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Saint John, New Brunswick facts for kids

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Not to be confused with St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Quick facts for kids
City of Saint John
City
Saint John, NB, skyline at dusk8.jpg
Nickname(s): 
Fundy City, Loyalist City, Port City, Original City
Motto(s): 
"O Fortunati Quorum Jam Moenia Surgunt"
(Latin for, "O Fortunate Ones Whose Walls Are Now Rising."
or "O Happy They, Whose Promised Walls Already Rise")
Country Canada
Province New Brunswick
County Saint John County
Parish Simonds Parish
Established 1604
Major Settlement Started 1783
Incorporation May 18, 1785 (1785-05-18)
Founded by Gov. Thomas Carlton
Named for St. John the Baptist
Area
 • Urban
326 km2 (126 sq mi)
 • Metro
3,362.95 km2 (1,298.44 sq mi)
Highest elevation
80.8 m (265.1 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • City 70,063 (CSD)
 • Density 215.7/km2 (559/sq mi)
 • Metro
127,761
 • Metro density 38.0/km2 (98/sq mi)
  source: Statistics Canada
Time zone UTC-4 (Atlantic (AST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-3 (Atlantic (ADT))
Canadian Postal code
E2K, E2L And E2P
Area code(s) 506
Telephone Exchanges 202, 214, 333, 343, 557 -8, 592, 608, 631 -640, 642 -654, 657 -8, 663, 672, 674, 693-4, 696, 721, 977
NTS Map 021G08
GNBC Code DAEGW
Website City of Saint John

Saint John is a port city on the Bay of Fundy in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The port is Canada's third largest port by tonnage with a cargo base that includes dry and liquid bulk, break bulk, containers, and cruise. In 2016, after more than 40 years of population decline, the city became the second most populous city in the province for the first time, with a population of 67,575 over an area of 315.82 km2 (121.94 sq mi). Greater Saint John covers a land area of 3,362.95 km2 (1,298.44 sq mi) across the Caledonia Highlands, with a population (as of 2016) of 126,202. Saint John is the oldest incorporated city in Canada. During the reign of George III, the municipality was created by royal charter in 1785.

Saint John is the oldest of five chartered cities in Canada along with Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Lloydminster (a city that straddles both Alberta and Saskatchewan).

French colonist Samuel de Champlain landed at Saint John Harbour on June 24, 1604 (the feast of St. John the Baptist) and is where the Saint John River gets its name although Mi'kmaq and Maliseet peoples lived in the region for thousands of years prior calling the river Wolastoq. After over a century of ownership disputes over the land surrounding Saint John between the French and English, the English deported the French colonists in 1755 and constructed Fort Howe above the harbour in 1779. In 1785, the City of Saint John was established by uniting the two towns of Parrtown and Carleton on each side of the harbour after the arrival of thousands of refugees from the American Revolution who wished to remain British and were forced to leave their U.S. homes. Over the next century, waves of immigration via Partridge Island, especially during the Great Famine, would fundamentally change the city's demographics and culture.

Images for kids

  • Blacksmith Shop Behind Custom House

    A blacksmith shop near Saint John Harbour in the late 19th century

  • Martellotower

    Martello Tower, Saint John

  • St Martins NB covered bridge

    Covered bridges dot the Greater Saint John region.

  • Partridge Island and Bell Buoy

    Partridge Island immigration station

  • Colsen cove park 009

    Colsen Cove generating station

  • Old Post Office Saint John

    The Old Post Office

  • 1914 Saint John riot aftermath

    1914 Saint John Railwaymen's Strike riot

  • Uptown Saint John, from Bridge

    Looking east on the Saint John Throughway, right before the Harbour Bridge and the now closed (since 2011) toll plaza

  • June 2009 Saint John Transit Bus

    A Saint John Transit bus in uptown

  • TD Station

    TD Station is home to the city's Quebec Major Junior hockey team, Saint John Sea Dogs, and the Saint John Riptide of the National Basketball League of Canada.

  • Commons unbsj 003

    The Commons at the University of New Brunswick

  • Saint John, NB, historical Church (Brennans) St.

    Saint John is known for its pub and restaurant scene throughout uptown. Statistics Canada found the city has the third most pubs per capita in Canada.

  • Imperial Theatre, Saint John(IMG 9955)

    The Imperial Theatre, a National Historic Site still hosting live performances

  • Fiddlehead Saint John

    Fiddlehead sculpture at the Saint John Arts Centre in the city's uptown

  • Bank of New Brunswick Building 2

    Prince William Street, National Historic Site of Canada. The building in the foreground is the Bank of New Brunswick building, Canada's first bank established by Royal Charter.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Saint John (Nuevo Brunswick) para niños

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