Story Ideas
Fredericton is beautiful and filled with art, nature and heritage. But beyond the typical experiences, there are many lesser-known treasures that are truly here and only here
... a few Story Starts …..
The Oldest Birchbark Canoe in the World -The Grandfather Akwiten
Now on display indefinitely at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, the canoe had an interesting journey. Designed and crafted by the local by Maliseet craftsmen in the early 1820s, it was taken to Ireland around 1825 by an officer serving with British forces. The canoe ended up in the custody of a university there in 1852 and forgotten in an attic for decades. The conservation process began in 2001 when a professor took interest in the tree root-sewn boat, and eventually had it sent to the Canadian Museum of Civilization for restoration. The Maliseet were once considered the finest canoe builders along the eastern seaboard. Maliseet are also known as the Wolastoqiyik, which means "people of the river.”
Canada’s Oldest Spirit Festival - The New Brunswick Spirits Festival
Each November this 5 day festival features 200 of the world’s finest Spirits, Single Malt Whiskies, Scotches, Cognacs, Rums, Gins and Liqueurs, theme dinners, samplings, seminars and even a taxi ride home. Connoisseurs from around the world attend each year, as many of the spirits available are rarely available to the public. 2020 marked the 25th year since the festival began, and the milestone will be celebrated when travel is safe.
One of the Largest Rivers on the Eastern Seaboard - The Wolastoq / Saint John River This Canadian Heritage river travels 673 kilometres (418 miles) from deep in the woods of northern Maine to the Bay of Fundy on the New Brunswick coast. The Saint John River is ranked as one of the most historic rivers in Canada, with 10,000 years of Maliseet history and 400 years of rich stories of French and then English settlement. Often referred to as the "Road to Canada" helped open up the Canadian wilderness to early settlers as a travel route from the Atlantic Ocean.
Atlantic Canada’s Only Houseboat Rental - Lakeway Houseboat Vacations
How about a vacation on the majestic Saint John River. Docked in scenic Mactaquac Provincial Park, the fleet of 6 houseboats can sleep up to 14 and each features a full kitchen, hot tub and BBQ. Enjoy a unique boating experience with the unspoiled beauty and along the Saint John River Valley. Swim in the summer or enjoy breathtaking fall foliage.
Atlantic Canada’s first 5 G City and Centre of Innovation
In the fall of 2020, Rogers launched 5G in Fredericton, making it the first 5G enabled city in Atlantic Canada. The innovation partnership between the City of Fredericton and Rogers supports Fredericton’s efforts as a smart city and a critical step in the digital evolution which began in the 90’s when the city launched Canada’s first city-wide free Wi-fi network .
“One of the World's Top 7 Intelligent Communities “ - Fredericton has had this recognition twice as by the Intelligent Communities Forum of New York, in large part due to its significant investment in digital infrastructure.
One of the most valuable books in the world - New Brunswick Legislature Assembly is home to rare books by great American naturalist and artist John James Audubon. The massive 5 ft by 3 ft hand-tinted books, Birds of America displays life-size portrayals of birds, some of which have since become extinct. This is one of only 5 publicly owned copies of the book in Canada and only 200 sets were ever produced. The New Brunswick Legislative Library purchased this Birds of America book for £800 in 1852 for the library's collections. Another complete copy of "Birds of America" was sold by Christie's Auction House for $8.8 million in 2000, the highest amount of money ever paid for a book.
Visitors from around the world come to Fredericton to see works by Surrealist Spanish artist Salvador DalÍ. His spectacular masterwork Santiago El Grande- the second largest canvas he ever painted (an immense 13½ × 10 feet, 4.1m x 3m) is displayed in its own special gallery at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, along with other DalÍ masterpieces.
The oldest English university in Canada - the University of New Brunswick was established by the United Empire Loyalists in 1785 and is one of four schools that claim the title of oldest public university in North America. UNB is also the only institution worldwide which awarded honorary degrees to both John F. Kennedy and Robert Francis Kennedy (1950s & 1960s). UNB has an amazing collection of images which document their visits to Fredericton.
The oldest existing astronomical observatory in Canada - William Brydone Jack Observatory, built in 1851 on the campus of University of New Brunswick. Dr. Jack carried out astronomical observations and his measurements were used in the first map of New Brunswick. A copy of that map, and the equipment Dr. Jack used, including a 7.5-foot achromatic telescope custom-made in Munich in 1849 of mahogany and brass, are housed in the observatory.
The only NASA supported planetary imaging facility in Canada is also on the UNB Campus at the National Research Council.
There are many more special things to discover in New Brunswick’s Capital including our brewers and distillers, natures wonders and creative artisans and craftspeople.
