Saint John, New Brunswick

Saint John is a big city.

It is in New Brunswick, Canada. The city sits by the Bay of Fundy.

A river flows into the sea here. The tides are very strong. They push the river water back. This makes the river change its way.

This is called the Reversing Falls. The city has many hills and rocks. It is a very old place. Many people live and work there.

Saint John is a seaport city.

It is in New Brunswick, Canada. The city sits on the Bay of Fundy.

A river flows into the bay. This is the Saint John River. The river has a special part called the Reversing Falls. The tides are very strong here. The ocean water pushes the river water back. This makes the river flow the other way for a few hours.

The land around the city is hilly and rocky. Some rocks are a billion years old. This area is part of a special park called a Geopark. The city has many old buildings. Some are made of red brick and stone.

The City Market is very old. It is the oldest city market in North America. People also enjoy large parks. Rockwood Park is a very big park. It has ten lakes and many trails. The city is a place for work and fun. It has many jobs in trade and tourism.

Saint John is a busy seaport city in New Brunswick, Canada.

It sits on the north shore of the Bay of Fundy. The city is split by the Saint John River. This river flows south into the deep waters of the harbour.

The harbour is special because it stays ice-free all year. This makes it a very important place for big ships. Many different types of cargo move through the port every day. The city is the second-largest in its province.

The natural world here works in a very surprising way. The Bay of Fundy has very strong tides. These tides cause a phenomenon called the Reversing Falls.

At high tide, the ocean water pushes into a narrow gorge. This force actually makes the river flow backward for several hours. This movement creates strong rapids in the middle of the city. The land around the city is also very interesting. It is hilly and has many granite rocks. Some of these rocks are a billion years old.

This area is part of the Stonehammer UNESCO Geopark.

People have lived in this area for thousands of years. The Wolastoqiyik and Mi'kmaq peoples have deep roots here. The Wolastoqiyik called the river "Wolastoq."

In 1604, the explorer Samuel de Champlain landed at the harbour. He named the river after Saint John the Baptist. Later, the area became a place for trade and defense. Many different groups of people moved here over time. Some arrived as refugees after the American Revolution. Others came from Europe during times of hardship. This changed the culture of the city forever.

The city has a long history of building and rebuilding. In 1877, a great fire destroyed 40% of the city. This left 13,000 people without homes.

After the fire, people began building with brick and stone. This helped the city stay safe from future fires. You can see many old styles of buildings today. Some are Victorian or Gothic in style.

The City Market was built in 1876. It is the oldest city market in North America. The city also grew into a famous place for making ships. One ship, the Marco Polo, was once the fastest in the world.

Today, Saint John is a place for both work and play. Many people work in oil refining, manufacturing, or finance.

The city also has many research institutions and museums. For fun, people visit large green spaces. Rockwood Park is a huge park with ten lakes.

It has 55 different trails for walking. There is also the Irving Nature Park on the west side. The city's many neighborhoods offer different ways to live. Whether by the water or in the hills, there is much to see.

Saint John is a major seaport city in New Brunswick, Canada.

It is located on the north shore of the Bay of Fundy. The city sits at the mouth of the Saint John River. This river flows south into a deep water harbour. The harbour is ice-free throughout the entire year. This makes the Port of Saint John a very important site. It is Canada's third-largest port by tonnage.

The port handles many types of cargo. This includes dry and liquid bulk, containers, and cruise ships. The city is the second-largest in New Brunswick. As of 2021, it had a population of 69,895 people.

The geography of the region is shaped by powerful natural forces. The city is split by a narrow gorge in the river. This gorge creates a unique phenomenon called the Reversing Falls.

The Bay of Fundy has very large daily tides. At high tide, ocean water is pushed into the river gorge. This force causes the river to reverse its flow for several hours. This movement creates a series of strong rapids. The surrounding land is very hilly and rocky. The area is part of the Stonehammer UNESCO Geopark.

This geopark contains rocks from the Precambrian era. Some of these rock formations are one billion years old.

Indigenous peoples have inhabited this land for thousands of years. The Wabanaki Confederacy lived in this coastal region. The Passamaquoddy Nation lived in the northwestern Bay of Fundy. The Wolastoqiyik Nation lived in the Saint John River valley. They called the river "Wolastoq."

The Wolastoqiyik lived in self-sustaining villages. They relied on salmon, sturgeon, corn, and wild berries. In 1604, the French explorer Samuel de Champlain landed at the harbour. He named the river after Saint John the Baptist. This occurred on the feast of St. John the Baptist. The area later became important for trade in Acadia.

The history of the city involves many different groups of people. During the French colonial era, Fort La Tour was a major battleground. The British took the region from the French after the Seven Years' War. In 1785, the city was officially established by royal charter.

This made it Canada's oldest incorporated city. It was formed by uniting Parr-town and Carleton. These two communities were on opposite sides of the harbour. Many United Empire Loyalists arrived after the American Revolution. Over 10,000 Loyalists arrived at the harbour within months. Later, many immigrants arrived via Partridge Island during the Great Famine.

Saint John has faced many difficult challenges over the years. In 1849, longshoremen formed Canada's first labour union. This was called the Laborer's Benevolent Association. The city also faced serious health and safety crises. An outbreak of cholera in 1854 killed over 1,500 people. In 1877, the Great Fire of Saint John occurred. This fire destroyed 40% of the city. It left 13,000 people without homes. The damages exceeded $10 million in 1877. In today's money, that is about $256 million. Despite this, the city began rebuilding very quickly.

Architecture in the city shows how it has changed over time. Many buildings use Victorian, Romanesque Revival, or Second Empire styles.

After the great fire, builders used more brick and stone. This was safer than using wood. The City Market was built in 1876. It is the oldest city market in North America. It features a unique roof designed like a ship's hull. The city was also a world-class shipyard. It produced the Marco Polo in 1851.

This ship was once the fastest in the world. The city also saw the invention of the automated foghorn.

Today, the city has a diverse economy and many green spaces. Industry includes oil refining, manufacturing, and finance.

The city also hosts important research institutions. These include the New Brunswick Museum and the University of New Brunswick. For recreation, residents use many large parks. Rockwood Park is a massive municipal park. It covers 2,200 acres and has ten lakes.

It also has 55 different walking trails. The Irving Nature Park is another important natural area. The city is divided into 33 different neighbourhoods.