Campbellton, New Brunswick

Campbellton (2006 population 7,384) is a Canadian city in Restigouche County, New Brunswick.

Situated on the south bank of the Restigouche River opposite Pointe-à-la-Croix, Quebec, Campbellton was officially incorporated in 1889 and achieved city status in 1958.

Forestry and tourism are major industries in the regional economy. A pulp mill in nearby Atholville is the largest employer in the area, while wealthy sport fishermen seeking Atlantic Salmon flock to the scenic Restigouche Valley every summer. The region sees extensive snow falls every winter and alpine and Nordic ski facilities at Sugarloaf Provincial Park provide winter recreation opportunities for visitors and local residents.

Campbellton is a retail and service centre for Restigouche County and the Gaspé Peninsula.

Events

Annual special events include Promotion Plus, in the winter as well as the Salmon Festivalin late June. Other efforts to increase tourism include an 8.5 metre (27.88 ft) salmon statue made of stainless steel. Restigouche Sam, as the statue was christened, was donated to the city to honour Campbellton's historical connection to the salmon rich Restigouche River. Several murals have also been created to beautify the city.

Geography

Campbellton is 20 km upstream (west) from the mouth of the Bay des Chaleurs Dalhousie and approximately 100 km northwest of Bathurst. The city is approximately 160 km northeast of St. Leonard in the Saint John River valley and approximately the same distance from Mont Joli, Quebec in the St. Lawrence River valley.

History

The area around the site of the present city was settled by non-First Nations people circa 1700 with a non-permanent trading post based on fishing and fur trading with the Mi'gmaq.

It was here that the Battle of the Restigouche, the final naval battle between the English and French for the possession of North America, was waged in 1760, marking a turning point for the settlement.

In 1910 a disastrous fire sparked by a sawmill on the waterfront destroyed a large portion of the town. It was subsequently rebuilt and many of the city's historic buildings are constructed of brick in the months and years following the fire.

Demographics

Racial Profile

• 60% White
• 25% Aboriginal
• 15% other

Educational institutions

Campbellton is home to two high schools: one catering to the francophone (Polyvalente Roland-Pépin) community and the other to anglophones (Sugarloaf Senior High School). The other grade schools are Lord Beaverbrook and Campbellton Middle School for the English, while École Apollo XI accommodates the young french students.

The New Brunswick Community College has a campus in Campbellton which provides instruction in various trades, including wood-working and office administration.

References

External links

• The NB Lighthouses Website
• Campbellton website