St. Stephen,New Brunswick: One of the nicest small towns to check out; along your path, is located along the southwestern part of the province (Charlotte County). It’s a border town that shares the beautiful St. Croix River with Calais, Maine. The present population is approximately 4400 strong. You can experience small town livin’;at its best, in just a short drive from wherever you might be.
The Acadians were the original settlers to establish communities along it’s shores; in the early 1700’s. The Loyalists soon ventured to the area in the latter part of the century. Imagine life then! Settlers with their log homes set up along or near the shores of the great St. Croix River. The river was a major mode of transportation and a great food source too. The proximity of St. Stephen to the USA and the majestic St. Croix River was condusive to the early lumbering and shipbuilding industries. At one time; St. Stephen had about 100 wharves and slips along it’s waterfront to service these operations. It was a busy little spot with income for the people. St. Stephen’s business district grew and in 1873; the Ganong Bros. set up their candy store here. Ganong Chocolates grew to become the oldest candy company in Canada, today. St. Stephen can be now known as “Canada’s Chocolate Town.” It’s certainly a must have when you’re there! What you might not know is that St. Stephen is also the home of Canada’s smallest accredited University “St. Stephen’s University”. That’s just a glimpse of what you can expect to see and find on your trip there but the scenery all along yer way is right breathtaking!
If you want to experience small town East Coast livin’ with all the amenities of the city; then, put St. Stephen on your must see list of places to explore. Walk down that road and submerge yourself in the history, the culture and of course don’t forget to eat some of the chocolate!
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