Tantramar is a town in the

Canadian province Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North ...

of New Brunswick. It was formed through the

2023 New Brunswick local governance reform Local governance reform in the Canadian province of New Brunswick in was implemented on January 1, 2023. This resulted in a significant reorganization of the municipal entities in the province, including a reduction in the number of entities fro ...

History

Tantramar was incorporated on January 1, 2023 via the amalgamation of the former town of Sackville and the former village of Dorchester as well as the concurrent annexation of adjacent unincorporated areas. The name ''Tantramar'' is derived from the

Acadian The Acadians (french: Acadiens , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Most Acadians live in the region of Acadia, as it is the region where the de ...

French ''tintamarre'', meaning 'din' or 'racket', a reference to the noisy flocks of birds which feed there in the marshes.

Geography

Tantramar is on the Isthmus of Chignecto, which connects the

Nova Scotia peninsula The Nova Scotia peninsula is a peninsula on the Atlantic coast of North America. Location The Nova Scotia peninsula is part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada and is connected to the neighbouring province of New Brunswick through the Isth ...

with

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

. It is on the Tantramar River, which empties into Chignecto Bay, a sub-basin of the

Bay of Fundy The Bay of Fundy (french: Baie de Fundy) is a bay between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine. It is an arm of the Gulf of Maine. Its extremely high tidal range is the hi ...

. Tantramar is at a low elevation above sea level. Prominent ridges rise above the marshes, namely the Fort Lawrence Ridge, the Aulac Ridge, the Sackville Ridge, and the Memramcook Ridge. Tantramar is surrounded by the

Tantramar Marshes The Tantramar Marshes, also known as the Tintamarre National Wildlife Area, is a tidal saltmarsh around the Bay of Fundy on the Isthmus of Chignecto. The area borders between Route 940, Route 16 and Route 2 near Sackville, New Brunswick. The g ...

, once a tidal saltmarsh. The marshes are an important stopover for

migrating birds Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Migration carries high costs in predation and mortality, including from hunting by ...

. The marsh soil consists of silts deposited by centuries of tidal flooding. Drainage is poor and there are slow-moving meandering rivers, shallow lakes,

bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...

s, and

intertidal zone The intertidal zone, also known as the foreshore, is the area above water level at low tide and underwater at high tide (in other words, the area within the tidal range). This area can include several types of habitats with various species o ...

Infrastructure

The earliest post road followed the route of the present day High Marsh Road. The Trans-Canada Highway (as it is now known) ran straight through the town until a bypass was built in 1962. The provincial border at the

Missaguash River The Missaguash River (French: Rivière Missaguash) is a small Canadian river that forms the southern portion of the inter-provincial boundary between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick on the Isthmus of Chignecto. It had historic significance in the 18t ...

bridge is the dividing line between Nova Scotia Highway 104-

Nova Scotia Trunk 2 Trunk 2 is part of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia's system of Trunk Highways. The route runs from Halifax to Fort Lawrence on the New Brunswick border. Until the 1960s, Trunk 2 was the Halifax area's most important highway link to other p ...

and

New Brunswick Highway 2 Route 2 is a major provincial highway in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, carrying the main route of the Trans-Canada Highway in the province. The highway connects with Autoroute 85 at the border with Quebec and Highway 104 at the border ...

. This highway forms one of the two main surface transportation links between the two provinces. The Mount Whatley Road runs between

Mt. Whatley, New Brunswick Mount Whatley is a community in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, located in Westmorland County on New Brunswick Highway 16. Mount Whatley is situated upon the Aulac Ridge, a prominent rise running west–east across the Tantramar Marshes ...

and

Fort Lawrence, Nova Scotia Fort Lawrence is a Canadian rural community located on the Isthmus of Chignecto in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, which is named after Fort Lawrence. Situated 1 km east of the Missaguash River which forms the inter-provincial boundary with ...

CN Rail The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I railroad, Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern United States, M ...

's mainline between Halifax and Montreal runs through Tantramar, parallel to the Trans-Canada Highway. The

Sackville railway station The Sackville station is an inter-city railway station in Sackville, New Brunswick. It is operated by Via Rail. The station was staffed until October 2012. The building is now closed, though Via Rail passenger trains continue to stop at the stat ...

, still in active use with Via Rail, is designated a national historic place. The

Sackville Memorial Hospital Sackville Memorial Hospital is a Canadian hospital located in the town of Sackville, New Brunswick. It is operated by Horizon Health Network Horizon Health Network is one of two health authorities in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, the ...

serves the region, as well as the Community Health Centre which houses several physicians, an optometrist, a dentist, and a pharmacy. It is one of the few that are not government-run. The Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre, a recreational facility and arena, opened in 2003. The arena can seat over 750 spectators and is the home rink for the

Mount Allison University Mount Allison University (also Mount A or MtA) is a Canadian primarily undergraduate liberal arts university located in Sackville, New Brunswick, founded in 1839. Like other liberal arts colleges in North America, Mount Allison does not parti ...

women's hockey team.

Economy

One of the main employers are a

Moneris Solutions Moneris (formerly "Moneris Solutions") is Canada's largest financial technology company that specializes in payment processing. Moneris was established in December 2000 as a joint venture between the Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal. Th ...

call centre,

Russel Metals Russel Metals Inc. is a Canadian metals distribution and processing company. It is one of North America's largest metal distribution companies, with operations across Canada and the United States. History The company was originally established ...

, Sackville Memorial Hospital, and

. Another main employer today is the Correctional Service of Canada, which operates a prison complex now comprising the medium-security (once maximum-security)

Dorchester Penitentiary The Dorchester Penitentiary ( French: Pénitencier de Dorchester) is a Canadian federal corrections facility located in the village of Dorchester, New Brunswick. It shares a property with Westmorland Institution and Shepody Healing Centre. ...

, and the minimum-security Westmorland Institution. Many residents commute to work in the nearby towns of

Amherst Amherst may refer to: People * Amherst (surname), including a list of people with the name * Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies, a title in the British Peerage; formerly ''Baron Amherst'' * Baron Amherst of Hackney of the City of London, ...

or the cities of

Moncton Moncton (; ) is the most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of New Brunswick. Situated in the Petitcodiac River Valley, Moncton lies at the geographic centre of the The Maritimes, Maritime Provinces. The ...

and Dieppe. A recent influx of residents is creating a new demand for Tantramar. Tourism is centred on the historic and natural features of the area. One of Tantramar's most historic buildings houses the

Keillor House Museum Keillor is a surname of Scottish origin. It is thought to derive from the Scottish Gaelic word "gu leòr" (modern English, “galore”) meaning "sufficient," "enough" or "plenty." Origin and variants Keillor is a habitational name derived fro ...

. The annual shorebird migration to the mud flats of nearby Johnson's Mills is celebrated by an oversize model of a semi-palmated sandpiper situated in Dorchester square. Another tourist attraction is the conversion of the Dorchester Jail to a successful bed and breakfast where you can spend a night in a real jail cell. Opened in 2017, it’s one of the Maritimes highest rated adventure Airbnb’s listed. It’s the sight of the last double hanging in New Brunswick, where the Bannister brothers were hanged and buried at the jail.

Arts and culture

* The oldest university art gallery in Canada, the

Owens Art Gallery Mount Allison University (also Mount A or MtA) is a Canadian primarily undergraduate liberal arts university located in Sackville, New Brunswick, founded in 1839. Like other liberal arts colleges in North America, Mount Allison does not parti ...

, which opened in 1895, has a permanent collection of over 4000 works. * Live Bait Theatre provides theatre and other live performances like dinner theatre, comedy and live music. * In 2008 the town was given a Government of Canada grant the 300th anniversary of its founding and to mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of its first museum. * The Sackville Arts Wall celebrates the achievements of Tantramar artists who have made significant contributions to the fields of Literary Arts, Performing Arts, and Visual Arts, as well as Arts Builders who have supported artistic development within the community. Sackville Arts Wall inductees include

Alex Colville David Alexander Colville, LL. D. (24 August 1920 – 16 July 2013) was a painter and printmaker who continues to achieve both popular and critical success. Early life and war artist Born in 1920 in Toronto, Ontario, Colville moved with his ...

Charles G. D. Roberts Sir Charles George Douglas Roberts (January 10, 1860 – November 26, 1943) was a Canadian poet and prose writer. He was one of the first Canadian authors to be internationally known. He published various works on Canadian exploration and na ...

, Pauline Spatz, Ray Legere, Arthur John Motyer, Douglas Lochhead, Ivan and Vivian Hicks, Sharon MacIntyre, Glenn Adams,

K. V. Johansen K.V. Johansen (born 1968) is a Canadian fantasy, science fiction, and children's author. Krista Victoria Johansen was born in Kingston, Ontario. She holds Master's degrees in Medieval Studies and English literature. She lives in Sackville, Ne ...

, Pauline Harborne, Alex Fancy, Ian Hanomansing, Julie Doiron, Mary Connelly,

Thaddeus Holownia Thaddeus Holownia (born July 2, 1949) is a British-born Canadian artist and professor. He taught photography at Mount Allison University and served as the head of the Fine Arts Department, retiring in 2018. Career Born in England, the family o ...

, Ernie Sears, Delanor R. Wheaton, and Janet Hammock. * Struts Gallery, is an artist-run-centre established in 1980 dedicated to presenting contemporary art to the public through artist residencies, screenings, and performances. * SappyFest is an annual independent arts and music festival held in Tantramar, New Brunswick, Canada, launched in 2006. SappyFest was started by Paul Henderson, Jon Claytor, and musician Julie Doiron as an extension of

Sappy Records Sappy Records is an independent record label based in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada, started by Julie Doiron in 1990 in order to release her own cassette. The first 7" vinyl release was " Julie and the Porthole to Dimentia" in 1993, which feat ...

Landmarks

Sackville_United_Church,_Sackville,_New_Brunswick,_2014

A 50m-long covered bridge, built in 1916, which spans the Tantramar River on the High Marsh Road. *Cranewood: a

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

house constructed of local red sandstone in about 1836 by William Crane. It was bought by

Josiah Wood Josiah Wood (18 April 1843 – 13 May 1927) was a Canadian lawyer, entrepreneur, mayor, parliamentarian, and the 13th Lieutenant Governor of the province of New Brunswick. He was born in Sackville, New Brunswick in 1843. Personal life ...

in 1867, and remained in the Wood family until 1966. From 1966 to 1975 the house belonged to Dr. W.S.H. Crawford, until it was purchased by

for use as the official residence of the president. In 2013 the Cranewood building was converted into a bakery. *The Swan Pond, also known as Lily Pond is located in Ladies' College Park on the campus of

. The pond was excavated in 1901 and a fountain designed by artist John Hammond was added in 1904. The last pair of swans to live in the Swan Pond died in 2015. *Campbell Carriage Factory: Tantramar's first museum, the Carriage Factory was operated by the Campbell family for over 100 years, closing its doors in the 1950s. *

Captain George Anderson House The Captain George Anderson House, also called the Octagonal House, is an octagon house now located in Sackville, New Brunswick. It was built in 1855 by Captain George Anderson, a mariner and shipbuilder. It was later deeded to his father, Capt ...

, an octagon house built in 1855. * The Boultenhouse Heritage Centre, built by prolific shipbuilder Christopher Boultenhouse in 1840, built onto the front of the Bulmer House, which is believed to be Tantramar's oldest house built in 1790. It houses wallpaper that is original to the house, imported from Paris, and believed to be one of only 3 or 4 examples of this type of wallpaper remaining intact in North America. * The Sackville Harness Shop was founded in 1919 and made custom hand-crafted leather items, specializing in harnesses and straw collars for draught horses. The building, an example of

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

architecture, was constructed c. 1846 and is one of the Town's earliest commercial properties. The business closed in 2021. *The Vogue Cinema: an Art Deco style building built in 1946. *The Cube is the tallest building in Tantramar. Standing at 44-metre high, it's a featureless white cube-shaped structure which is an enormous automated blueberry and cranberry freezer. Aside from its main use, beginning in 2021, it is also used as a public screen for video art and music videos during SappyFest.

Education

Public schooling, run by Anglophone East School District, includes a pre-school, the Salem Elementary School, Marshview Middle School, and Tantramar Regional High School. Tantramar is also home to

Media

Newspapers/Periodicals

* The Argosy is the student journal produced by students of Mount Allison University. Established in 1875. it is one of the oldest official student publications in the country.

Radio

CBAM-FM-1 CBAM-FM is a radio station broadcasting at 106.1 MHz from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, and is the local Radio One station of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. CBAM broadcasts with a power of 69,500 watts. History The Canadian Rad ...

/105.7 is a repeater of CBAM-FM at Moncton. * CHMA-FM/106.9, known as "The Voice of the Marshes", provides open format and specialty music shows, spoken word programs on a variety of topics as well as audio art programming. *From 1944 to 2014, Tantramar was home to

CKCX CKCX was the callsign used for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's shortwave transmitter complex near Sackville, New Brunswick at the Tantramar Marshes. The Sackville Relay Station was operated by Radio Canada International and broadcast it ...

, the high-power shortwave transmitter site shared by Radio Canada International and the CBC northern shortwave service.

Notable people

William Henry Snyder Nickerson Major-General William Henry Snyder Nickerson, (27 March 1875, Dorchester, New Brunswick – 1954), was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awar ...

- Tantramar born winner of the Victoria Cross for actions performed during the Second Boer War. * John F. Hickman - Canadian soldier, victim of the 1919

Kinmel Park riots On 4 and 5 March 1919 Kinmel Park in Bodelwyddan, near Abergele, North Wales, experienced two days of riots in the Canadian sector of the local military complex, Kinmel Camp. The riots are believed to have been caused by delays in repatriation a ...

in Wales after World War I. His parents lived in Dorchester and he is buried at Dorchester Rural Cemetery.
CWGC Casualty record. *

Edward Barron Chandler Edward Barron Chandler (August 22, 1800 – February 6, 1880) was a New Brunswick politician and lawyer from a United Empire Loyalist family. He was one of the Fathers of Confederation. Chandler was born in Amherst, Nova Scotia and moved to ...

- Father of Confederation. His family home, Chandler House, commonly referred to as Rocklynn, was later inhabited by the Teed Family. * John Francis Teed - architect, lawyer and Master Builder, a "third-generation Loyalist howas one of Dorchester, New Brunswick's most celebrated master builders. Teed's reputation was sealed with the construction of

'
Centennial College Hall
(1884) and

(1895). In 1895, he supervised the expansion of St. Francis Xavier University'
Xavier Hall
with the addition of a new two-storey west wing. " He is an ancestor of the Teeds of Saint John. *

Douglas How Douglas George How (1919–2001) was a Canadian journalist, magazine editor, and author. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba but after his father's death the family returned to Dorchester, New Brunswick where his mother was born and where Dougl ...

(1919–2001) - journalist, magazine editor, and author. * Sir Pierre-Amand Landry (1846–1916) - Acadian lawyer, judge and political figure. * Sir

Albert James Smith Sir Albert James Smith (March 12, 1822 – June 30, 1883) was a New Brunswick politician and opponent of Canadian confederation. Smith's grandfather was a United Empire Loyalist who left Massachusetts to settle in New Brunswick after the Am ...

(1822–1883) - politician and opponent of Canadian confederation. *

Forbes Kennedy Forbes Taylor Kennedy (born August 18, 1935) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 603 games National Hockey League (NHL) with five teams between 1956 and 1969, recording 70 goals and 108 assists for 178 points and 888 p ...

(1935-) - Hockey player who last played for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

References

2023 establishments in New Brunswick 2023 New Brunswick local governance reform Communities in Westmorland County, New Brunswick Populated places established in 2023 Towns in New Brunswick {{NewBrunswick-geo-stub