A Rich Local History
Nestled among forested hills skirting the banks of the Memramcook River at the head of the Bay of Fundy, our community is a place where Indigenous peoples have nurtured a deep connection to the land since time immemorial, where Acadians constructed miles of dyke-land, and where Canada’s Fathers of Confederation attended afternoon tea, and shipbuilders, stone masons and stevedores carved a living from the region’s rich natural resources.
The unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people
Fort Folly’s Habitat Recovery program is world renowned for its innovation and work in restoring fish and habitat
Dorchester’s original residents were the Mi’kmaq who settled along the banks of the Memramcook River for its abundance of game and fish. In the 1700s, following prolonged conflict between French and British colonial powers, treaties were signed with the Mi’kmaq people that recognize their inherent Indigenous rights. Today, Fort Folly is a leader in habitat recovery, renewable energy, and cultural teachings. A not-to-be-missed tourist attraction are the guided tours along the Fort Folly’s four kilometers of Medicine Trails that include a series of interpretation panels that educate about the medicinal uses and tremendous traditional and spiritual importance of certain native plants to the Mi’kmaq people of this region. For more about Fort Folly First Nation and their history, visit their website.
A haven for people who appreciate fine architecture and living heritage
Greater Dorchester was once a major centre of commerce, justice, a custom port of entry into New Brunswick, and is the Shiretown of Westmorland County. In the 1800s, shipbuilding was a chief means of employment along with locally quarried stone that was exported to overseas markets and cities along the northeastern coast of the United States. Today, many of the stone mansions build by the wealthy and influential people of the time are still standing and visitors can experience the architecture and lifestyles of this era through the museums and homes open to the public.
St. James Textile Museum
Consecrated in 1885, this small graceful former Presbyterian Church is now home to the Beachkirk Collection of 19th century artifacts including spinning wheels, blacksmith tools, hand-made looms from 1800s textile production and other handicrafts that facilitated daily life in the days before automobiles and shopping centres. Their expert spinners and weavers are eager not only to demonstrate these important domestic arts of days gone by, but also to guide you as you try your own hand at them.
Keillor House Museum
Built 1813-15 by Yorkshire immigrant John Keillor Esq., this Georgian stone mansion has been restored to its mid-late 19th century appearance and is open to visitors from June to September. The museum houses an important collection of period furniture, antique china, kitchen-utensils and other artifacts, as well as the Graydon Milton Library and Genealogy Centre. The adjacent ‘coach house’ is host to the Dorchester Penitentiary Collection, Canada’s first prison museum, as well as a small collection of nineteenth century carriages, household items and farm implements. Take a journey into a colourful corner of New Brunswick’s past—and a world otherwise lost to us.
Chandler House
Now known as the Rocklyn Inn and privately owned, this Classical Revival mansion overlooking the village square was built in 1831 by Edward Barron Chandler, Father of Confederation, Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, and one of the most prominent men behind the development of the province’s railways. It is a designated national historic site.
Lady Smith Manor
Built in 1842, this beautiful Georgian mansion has a long and rich history for its association with the colourful Sir Albert James Smith, lawyer, politician, ship owner and businessman, elected Premier in 1865 and was federal minister of Marine and Fisheries under Alexander MacKenzie. Smith became the first person in NB to be knighted by the Queen, despite his almost singlehandedly delaying Confederation by 2 years. His much younger wife, Lady Smith, an eccentric, frugal woman, hoarded her family’s fortunes and left several million dollars to Mount Allison University, making it the wealthiest university in Canada at the time. Now privately owned, the Lady Smith Manor has been beautifully restored and serves as a high-end wedding and event centre.
Bell Inn
According to local legend, fur-hungry freebooters from the New England colonies built the core of the building, perhaps as early as the 1690s, to serve as a central point from which to carry on their illicit trade with the Miq’mac and Acadians. While this has never actually been proven, it is well documented that the Bell Inn served as a stage coach stop for weary travelers as early as 1811 and is believed to be the oldest stone building in the province. In recent years, it housed the Bell Inn Restaurant, listed in Where to Eat in Canada, and currently houses the Peep and Keep Ecotique which sells locally made gifts and artwork.
Payzant and Card Building
When the ‘Weldon Hotel’ was built about 1838 it was considered one of the finest in the Maritimes where stage coaches stopped for meals and a change of horses. After the arrival of the “iron horse” in 1868, it was extensively remodelled by partners Payzant and Card into a general store that flourished until the 1970s. Since then, it has been home to the Dorchester Memorial Library and several apartment units..
A wonder of nature
Fundy Biosphere
Overlooking the tidal Memramcook River and Shepody Bay, our community offers some of the most breathtaking scenery in the Maritimes. As part of the Fundy-Biosphere reserve, our eco-system is protected and serves as a living laboratory for terrestrial and coastal ecosystems.
Johnson's Mills Shorebird Interpretive Centre
Just minutes from the Village Square is an internationally renowned Nature Conservatory Centre and birder’s paradise. Every year from July to September, the beaches of Johnson’s Mills become the stage for one of nature’s most fascinating spectacles as more than 80% of the world’s Semi-palmated Sandpipers flock to its shores on their journey from the Canadian Arctic to South America. Groups of up to 125,000 of these tiny birds perform breathtaking aerial displays that attract visitors from around the globe.
Trails, Dykes & Beaches for Hiking & Biking
Trails and Dykes
Acadian settlers built dykes along the Memramcook River in the 1700s that remain intact today and are favourite trails for hiking and biking with breathtaking views of the salt marshes and mudflats that provide shelter, food and nursery grounds for many coastal fisheries species.
Beach walks and bonfires
Strolls along the beach and bonfires are a favourite pastime of locals and visitors alike. Kayak along the coastline or stop to explore the rock formations and stone that makes this region so unique!