St. Stephen: A Tourist's Guide

St. Stephen, New Brunswick, is a charming small town with a rich history and plenty of attractions for tourists. Known as Canada's Chocolate Town, St. Stephen is home to the Ganong Bros. chocolate company, which has been a fixture in the town for over 150 years. The town offers a variety of shops and restaurants, as well as beautiful natural parks and trails to explore. St. Stephen also boasts a close relationship with its U.S. counterpart, Calais, Maine, making it a popular border crossing for travellers. With its friendly atmosphere, fascinating history, and sweet treats, St. Stephen is a must-visit destination for anyone exploring New Brunswick.

The Chocolate Museum

St. Stephen, New Brunswick, is known as Canada's Chocolate Town. For about 150 years, the Ganong Bros. chocolate company has been based in the town. The Chocolate Museum, located in the original Ganong candy factory, offers an interactive way to learn about the history of the Ganong family and the town's candy-making tradition, which has lasted over a century.

The museum offers guided tours and hands-on exhibits, including interactive computer displays, historic chocolate boxes, and antique candy-making equipment. Visitors can observe the famous hand dippers at work crafting chocolates using the same traditional method. The museum also offers a chocolate tasting experience.

After visiting the museum, be sure to stop by the Ganong Chocolatier store, located next door, to purchase some of Ganong's hand-crafted chocolates and other sweet treats. The downtown Ganong Chocolatier candy shop is also worth a visit to immerse yourself in the period ambience and rich, sugary smells.

St. Stephen is a charming small town with a close relationship with its U.S. counterpart, Calais, Maine. The town offers a variety of shops and restaurants to explore, as well as parks, trails, and the scenic St. Croix River to enjoy.

Ganong Nature Park

The Ganong Nature Park is a 350-acre nature preserve located in Charlotte County, less than 10 kilometres from downtown St. Stephen, New Brunswick. The park offers a variety of outdoor activities for locals and visitors alike, including hiking, biking, dog walking, snowshoeing, sliding, kite flying, and exploration of its trails, fields, and beaches. It is also a popular spot for picnics and beach days, with beautiful views of the St. Croix estuary and Oak Bay.

The park is known for its well-maintained trails, which range from easy walking paths to more strenuous hikes. The longest trail, the Ganong Loop, is estimated to be 2.1 miles long and takes approximately 44 minutes to hike. The Ferry Cove via Tide Pool Trail and Echo Trail Loop is another popular option, offering a 1.4-mile hike with a 4.7-star rating from reviewers. This trail takes around 29 minutes to complete.

In addition to its natural attractions, the Ganong Nature Park also has a rich history. It is located on the traditional territory of the Peskotomuhkati Nation, which includes the watershed of the Skutik (St. Croix) River and Passamaquoddy Bay. The park is also adjacent to the St. Croix River and overlooks St. Croix Island, where Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons attempted to establish one of the first year-round French territories in North America in 1604.

The Ganong Nature Park is run by the St. Croix Estuary Project, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to fostering community-based responses to the ecosystem health of the St. Croix Estuary area. The park is open all year round, and admission is free, although donations are encouraged to help maintain the park's sustainability.

St. Croix River

St. Stephen in New Brunswick is known as 'Canada's Chocolate Town', due to its association with the Ganong Bros. chocolate company. However, there is plenty more to do in the town and its surrounding areas, including visiting the St. Croix River.

The St. Croix River is a Canadian Heritage River that marks the international boundary between New Brunswick and the State of Maine in the US. The river is 114-115km in length and runs from Monument Brook and North Lake to St. Andrews and Passamaquoddy Bay in the Bay of Fundy. The river is an estuary between Calais, St. Stephen and the river mouth at Robbinston and St. Andrews. The river was formed from the Chiputneticook Lakes (North Lake, East Grand Lake, Mud Lake, and Spednic Lake) along the Canadian-US border.

The St. Croix River was an early trade corridor to the interior of Maine and New Brunswick from the Atlantic coast. Ocean ships could navigate upstream to Calais and St. Stephen. The river was also important for log driving, bringing wooden logs and pulpwood from interior forests to sawmills and paper mills in Calais and Woodland.

The river has a rich history of boundary issues. The geography of the river was not clearly charted until the Jay Treaty of 1794, which provided provisions for a boundary survey. The boundary between Maine and New Brunswick took four decades to establish. During the War of 1812, there was a push to settle the disputed territory north of the river on the St. John watershed, and it remained in dispute until 1842.

There are several bridges that cross the river, including the International Avenue Bridge and the Milltown International Bridge. There is also a railway bridge that crosses the river at St. Croix-Vanceboro.

The river offers an exciting wilderness experience, with remote camping sites available for free. However, as an international boundary, there are strict border enforcement regulations that must be followed when planning a trip. It is important to note that boaters must stay on the same shore they entered from and report their trip to the appropriate border agency. The river has designated campsites, and camping outside of these areas is illegal. The St. Croix River is also a popular spot for fishing, but a licence is required.

Charlotte County Museum

The Charlotte County Museum in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, offers visitors a glimpse into the history of Charlotte County from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. The building that houses the museum was constructed in 1864 and was once the residence of James Simpson Murchie, a respected lumberman who played a key role in establishing local industries and transportation facilities. In 1928, Murchie's daughter, Emma Eaton, donated the home to the Town of Milltown, and it served as the Town Hall for 45 years before becoming the Charlotte County Museum in 1980.

The museum features exhibits that showcase the immigration of early settlers, including Loyalists, Scots, and the Irish, as well as the region's relationship with the American Northeast. Visitors can learn about the area's prosperous industries, such as lumbering, shipbuilding, and the Ganong Bros Candy Factory. The museum also displays items from Canada's second-largest cotton mill and showcases early Chinese porcelain, furniture, and temple doors brought to the region during the height of the Chinese trade in the 1850s.

Other highlights of the museum include three mahogany tables crafted by the renowned St. Stephen cabinetmaker John Warren Moore, a country kitchen, a tool shed, a Charlotte Country schoolroom, and displays of 19th-century handiwork. The museum is typically open from June 1 to September 1, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Reviews of the museum on Tripadvisor describe it as a "sweet little, old-fashioned museum" with knowledgeable guides and interesting exhibits. One reviewer noted that the museum does a great job of showcasing the local history, making it a good attraction for both locals and tourists.

Garcelon Civic Centre

The Garcelon Civic Centre is a multi-purpose sporting facility in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada. It is located at 22 Budd Avenue, in the heart of downtown St. Stephen. The $19 million, 76,682-square-foot facility was designed to positively impact the health and wellness and social, cultural, and economic prosperity of the town and the greater region.

The centre includes an NHL-sized hockey arena called the Quartermain Arena, a 25-metre swimming pool, a leisure/therapeutic swimming pool, a year-round walking/running track, a fitness room with free weights, machines, and cardio equipment, and community meeting spaces. It is also home to the Junior Hockey team, the St. Stephen Aces of the Maritime Hockey League (MHL).

The Garcelon Civic Centre offers a full range of athletic, wellness, and cultural services to both residents and businesses. It is owned and operated by the Municipal District of St. Stephen. The centre provides room rentals and hosts celebrations, parties, meetings, and conferences. It also offers swimming lessons, fitness programs, and individual lessons for autistic children and children with developmental issues.

The centre's mechanical and electrical systems were designed to minimise energy consumption and mitigate the impact of rising energy costs. The facility incorporates environmentally friendly and energy-efficient technology to ensure flexible operations and efficient use.

The Garcelon Civic Centre is a highly-regarded recreation centre that caters to the diverse needs of the community, offering something for everyone in the family.

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