Bathurst, New Brunswick
Encyclopedia
Bathurst is a Canadian
city in Gloucester County
, New Brunswick
.
Bathurst is situated on Bathurst Harbour, an estuary
at the mouth of the Nepisiguit River
at the southernmost part of Chaleur Bay
.
Early settlers from France
came to the area in the 17th century in what became part of the colony
of Acadia
. Following the fall of this part of Acadia to British control in the Seven Years' War
, the region
saw the arrival of numerous English
and Scottish
settler
s, particularly during the latter 18th century through to the 20th century. The community
was named by the Governor
, Sir
Howard Douglas
(1823–1831), in honor of Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst
(1762–1834), Secretary of State for the Colonies of the British
government.
The opening of the Intercolonial Railway of Canada
in 1876 provided a fast connection from the port of Bathurst to the rest of North America
which was essential for developing the region's principal industries in forestry
and zinc
mining
. Bathurst Airport accommodates general aviation, along with service to Montreal
, Quebec
via Air Canada.
In 1881, the Roman Catholic Church
constructed the Sacré-Coeur Cathedral.
In 1998, the Laval Titan
QMJHL franchise
relocated to Bathurst, taking the name Acadie–Bathurst Titan. The games are a popular activity for residents of the city. Bathurst is one of the smallest markets in the Canadian Hockey League
.
The Nepisiguit Centennial Museum/Cultural Centre (c. 1967) is on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. The Herman J. Good V.C Branch No.18 Royal Canadian Legion War Museum (c. 1956) is on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
Bathurst is also a well known tourist destination for many people in the Province and around Canada and USA.Bathurst is known for its excellent snowmobile conditions during winter months which attracts many tourists from many parts of Canada and the USA.Bathurst also is known for its summer festival known as The Bathurst Hospitality Days ( Journées Hospitalités )held in late July each year is a week long festival with all kinds of different activities for both the young and older crowds. The focal points of the festival are the concert acts which are held the Wednesday,Thursday,Friday and Saturdays of the Festival with one evening held for Acadian Night and a Maritime Night with various popular Acadian & Maritime artists such as JP Leblanc,Swing,Kain,.Over the years Hospitality Days has seen a number of Big Acts preform. The likes of Kim Mitchell, Jimmy Rankin,CCR (Creedence Clearwater Revisited),The Headpins,Honeymoon Suite,Loverboy,April Wine,and many more. The Festival comes to a end with a Fireworks display over the Bathurst Harbour the last day (Sunday Evening)
In the early morning hours of Saturday, January 12, 2008, a van carrying nine Bathurst High School basketball players and two teachers crashed into a transport truck on NB Route 8 near NB Route 11, claiming the lives of eight people — seven students and one teacher. They received the name "The Boys in Red" after their school colours (red & black) It was a tragedy that hit the people of Bathurst quite hard. The coach and his daughter survived the accident, along with two of the players on the team. The names of the deceased are Nathan Cleland, Justin Cormier, Daniel Hains, Javier Acevedo and Codey Branch — all 17 years old, Nickolas Quinn, aged 16, and Nicholas Kelly, aged 15. The teacher was Elizabeth Lord, 51, the wife of the coach. Survivors of the crash were Head Coach Wayne Lord, who had been driving, Kaitlyn Lord, Bradd Arseneau and Tim Daley.
The supermarket chain that owned the transport truck involved in the crash later issued a lawsuit against the driver for the damages, but dismissed the suit after public outcry.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
city in Gloucester County
Gloucester County, New Brunswick
Gloucester County is located in the northeastern corner of New Brunswick, Canada. Fishing, mining and forestry are the major industries in the county...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
.
Bathurst is situated on Bathurst Harbour, an estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
at the mouth of the Nepisiguit River
Nepisiguit River
The Nepisiguit River is a major river in New Brunswick, Canada. The source of the river lies north of the Christmas Mountains, in the rugged terrain between Mount Carleton, and Big Bald Mountain . The river enters the sea at the city of Bathurst, New Brunswick, on the Bay of Chaleur...
at the southernmost part of Chaleur Bay
Chaleur Bay
frame| Satellite image of Chaleur Bay . Chaleur Bay is the large bay opening to the east;the [[Gaspé Peninsula]] appears to the north and the [[Gulf of St...
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
came to the area in the 17th century in what became part of the colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
of Acadia
Acadia
Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as...
. Following the fall of this part of Acadia to British control in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, the region
Region
Region is most commonly found as a term used in terrestrial and astrophysics sciences also an area, notably among the different sub-disciplines of geography, studied by regional geographers. Regions consist of subregions that contain clusters of like areas that are distinctive by their uniformity...
saw the arrival of numerous English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s, particularly during the latter 18th century through to the 20th century. The community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
was named by the Governor
Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick
The Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick or Lieutenante-gouverneure du Nouveau-Brunswick) is the viceregal representative in New Brunswick of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada...
, Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Howard Douglas
Howard Douglas
General Sir Howard Douglas, 3rd Baronet, GCB, GCMG, FRS was a British military officer born in Gosport, England, the younger son of Admiral Sir Charles Douglas, and a descendant of the Earls of Morton...
(1823–1831), in honor of Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst
Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst
Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst KG PC was a British politician.-Background and education:Lord Bathurst was the elder son of Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl Bathurst, by his wife Tryphena, daughter of Thomas Scawen...
(1762–1834), Secretary of State for the Colonies of the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
government.
The opening of the Intercolonial Railway of Canada
Intercolonial Railway of Canada
The Intercolonial Railway of Canada , also referred to as the Intercolonial Railway , was a historic Canadian railway that operated from 1872 to 1918, when it became part of Canadian National Railways...
in 1876 provided a fast connection from the port of Bathurst to the rest of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
which was essential for developing the region's principal industries in forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
and zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
. Bathurst Airport accommodates general aviation, along with service to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
via Air Canada.
In 1881, the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
constructed the Sacré-Coeur Cathedral.
In 1998, the Laval Titan
Laval Titan
The Laval Titan was one of the names used by a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League franchise that played in Laval, Quebec, between 1971 and 1998.-History:...
QMJHL franchise
Professional sports league organization
Professional sports leagues are organized in numerous ways. The two most significant types are a European model, characterised by a tiered structure using promotion and relegation to determine participation in a hierarchy of leagues or divisions and a North American model characterized by its use...
relocated to Bathurst, taking the name Acadie–Bathurst Titan. The games are a popular activity for residents of the city. Bathurst is one of the smallest markets in the Canadian Hockey League
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
.
The Nepisiguit Centennial Museum/Cultural Centre (c. 1967) is on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. The Herman J. Good V.C Branch No.18 Royal Canadian Legion War Museum (c. 1956) is on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
Bathurst is also a well known tourist destination for many people in the Province and around Canada and USA.Bathurst is known for its excellent snowmobile conditions during winter months which attracts many tourists from many parts of Canada and the USA.Bathurst also is known for its summer festival known as The Bathurst Hospitality Days ( Journées Hospitalités )held in late July each year is a week long festival with all kinds of different activities for both the young and older crowds. The focal points of the festival are the concert acts which are held the Wednesday,Thursday,Friday and Saturdays of the Festival with one evening held for Acadian Night and a Maritime Night with various popular Acadian & Maritime artists such as JP Leblanc,Swing,Kain,.Over the years Hospitality Days has seen a number of Big Acts preform. The likes of Kim Mitchell, Jimmy Rankin,CCR (Creedence Clearwater Revisited),The Headpins,Honeymoon Suite,Loverboy,April Wine,and many more. The Festival comes to a end with a Fireworks display over the Bathurst Harbour the last day (Sunday Evening)
Geography
Demographics
Bathurst is a fully bilingual city with both English-speaking and French-speaking residents. The city is also home to Míkmaq natives, with a First Nations community located on the outskirts of the city. The community is known as Pabineau First Nations (Kékwapskuk).| Census | Population |
|---|---|
| 1871 | 600 |
| 1901 | 1,044 |
| 1911 | 960 |
| 1921 | 3,327 |
| 1931 | 3,300 |
| 1941 | 3,554 |
| 1951 | 4,453 |
| 1961 | 5,494 |
| 1971 | 16,674 |
| 1981 | 15,705 |
| 1991 | 14,409 |
| 2001 | 12,924 |
| 2006 | 12,714 |
| Census | Population | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 12,714 | 1.6% |
| 2001 | 12,924 | 6.4% |
| 1996 | 13,815 | 4.1% |
| 1991 | 14,409 | N/A |
| Language | Population | Pct (%) |
|---|---|---|
| French only | 6,265 | 50.58% |
| English only | 5,735 | 46.31% |
| Both English and French | 240 | 1.94% |
| Other languages | 145 | 1.17% |
Education
- Bathurst High School (9 - 12)
- École secondaire NépisiguitÉcole secondaire NépisiguitÉcole Secondaire Népisiguit is the only French-speaking high school in the Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada area. It holds around 1,200 students from grade nine through twelve.-External links:* *...
(9 - 12) - École Place-des-Jeunes (6 - 8)
- Superior Middle School (6 - 8)
- Académie Assomption (K - 5)
- École Cité-de-l'Amitié (K - 5)
- Terry Fox Elementary SchoolTerry Fox Elementary School-Schools named "Terry Fox Elementary School":* Terry Fox Elementary School * Terry Fox Elementary School * Terry Fox Elementary * Terry Fox Elementary School...
(K - 5) - Parkwood Elementary School (K - 5)
- College communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick Campus Bathurst (CCNB-NBCC) (Post Secondary)
Notable people
- Joe De GrasseJoe De GrasseJoseph Louis De Grasse was a Canadian film director. Born in Bathurst, New Brunswick, he was the elder brother of actor Sam De Grasse....
(1873–1940), pioneer Hollywood film director - Sir James Dunn (1874–1956), banker, art collector, industrialist, philanthropist
- David BranchDavid BranchDavid E. Branch has served as the Commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League since September 15, 1979, and as the President of the Canadian Hockey League since 1996...
(1948-), commissioner of the Canadian Hockey LeagueCanadian Hockey LeagueThe Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey... - Lyse DoucetLyse DoucetLyse Doucet is a senior BBC presenter and special correspondent from New Brunswick, Canada. She works for both BBC World Service radio and BBC World News television, and also reports for BBC Radio 4 and BBC News in the UK, including reporting on Newsnight.-Education:Doucet was born in Bathurst,...
(1958-), BBC journalist - Robert FrigaultRobert FrigaultRobert Frigault is a Canadian cyber-activist, publisher/writer and entrepreneur who was active against Bennett Environmental Inc.'s plans to operate a soil incinerator designed to treat soils contaminated with PCBs, PCPs, pesticides and chlorinated organic compounds...
(1971-), author, publisher, activist - Natasha St-PierNatasha St-PierNatasha St Pier is a Canadian pop singer.-Career:Natasha St Pier released her first album, Émergence, in 1996, produced by composer/producer Steve Barakatt...
(1981-), singer - Karl Tremblay, lead singer of Les Cowboys FringantsLes Cowboys FringantsLes Cowboys Fringants are a popular band and cult phenomenon from Quebec, who perform Québécois néo-trad music , the band also draws on Country music. They have gained an international underground following, especially in France, French-speaking Belgium and Switzerland...
- Nathalie Belanger(1984-) Winner of popular Quebec teleavision show Occupation Double
- Janick Arseneau,contestant on So you Think you can Dance Canada
- Sean Couturier Sean CouturierSean Couturier is an American-born Canadian ice hockey player currently with the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League...
(1992-), National Hockey League (NHL) hockey player with The Philadelphia Flyers.
Phantom ship legend
The Bay of Chaleur is known for its phantom ship legend, which dates back more than two centuries. The story (and witnesses) claim that a sailing ship burned in the waters north of the city, possibly from the Battle of the Restigouche, and is visible in certain weather and light conditions. A drawing of a ghost wielding an anchor and menacing two sailors can be seen on the city's welcome sign.Climate
See also
See main article: Boys in Red TragedyIn the early morning hours of Saturday, January 12, 2008, a van carrying nine Bathurst High School basketball players and two teachers crashed into a transport truck on NB Route 8 near NB Route 11, claiming the lives of eight people — seven students and one teacher. They received the name "The Boys in Red" after their school colours (red & black) It was a tragedy that hit the people of Bathurst quite hard. The coach and his daughter survived the accident, along with two of the players on the team. The names of the deceased are Nathan Cleland, Justin Cormier, Daniel Hains, Javier Acevedo and Codey Branch — all 17 years old, Nickolas Quinn, aged 16, and Nicholas Kelly, aged 15. The teacher was Elizabeth Lord, 51, the wife of the coach. Survivors of the crash were Head Coach Wayne Lord, who had been driving, Kaitlyn Lord, Bradd Arseneau and Tim Daley.
The supermarket chain that owned the transport truck involved in the crash later issued a lawsuit against the driver for the damages, but dismissed the suit after public outcry.
External links
- City of Bathurst Website
- Bathurst Homepage and Search
- Map of Bathurst
- Bathurst business directory and local information