the Anglican Church in eastern Canada. It testifies to the efforts of Bishop John Inglis to spread Anglicanism throughout his diocese through church construction. Attributed to Edwin Fairweather, the design is noteworthy for its plan, symmetry, fine proportions, and classical details which speak eloquently of the influence of British classicism on colonial building.
Rothesay Railway Station, Rothesay
Although a railroad to connect the ports of Saint John and Shediac had been proposed in the 1840s, it was not until the formation of the European and North American Railway in 1852 that the line was begun. Even then, construction was delayed, and the railway was not opened until 1860, although the line from Saint John to Rothesay had been completed two years before. The railroad was taken over by the Canadian government after Confederation and later merged with the CNR. This building, begun in 1858, is a good surviving example of a number two standard station designed by the European and North American Railway.
Carleton Martello Tower, Saint John
Construction of this tower was begun by the British Army during the War of 1812 as one of a projected series of fortifications intended to block the western land approach to Saint John. Subsequent to its completion in 1815, the tower was largely neglected, seeing only occasional use in times of emergency, including service as a fire control headquarters in the Second World War. The original structure typifies the English Martello tower design, a popular form of coastal defense in the British Isles during the Napoleonic period.
Partridge Island Quarantine Station, Saint John
The City of Saint John established a quarantine station on the island in 1830 in an effort to prevent smallpox from spreading from a ship carrying Irish immigrants. However, the station's medical and quarantine facilities were to prove inadequate in containing contagious diseases. Consequently in the mid-19th century, epidemics often spread from the island station to the mainland populace, the most devastating being typhus and cholera. The Canadian government took over the station in 1867 and operated it until 1941 when it was finally replaced by facilities in Saint John.
Saint John City Market, Saint John
Built between 1874 and 1876, the Saint John City market narrowly escaped the fire that swept through the city in 1877 and stands today as a rare and distinguished example of a 19th-century market building. Designed in the Second Empire style by New Brunswick architects McKean and Fairweather, the market building contains shops on the ground level, offices above, and, through the passageway, a long, open market hall. An impressive feature of the hall is the exposed timber framing, with its queen post trusses supported by cast-iron columns.
The market has been in continuous use since its construction, making it the oldest continuously operating farmers market in Canada.
Wolastoq, Saint John River
Wolastoq National Historic Site of Canada consists of the cultural landscape along the river extending 700 kilometres in a broad arc from its headwaters in Québec and northern Maine to its mouth at Saint John Harbour, Bay of Fundy. The watershed represents the traditional territory of the Wolastoqiyik First Nation. The entire drainage system has nurtured the Wolastoqiyik, who traveled it and gained nourishment from plants and animals in and around its waters. The watershed contains countless historical sites that bear evidence of past Wolastoqkew settlements and activity sites, as recorded in elders’ stories, in place names, and in archaeological sites.
Loyalist House, Saint John
This gracious building is a well-preserved example of the homes built by prosperous United Empire Loyalists and their descendants. Constructed before 1820 by the merchant David Merritt, this house was maintained with minimal change by five generations of his family who lived here until 1959. One of the oldest residences in the city, Loyalist House is an important survivor of the Great Fire which destroyed much of central Saint John in 1877.
Fort Charnisay, Saint John
Fort Charnisay, of which there are no visible remains, is located in Saint John, New Brunswick. Between 1645 and the early 19th century, the site hosted a succession of forts due to its strategic position overlooking the Saint John River on the western edge of the city’s harbour.
Fort La Tour, Saint John
In 1631, Charles de Saint-Étienne de La Tour built a fort, one of the earliest centres of the French fur trade with the region's Indigenous Peoples. During her husband's absence in 1645, Françoise-Marie Jacquelin, Madame de La Tour, unsuccessfully defended the fort against their chief rival, Charles de Menou d'Aulnay, who took it in the name of the king. The French continued to trade on the Saint John River until 1758. A few years later, the Simmonds, Hazen, and White Company established a flourishing trade on this site, which eventually grew into the city of Saint John.
Number 2 Mechanics' Volunteer Company Engine House, Saint John
The cry, "Fire!" so terrified Canadians in the early 19th century that communities began to construct permanent fire stations. Erected in 1840, this elegant Neoclassical building is a pioneering example of a firehall designed to house a volunteer brigade using manually drawn and operated pumper fire engines. These organizations served as the best line of defense against devastating conflagrations and played an important role in Victorian urban life. The work of local architect John Cunningham, this building recalls the earliest phase in the development of municipal fire fighting in Canada.
Prince William Streetscape, Saint John
This historic streetscape is distinguished by its rare concentration of homogenous, primarily late 19th-century architecture. Traditionally referred to as "Wall Street," the area contains major public buildings, banks, hotels, insurance, shipping, and legal offices, and the Seamens' Institute and Mission. More than half of these structures were erected immediately after the Great Fire of 1877. The work of prominent architects of Scottish, American, and Canadian origin, the buildings represent solid, dignified, and sometimes flamboyant interpretations of contemporary styles and building technology.
Prince William streetscape was the first streetscape in Canada to be named a National Historic Site.
Saint John County Court House, Saint John
Facing King Square, the County Court House was built between 1827 and 1829 to house the Court of Quarter Sessions and the Supreme Court. Probably designed by Scottish-born architect John Cunningham, it has a low-hipped roof and balanced composition typical of early British public buildings. With its conscious arrangement of classical details, the building creates an impression of order and grandeur. Among its notable features are freestanding circular staircases whose steps, made from single blocks of stones, are cantilevered from the wall.
1 Chipman Hill, Saint John
Remarkable for the range of trompe l'il effects and skillful execution, the wall and ceiling paintings inside this residence, part of a row of similar townhouses, reflect the taste of the High Victorian era. Combining classical and Renaissance influences, the paintings create the illusion of sculpture, wall paneling, materials, and textures. These works, probably executed in the 1870s, are an expression of the wealth of a successful entrepreneur. This is a rare surviving example of early artistic painted decoration in a Canadian home.
Trinity Church and Rectory, Kingston
Trinity Church, the oldest Anglican church in New Brunswick, was built in 1789 by newly-settled United Empire Loyalists. The church was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1977 because it is the oldest surviving Anglican church in New Brunswick; it is a rare example, in the Maritimes, of both church and rectory surviving as a unit from the 18th century; and, the rectory exhibits many characteristics of a classical Georgian residence.
*All information above can be found in Parks Canada's Directory of Federal Heritage Designations. Head to their site for more details.
