Minto, New Brunswick: Location And Surroundings

Minto is a community in New Brunswick, Canada, straddling the boundary of Sunbury County and Queens County. It is located on the north shore of Grand Lake, approximately 50 kilometres northeast of Fredericton. The village was named after the eighth Governor General of Canada, the Earl of Minto, in 1904. Minto played a significant role in the local coal industry and is home to the New Brunswick Internment Camp Museum and the Minto Coal Mining Museum. The community offers recreational activities such as the Minto Centennial Arena, ball parks, nature trails, and mountain biking trails.

Minto is located on the north shore of Grand Lake

Minto is known for its coal mining history, which began in the 1630s when French settlers, the Acadians, learned about surface coal deposits in the area. The commercial trade in coal from this region has been recognised as a National Historic Event. Minto profited from a coal boom during the Great Depression, which brought financial prosperity to the community. The coal industry in the area ended in 2010 when the last coal mining company, NB Coal, closed.

The community was amalgamated with the village of Chipman and several local service districts on 1 January 2023 to form the new village of Grand Lake. This move was protested by the villages of Minto and Chipman due to concerns about reduced provincial funding and the potential loss of local amenities and services. Despite the protests, the amalgamation proceeded, and the community of Minto retains its name officially.

Minto offers a range of recreational activities, including the Minto Centennial Arena, ball parks, family parks, nature trails, and mountain bike trails. The town also hosts two annual festivals: the Minto Coal Mining Festival in summer and the Santa Claus Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony in winter.

The community straddles the boundary of Sunbury and Queens County

Minto is a community in New Brunswick, Canada, that straddles the boundary of Sunbury County and Queens County. The community is located on the north shore of Grand Lake, approximately 50 kilometres northeast of Fredericton.

Sunbury County is located in central New Brunswick and has a population of around 27,000 people. The county is home to a large military base, CFB Gagetown, and also hosts forestry and mixed farming activities. The county town is Burton, and there are several municipalities within the county, including Fredericton Junction and a portion of the city of Fredericton, which is counted as part of York.

Queens County is one of the original eight counties that were established when New Brunswick was separated from Nova Scotia and became its own colony in 1784. The other counties were Charlotte, Kings, Northumberland, Saint John, Sunbury, Westmorland, and York. The county lines were strategically drawn to align with the watersheds, as the settlements in New Brunswick were developed along waterways.

The community of Minto lies partially in Sunbury County and partially in Queens County. While most of the village is in Queens County, Statistics Canada considers it as part of Sunbury since a significant portion of it falls within that county. This unique situation has led to Minto being associated with both counties, and it is officially recognised as part of the Queens County.

The village was named after Canada's eighth Governor General, the Earl of Minto

The community of Minto, New Brunswick, is located on the north shore of Grand Lake, straddling the boundary of Sunbury County and Queens County. The village was named after Canada's eighth Governor General, the Earl of Minto, whose tenure ended in 1904.

The Earl of Minto, Gilbert John Murray Kynynmond Elliot, served as Governor General of Canada from 1898 to 1904. He was a British peer and politician, born in London in 1845. Before his appointment as Governor General, he spent several years in Canada serving as an Aide-de-camp to General Middleton during the North West Rebellion. He also had a military career in the British Empire, serving in the Second Afghan War and the British occupation of Egypt, where he was wounded in 1882.

During his time as Governor General, Minto travelled throughout Canada, visiting former battlegrounds and enjoying outdoor activities such as horseback riding and lacrosse. He was a sports enthusiast and, together with his wife, founded the Minto Skating Club in 1903, which has produced many famous skaters. They also enjoyed skating parties at Rideau Hall, where they resided. The Mintos introduced greater formality to functions at Rideau Hall and were known for their interest in preserving Canadian heritage, which led to the creation of the National Archives of Canada.

Lord Minto's term as Governor General was marked by strong nationalism, economic growth, and massive immigration to Canada. He encouraged a forward-thinking approach to education and health, believing in the importance of cultivating patriotism and unity among Canadians. He also played a role in responding to the health crisis posed by tuberculosis, helping to establish the first anti-tuberculosis foundation in Canada. Additionally, he took a keen interest in the development of the Canadian military, emphasising the need for training and professionalisation.

Minto was a coal mining hub, with the first coal mines in Canada operating there

Minto, New Brunswick, is a community that straddles the boundary of Sunbury County and Queens County, located on the north shore of Grand Lake. It is approximately 50 kilometres northeast of Fredericton.

The need to transport coal brought the railway to Minto, which contributed to the area's prosperity. The New Brunswick Central Railway ended at Chipman, about 24 kilometres northeast of Minto, and in 1901, plans were made to extend it through the village to connect with the Canadian Pacific Railway. By 1904, the railway was completed as far as Minto, but the extension to Fredericton was abandoned in 1905 and was not built until 1913.

During the early 20th century, coal mining brought financial prosperity to Minto, but by the late 1930s, the industry had declined, leading to impoverished living conditions for miners' families and degradation of mining infrastructure. Despite the challenges, Minto continued to profit from coal mining during the Great Depression, even as other parts of Canada struggled economically.

Underground mining was conducted in Minto from 1930 to 1971, but most of the coal was located about 8 metres below the surface, making strip mining a more economical method. NB Coal, the last coal mining company operating in Minto, closed at the end of 2010, bringing an end to the community's long history of coal mining.

The New Brunswick Internment Camp Museum and the Minto Coal Mining Museum are located in Minto

Minto is a community in New Brunswick, Canada, that straddles the boundary of Sunbury County and Queens County. It is located on the north shore of Grand Lake, approximately 50 kilometres northeast of Fredericton. The community was amalgamated into the newly-formed village of Grand Lake in 2023.

Minto is known for its coal mining history and its World War II internment camp. The New Brunswick Internment Camp Museum and the Minto Coal Mining Museum are located in Minto and offer visitors a glimpse into these important pieces of local and provincial history.

The New Brunswick Internment Camp Museum is located in the basement of the Minto town hall and features a collection of artefacts and information related to the WWII internment camp that was located in the hamlet of Ripples, just west of Minto. The camp first held Jewish refugees, including German and Austrian Jews who had fled to England, and later held German and Italian prisoners of war. The museum includes a scale model of the former internment camp, paintings and cartoons done by inmates, and a collection of over 600 artefacts. The museum was started by a local teacher and has been open to the public since 1997. The original site of the internment camp is also open to visitors, with a 1km historical trail and the base of a water tower, one of the few remaining structures.

The Minto Coal Mining Museum is located in the former railway station, which was built to transport coal from the mines. The museum showcases the history of coal mining in the area, which dates back to the 1630s when French settlers learned about surface coal deposits. Coal mining brought prosperity to the community in the early 1900s, but by the late 1930s, it had led to degradation in mining conditions and living quarters for miners' families. The museum highlights this important part of Minto's past, including the labour struggles and the eventual decline of the coal industry in the area.

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