History of Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

1697 - First settlement at Moncton, New Brunswick.

www.canadahistory.com/ timeline.asp

1701 The Acadian town of Petitcodiac is founded.
In July 1698, Blanchard and two of his sons joined Pierre Tibaudeau on the latter’s second expedition to the Chipoudy (Shepody) River. The Blanchards, sailing in their own boat, explored the Petitcodiac before returning to Port-Royal in the autumn. In the summer of 1699 they returned to the Petitcodiac and established a small settlement, known for a time as “Village des Blanchard,” probably near the present site of Hillsborough, N.B. Blanchard returned again the next year, and in 1701 he left two sons, a daughter, and her husband to spend the winter on the Petitcodiac.

Legal suits had been threatened by Claude-Sébastien de Villieu on behalf of his father-in-law, Michel Leneuf de La Vallière (the elder), resident at Beaubassin, who claimed the Chipoudy and Petitcodiac settlements as part of his seigneury. A declaration of 1703 by the Conseil d’État, repeated in 1705, confirmed the settlers in the possession of their land, but also stated that La Vallière was to have seigneurial... Read MORE...


Read more about Guillaume BLANCHARD

There were 7 families (33 people) at Shepody in 1702, and 5 families (13 people) at Petitcodiac.
By 1707, there were about 55 people (14 families and 7 engages), 12 horses, 70 cattle, and 50 sheep.
acadian.org

Settlement of the Petitcodiac and Memramcook river valleys began about 1700, gradually extending inland and reaching the site of present-day Moncton in 1733.
The first Acadian settlers in the Moncton area established a marshland farming community and chose to name their settlement Le Coude ("The Elbow"), an allusion to the 90° bend in the river near the site of the settlement.
wikipedia.org

Moncton was first settled by the Acadians and then occupied by Pennsylvania Germans in 1765

archives.gnb.ca

1766 - Moncton, New Brunswick founded

wikipedia.org

The University of Moncton, founded in 1864 as St. Joseph’s College and renamed in 1963, made Moncton the cultural centre of New Brunswick’s Acadian population.

britannica.com

1867 - July 8 - Le Moniteur Acadien first published; First French-language newspaper in the Maritimes. Moncton, New Brunswick

canadachannel.ca/ todayincanadianhistory/ index.php/ July_8

1868 - October 10 - Collège Saint-Joseph opens its doors as the first Acadian institution of higher education. Moncton, NB

canadachannel.ca/ todayincanadianhistory/ index.php/ October_10

1873
MONCTON, a post town of New Brunswick, co. of Westmorland, beautifully situated at tie bend of the Petitcodiac river, 89 miles N.E. of St. John. It is at the head of navigation of the Petitcodiac river, has a line harbor, and contains 4 churches, several hotels, a number of stores, a printing office issuing a weekly newspaper, 2 branch banks, a telegraph office, and manufactories of iron castings, steam engines, machinery, tobacco, leather, wooden ware, &c. Here are the general offices and principal workshops of the Intercolonial railway. Moncton is a port of entry The number of arrivals for 1872 was 22 (tons 1,847), and the clearances 22 (tons 1,953.) Total value of imports $80,665 ; exports $15,476. Pop. 4,810.

PETITCODIAC, a thriving post village in Westmorland co., N.B., on the Petitcodiac River, and on the I. R., 66 miles N. of St. John. It contains 2 churches, 2 saw mills, 2 stores, 2 hotels, a public hall, and a telegraph office. Pop. 400.
Lovell's gazetteer of British North America; J. Lovell; Montreal, 1873

1888 - Church of St. Bernard established in Moncton

www.gcatholic.org

Moncton was incorporated as a city in 1890.

archives.gnb.ca

1895 - Moncton
Moncton, a post-town of New Brunswick, co. of Westmoreland, at a railway junction, 89 miles N.E. of St. John. It is at the head of navigation on the Petitcodiac River, has a fine harbor, and contains 4 churches, several hotels, a number of stores, a newspaper office, 2 branch banks, and manufactories of castings, engines, machinery, tobacco, leather, wooden-ware, &c. Here are the offices and principal workshops of the Intercolonial Railway. Moncton is a port of entry. Pop. 4810.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

1898 - Moncton
In 1898 it was a port of entry, a railway, commercial and manufacturing centre, and headquarters for the Intercolonial Railway and the Moncton and Buctouche Railway with several public buildings, an opera house, 1 post office, 1 foundry and machine company, 1 cotton mill, 1 machine shop, 1 grist and flour mill, 2 planing mills including sash and door factories, 2 steam sawmills, 1 shingle mill, 1 hay press factory, 3 carriage factories, 1 barrel factory, about 100 stores, 3 hotels, 10 churches and a population of 10,000: included the community of Newton Heights located in the W end: PO Newton Heights 1922-1943: also included the community of Parkton, located 3 km NW of city centre: PO Parkton 1920-1954: also included the community of Lewisville, located 1.5 km NE of Moncton: also included the community of Lutes Mountain.
archives.gnb.ca

1906
Moncton, a city and port of entry of New Brunswick, co. of Westmoreland, 89 miles NE. of St. John, on the Intercolonial and the Moncton and Buctouche Rs. It is a the head of navigation on the Petitcodiac River, has a fine harbor, and manufacturies of lumber, stoves, wooden-ware, cotton and woollen goods, etc. Here are the principal workshops of the Intercolonial R. Pop. in 1901, 9026.
Lippincott's New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns ... in Every Portion of the Globe Publisher J.B. Lippincott Company, 1906

1920 - Église de Saint-Louis-de-France established in Moncton

www.gcatholic.org

1963 - Most of today's Acadians live in New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Nova Scotia, with some in parts of Maine and Quebec.
While there are continuing struggles against assimilation and attempts to keep the French language alive, Acadians have increasing control over their education. In 1963, the Universitie de Moncton was founded and became the largest Francophone higher educational institution outside Quebec.
www.cbc.ca/ acadian/ timeline.html

1963 - The Université de Moncton is founded.

new-brunswick.net/ new-brunswick/ facts.html

Moncton
Moncton, NB, incorporated as a city in 1890, population 71 889 (2016c), 69 074 (2011c), 64 128 (2006c), is the largest city in New Brunswick. The City of Moncton is situated in eastern New Brunswick on a bend of the Petitcodiac River. The Greater Moncton region (pop 126 424 [2006c]), area 2177.23 km2) includes the rapidly growing city of Dieppe and the town of Riverview. The city's first settlers were Acadians who settled at what they called Le Coude, or "the elbow." These Acadian settlers were rounded up for deportation in 1755. In 1766 settlers of German origin arrived from Pennsylvania and called their community The Bend. The modern name, first used in the 1860s, honours Robert Monckton, a British commander who was lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia during the time of the deportations. Today, almost one-third of the population claims French as a mother tongue; the remainder is English speaking.

History
Moncton's early prosperity was intimately linked to shipbuilding. The... Read MORE...

2023 - Whether you're a local looking for new adventures or a visitor exploring the area, there are plenty of places to go and things to do in and around Moncton. Here's a list:
Hopewell Rocks: Located about an hour's drive from Moncton, these iconic rock formations are a must-see. Witness the dramatic tidal changes and walk on the ocean floor during low tide.

Magnetic Hill: Experience the famous gravity-defying phenomenon at Magnetic Hill. Put your car in neutral and watch as it appears to roll uphill!

Magic Mountain Water Park: For a day of family fun, head to Magic Mountain Water Park. It offers water slides, wave pools, and plenty of activities to beat the summer heat.

Tidal Bore Park: Watch the impressive tidal bore along the Petitcodiac River. The waves created by the Bay of Fundy tides can be quite a spectacle.

Centennial Park: This large urban park has something for everyone. Enjoy walking trails, a boating pond, playgrounds, and even a zoo.

Moncton Museum: Learn about the history of the area at the Moncton Museum. It has fascinating exhibits on local heritage and culture.

Magnetic Hill Zoo: This family-friendly zoo houses a variety... Read MORE...