For the second blog assignment, we were supposed to team up with another MTC-W contestant and exchange write-ups on the cities that we live in. This is what Sandra Sewell sent me about the city she lives in :). You can find what I wrote about St. Catharines posted on her blog!
Town Profile
St. Stephen is conveniently located with access to major cites in Atlantic Canada and the Eastern United States. It is service center of southern Ne
w Brunswick with many financial institutions, automotive dealers, and retail shops. It is also a hub for the many forest 
related businesses of Charlotte County.
The largest employers, Ganong Bros. Ltd. and Flake board Co. Ltd. have a successful history and have been joined more recently by various other enterprises.
The fully serviced industrial park is an asset and an invitation to new business.
As a community, St. Stephen has much to offer: excellent modern elementary, middle and high schools; a wide variety of places to worship; all major service clubs; an active recreation department; fun-filled summer celebrations like Chocolate Fest and International Festival.
The town has quiet tree-lined residential streets, beautiful historic homes and new subdivisions; a shopping mall and a bustling downtown core; small parks and playgrounds and friendly, caring people. It also has a long, proud history of international co-operation and friendship with its "across the bridge" neighbor, Calais, Maine, U.S.A. St.Stephen has approximately 5000 residents currently living within the town limits.
History 
St. Stephen is situated on the International Boundary between New Brunswick, Canada and Maine, U.S.A.. The lower part of this boundary is the St. Croix River, a Canadian Heritage River, which has been steeped in history since the French explorers, Champlain and DeMons, first ventured on St. Croix Island (sometimes called Dochets Island ) in 1604.
One hundred and eighty years later, in 1784, the United Empire Loyalists arrived following the American War of Independence. They joined the few original settlers in the area.
The area grew both economically and culturally, and by 1800, St. Stephen was perhaps the most important regional port for shipments of timber and lumber overseas. Both sides of the St. Croix River became studded with numerous shipyards and 
wharves, as a "Golden Era" began. The many docks were crowded with Tall Ships loaded with lumber bound for Europe.
The two communities share lives as "border towns" in a most neighborly fashion. In fact, in 1812 the people of St. Stephen loaned Calais sufficient gunpowder to celebrate the 4th of July while both countries were technically at war.
St. Stephen was incorporated as a town in 1871, then five years later its business district was almost totally consumed by fire when eighty buildings and thirteen wharves were destroyed.
By the turn of the century, lumbering and shipbuilding had all but disappeared from the area. The perseverance of its people and diversification of its economic base helped the town survive. The same enterprise and dedication continues today as St. Stephen begins the 21st century.
Charlotte County has unique aspects to its history and our Museum offers visitors the opportunity to view glimpses of life from the late 18th century onward.
The museum exhibits reflect the immigration of early settlers - the Loyalists, the Scots, and the Irish and illustrates their ties with the American North East.
The Museum Building
James Simpson Murchie (1813-1900) constructed the building as his family residence in 1864. He was a prominent lumberman who owned vast timber tracts... He helped to establish local industries and transportation facilities, and was a well-respected public figure.
The house, built in the Second Empire style, has a mansard roof, quoin corners of wood resembling stone, and a porch of the classic Ionic style.
Of particular interest is the handsome staircase gracing the interior, the carved moldings and plaster work in the ceilings, the marble fireplaces and the Italianate style window on the third floor. The building, given to the Town of Milltown by one of James Murchie's daughters in 1928, was used as a Town Hall for 45 years. It was restored by the Charlotte County Historical Society Inc., and opened as a Museum in 1980.
Tides
The Bay of Fundy, home of the highest tides in the world, is often referred to as "one of the marine wonders of the world". The tides in the St. Stephen area are so high because the St. Croix River is much narrower than other places along the coast; therefore the water is pushed into a smaller space while remaining at the same volume causing higher tides. Seeing is believing with this spectacle!
Twice daily one hundred billion tons of swirling rolling sea water rolls along the magnificent shore lines of eastern Canada's Atlantic Provinces, causing water levels to rise to heights of 14-16 meters, 48+ feet. In turn, this turbulent water forces its way up the St. Croix River and drastically affects the water level in the river - causing the levels to rise and fall eight meters - 25 feet!
The initial cause of this tidal phenomenon is the pull attraction on the worlds' oceans by the moon, sun, planets and stars. They exert their gravitational pull most in relatively narrow bands around the earth at about 45 degrees north and south latitude. This is because those are the areas tipped closest and furthest away from these celestial bodies. Although the gravitational pull on the earth by these bodies and particularly when the moon is strong, it is not enough to actually lift water but it can greatly influence its direction of the flow, thus creating ocean tides.
Along the coast of New Brunswick, ocean tides account for a general rise and fall from one to two metros - three to seven feet! Sometimes this figure can be higher if there is a celestial alignment which would combine the gravitational influence of these bodies on our planet. However, for the Bay of Fundy region, there are TWO important factors - Geographical Shape and Tidal Resonance which change these two metro (seven foot) tides to the world record of breaking 16 metros - 48 feet and above variety.
The pull of the ocean by the sun, moon, and planets at the narrow mouth of the Bay of Fundy creates a wave of water that continues to double up on itself as it rolls up the funnel shaped coast line and then falls back. This entire journey takes about 13 hours by which time the moon is ready for another pull. The timing of this pull cycle creates a rhythmic rocking or "sloshing effect" to the water in the Bay which amplifies the tides to such incredible heights. It has been estimated that there may be as many as 200 different factors that may influence the timing and heights of these tides!
Tide Schedules are available for: Saint John N.B. -- Tides at most Bay of Fundy locations are within 30 minutes of Saint John so subtract 30 minutes from these tide schedules for St. Stephen.
Fast Facts on St. Croix River Tides
Samples of Architecture
Todd Mansion
|
Built 1890 - 1895 for William F. Todd and his wife Ethel (Bolton). William F. Todd later became Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, from 1923 to 1928. An architect was engaged from Boston and one of the carpenters came from Carolina. Local tradesmen who worked on the house included: Ninian Hannah and Son (architect and builder); Christie and Polley (stone masons); Arthur Polley (brick mason); Smithson Robinson (painter and glazer); and William Donovan (plumber). The carpenters worked for two years on the wood work which was made of southern cypress with oak and black walnut. The entire third floor was used as a ballroom and the Lieutenant Governor's flag flew from the right corner window.
The carriage house contained elaborate brass stalls for the horses which were transferred to the estate after a fire at their farm at Todd's Point.
|
Todd Mansion (early 20th century)
|
|
International Homecoming Festival..."Celebrating As One"
International Festival began in 1974 as a three day event. It has now grown to a ten day event, bringing home friends and family - hence the name International "Homecoming" Festival. The two communities of St. Stephen, N.B. and Calais, ME become one, hosting and attending events on both sides of the border. Without the international participation of businesses, organizations, media and volunteers, these events would not be possible.
We WELCOME friends, old and new, to join us in celebrating our years of friendship.
Come on out and enjoy the festivities and share our "HOMETOWN" Festival Dates
International Homecoming Festival 2009: Friday, July 31st - Sunday, August 9th
spirit!
St. Stephen Calais Maine
|
CHOCOLATE FEST 2009 AUGUST 2 - 8
Welcome to the 25th ANNIVERSARY YEAR of CHOCOLATE FEST!! Featured in many magazine articles, newspapers and on The Food Network, CHOCOLATE FEST is a delight to the young and young at heart. You are ALWAYS the perfect age to enjoy the smooth taste of chocolate!
Join us as we welcome new and returning friends to our friendly town of St. Stephen New Brunswick, on the banks of the beautiful St. Croix River. Help us celebrate our community and our heritage. Pull up a chair and dine with friends at one of our luncheons or teas. Or, if you prefer, we have 2 wonderful dinners planned with chocolate themed desert buffets! Bing your lawn chair to the Town Square, tap your toes to the free musical concert as you savor an ice cream sundae. Try your hand at dipping candy and nut centre’s into warm chocolate (licking your fingers AFTER is a must!) How well do you know your ice cream? Enter our Taste-Test contest and find out! At Chocolate Mania there will be many activities for the whole family, including a chocolate pudding eating contest. Be sure to have your camera on hand to capture that great shot with our festival mascots--The Great Chocolate Mousse and his lovely wife Tiffany. With many events and chocolate themed merchandise for sale, this is one chocolate festival that you will not want to miss!
For our third, and final blog assignment, we were to look through the photos on the Free the Children website, and select one photo that we felt portrayed the most powerful message. If I were the Marketing Director for Free the Children, I would choose the photo above to expand into a poster for global distribution. It was the first photo I looked at and I knew right away that it would be the one I would choose. It shows the young students working diligently in a classroom, all of them are focused and driven. I feel that this would send a powerful message to the public because a lot of youth who are not living in poverty take their education for granted. We all need to realize how blessed we are and how many opportunities we have. Free the Children made it possible for these children to have a better education, and to have the opportunities that we take for granted everyday.
Latest Comments