Meductic is a quaint village situated along the Saint John River, roughly 33 kilometers southeast of Woodstock. The Meductic Indian Village / Fort Meductic was declared a national historic site of Canada in 1924 because it was the primary settlement of the Maliseet First Nation from before the 17th century until the mid-18th century. Additionally, it was an essential fur trading hub when the Maliseet came under the influence of the Acadians.

The Maliseet First Nation founded the fortified village of Meductic on a plateau on the Saint John River’s bank, west of the Eel River. Each spring, the surrounding lowlands filled with water, creating fertile land for crops. Before the 17th century, the nomadic Maliseet would visit the site in the spring to plant corn and return later in the year for the harvest. The French settlers in the region allied with the Iroquois, Maliseet, and Penobscot in their fight for control of this valuable territory, while the English sided with the Mohawk. To defend against the Mohawk and secure their claim, the Maliseet built a fort on the plateau.

By the late 17th century, Meductic had a Jesuit mission and was integrated into a French seigneury. The mission altered Meductic’s landscape, and by 1760, the Maliseet had abandoned the village to settle in other communities. The site was then intermittently used as an Aboriginal camp until 1841. Subsequently, it became part of a farm owned by the Hay family throughout the late 19th century. In 1968, the construction of the Mactaquac dam led to the flooding of much of the Saint John River valley, including the entire Meductic site.

Meductic is a National Historic Site of Canada. A Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque and cairn marking the site is located nearby on Fort Meductic Road. 

This was the original monument. Photo from an old newspaper clipping. 

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