In 1885, the contracting firm B. Mooney & Sons constructed a significant roundhouse at the Gibson Railway Yard for the Northern & Western Railway. Situated on the west side of Union Street in Fredericton, near Carleton Park, this roundhouse later served both the Canada Eastern and Canadian National Railway.
The former Gibson Roundhouse holds historical significance due to its original function as a roundhouse for the Northern & Western Railway at the Gibson Railway Yard. Established in 1882, this railway extended from Gibson to Chatham along the Miramichi River and linked up with the New Brunswick and Intercolonial Railways. Key figures on the Northern & Western Railway Company’s Board of Directors included Jabez B. Snowball, who would later serve as the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, and the influential industrialist Alexander “Boss” Gibson.
The construction of the Gibson Roundhouse in 1885 showcased the impact of Boss Gibson on the region. The Saint John-based contracting firm B. Mooney & Sons, known for their expertise in brick construction, was tasked with building the roundhouse. This firm had also constructed the Marysville Cotton Mill for Gibson just a year earlier. The bricks for the roundhouse were supplied from Gibson’s own brickyard, emphasizing the use of local resources. Constructed with half a million bricks, the roundhouse served as a pivotal facility for over fifty years until it was replaced by newer structures in 1937.
In a nod to its historic roots, the site of the former Gibson Roundhouse on Union Street was transformed into a new brewery by the Picaroons Brewing Company in 2015, following an agreement with the city.
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