Kings Landing Historical Settlement
Encyclopedia
King's Landing is a recreation of a New Brunswick
town from the period of 1780-1910. It was created around buildings that were saved and moved to make way for the headpond for the Mactaquac Dam
.
It was primarily settled by Anglo-American Loyalists
from the Thirteen Colonies, who were called the United Empire Loyalists in Canada; Scottish
, Irish
and English
immigrants were early settlers as well. It is approximately 40 km west of Fredericton, New Brunswick
in the community of Prince William
.
Kings Landing Historical Settlement is a representation of rural New Brunswick during the 19th and early 20th century. It is not a replica of an actual village, but a collection of salvaged or recreated buildings from around the Mactaquac headpond and other locations around New Brunswick. With few exceptions, all the historical buildings on site have been moved and remodelled to specific years in their history. The project was originally started in the late 1960s and continues to the present day, as new buildings are being added every few years.
There are also "trades" buildings: these are the shops and businesses that the local men would have owned and operated, many of which would have required a period of apprenticeship/training for those employed there. Examples would be the Print Shop, Sash and Door Factory, Gorham's Carpenter Shop, Dennin's Blacksmith Shop, Week's Cooper Shop, etc.
Being a living museum, these buildings are kept in working order whenever possible and, in some case, artisans provide goods and services for other parts of the village and for sale in the shops. The complex has a number of barns, and appropriate livestock to go with them. This ranges from chickens and geese to large work horses and oxen. The animals are kept on site not only for show, but also for practical purposes. For example, the chickens give eggs, the cows produce milk, and the horses are used to pull wagons for the visitors from one end of the village to the other.
List of houses at Kings Landing:
and William Needham as portrayed by actors. Visitors get a taste of the controversy surrounding the formation of Canada. As with most of the activities on site, the visitors are encouraged to join in, asking questions, giving votes.
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...
town from the period of 1780-1910. It was created around buildings that were saved and moved to make way for the headpond for the Mactaquac Dam
Mactaquac Dam
The Mactaquac Dam is an embankment dam used to generate hydroelectricity in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. It dams the waters of the Saint John River and is operated by NB Power with a capacity to generate 653 megawatts of electricity from 6 turbines; this represents 20 percent of New...
.
It was primarily settled by Anglo-American Loyalists
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
from the Thirteen Colonies, who were called the United Empire Loyalists in Canada; Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and 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...
immigrants were early settlers as well. It is approximately 40 km west of Fredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton is the capital of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, by virtue of the provincial parliament which sits there. An important cultural, artistic, and educational centre for the province, Fredericton is home to two universities and cultural institutions such as the Beaverbrook Art...
in the community of Prince William
Prince William, New Brunswick
Prince William is a settlement in York County, New Brunswick....
.
Kings Landing Historical Settlement is a representation of rural New Brunswick during the 19th and early 20th century. It is not a replica of an actual village, but a collection of salvaged or recreated buildings from around the Mactaquac headpond and other locations around New Brunswick. With few exceptions, all the historical buildings on site have been moved and remodelled to specific years in their history. The project was originally started in the late 1960s and continues to the present day, as new buildings are being added every few years.
Interpretation
While the collection and preservation of artifacts is a major part of daily business, Kings Landing is first and foremost a living museum. The principle is simple: "Tell them and they'll forget. Show them and they'll remember. Involve them and they'll understand". Costumed interpreters with extensive knowledge of their area - and often more than one area - bring the site to life for the visitors. Interpretation on site ranges from simple explanations of household objects to complete demonstrations of period activities.Structures and exhibits
More than a dozen houses, all of which are original buildings, are gathered on site. In the houses, employees welcome visitors, go about daily chores, cook period meals and create period crafts, all while in costumes appropriate to the time period of their area.There are also "trades" buildings: these are the shops and businesses that the local men would have owned and operated, many of which would have required a period of apprenticeship/training for those employed there. Examples would be the Print Shop, Sash and Door Factory, Gorham's Carpenter Shop, Dennin's Blacksmith Shop, Week's Cooper Shop, etc.
Being a living museum, these buildings are kept in working order whenever possible and, in some case, artisans provide goods and services for other parts of the village and for sale in the shops. The complex has a number of barns, and appropriate livestock to go with them. This ranges from chickens and geese to large work horses and oxen. The animals are kept on site not only for show, but also for practical purposes. For example, the chickens give eggs, the cows produce milk, and the horses are used to pull wagons for the visitors from one end of the village to the other.
List of houses at Kings Landing:
- The Hagerman House (c.1880)
- The Gordon House (c.1835)
- The Joslin Farm (c.1860)
- The Jones House (c.1830)
- The Lint House (c. 1830)
- The Long House (c. 1845)
- The Heustis House (c. 1850)
- The Perley House (c. 1870)
- The Morehouse House (c. 1820)
- The Ingraham House (c. 1840)
- The Fisher House (c. 1820)
- The Donaldson House (c. 1860)
- The Killeen Cabin (c. 1830)
- The Hoyt House (c. 1833)
Special events
Every few weekends, there are what are known as Special Events. These are often recreations of specific events in New Brunswick's history. They normally correspond to a particular date, or time of the year. For example, around and on July the 1st, the Confederation Debate features Charles FisherCharles Fisher
Charles Fisher was a politician and jurist of New Brunswick, Canada. Fisher was a leading Reformer of his day who headed the first responsible government in New Brunswick from 1854 to 1861....
and William Needham as portrayed by actors. Visitors get a taste of the controversy surrounding the formation of Canada. As with most of the activities on site, the visitors are encouraged to join in, asking questions, giving votes.