Located in the northwestern region of New Brunswick, Florenceville-Bristol sits along the banks of the Saint John River in Carleton County.
Florenceville was originally called Buttermilk Creek, and later renamed in 1855 to Florenceville, in honor of the renowned Crimean War nurse, Florence Nightingale.
The village’s first post office and commercial district were situated on the west side of the Saint John River in Florenceville. Over time, East Florenceville, formerly known as Buckwheat Flats, evolved into the commercial hub, housing five grocery stores and multiple small businesses.
Approximately 5 kilometers north of Florenceville-Bristol is the former village of Bristol, also situated on the Saint John River in Carleton County. Bristol today was once the site of a battle between Micmac and Maliseet tribes. Originally named Shiktehawk, which translates from Maliseet as “where he killed him”, the name was changed due to pronunciation difficulties encountered by railway officials during the construction of the New Brunswick Railway.
Strategically located at the confluence of the Big Shiktehawk and Little Shiktehawk Streams and the Saint John River, Bristol was an essential stopping point for Native tribes. They used to canoe up the Big Shiktehawk Stream to Divide, portage a short distance, and then navigate the Miramichi River to reach New Brunswick’s eastern coast.
Florenceville and Bristol were consolidated into the Town of Florenceville-Bristol on July 1, 2008.
Florenceville-Bristol is the home base for McCain Foods, the world’s largest producer of French fries. The company also manages the Florenceville Airport, which has a single paved runway situated among agricultural fields on the river’s west side.
In addition, the town hosts the H.J. Crabbe & Sons Lumber Mill, a longstanding family enterprise known for its high-quality softwood lumber derived primarily from Balsam Fir and White Spruce.
Florenceville-Bristol is nestled within the Appalachian Mountain Range, specifically in the Saint John River Valley, with rolling mountains peaking at 300–400 meters flanking the town.
The town features a free public art gallery, the Andrew and Laura McCain Library And Gallery, a non-profit community-supported entity that hosts about nine exhibitions annually. These exhibitions range from pieces loaned from the National Gallery of Canada to works by local school children.
Further enriching the cultural landscape of Florenceville-Bristol are the New Brunswick Potato Museum (Potato World) and the Shogomoc Historical Railway Site. The latter site is home to a restored CPR train station and three CPR cars. Additionally, the Hunter Brothers Farm Market and Corn Maze are notable attractions.
Effective January 1st 2023, The Town of Florenceville-Bristol, The Village of Bath, The Village of Centreville and surrounding LSD areas merged to form the District of Carleton North.
Click on a thumbnail to see more pictures.
This post has already been read 5279 times!
