Fresh Perspectives - Saint John, Canada's First Incorporated City

Indigenous Roots

Saint John’s story stretches back thousands of years! Saint John is located on the ancestral lands of the Wolastoqiyik, Mi’kmaq, and Peskotomuhkati, and Saint John, known as Ouigoudi (Navy Island) in Wolastoqey, was an important seasonal gathering place and portage site long before European arrival. Indigenous peoples played a pivotal role in early trade, diplomacy, and alliances with French, British, and American powers who have lived here for thousands of years. You can learn more about the Indigenous Roots of Saint John on a guided walking tour with First Nations Storytellers.

But how did Saint John become the city it is today? Picture this: King George III, Britain’s King, signed a document in London. Not just any document, but a Royal Charter officially establishing Saint John as a city on May 18, 1785. This was the legal foundation for everything that followed — our government, our laws, our very existence as a city.

Do you know which city was the second to become incorporated officially? Quebec City. It is the oldest Canadian city and the second city to be chartered, but that didn’t happen until 1832. That’s a full 47-year head start for Saint John. So exciting, right? 

The First City Becomes the "City of Firsts"

After incorporation, the "City of Firsts" story continued. In 1791, Partridge Island - located in the Saint John harbour - became home to New Brunswick's first gas-powered lighthouse. In 1820, Canada's first chartered bank, the Bank of New Brunswick, opened on Prince William Street in uptown Saint John. In the latter half of the century, Robert Foulis, a Saint John resident, invented the steam fog whistle in 1854. Canada's first YWCA was established in Saint John in 1870 - and this is just the tip of the iceberg! For these and other Saint John Firsts, check out this City of Firsts blog. There's so much to discover.

A Living History Book with a Giant Heart