St. Stephen

Tiny St. Stephen is known for two things; its close ties to Calais (Maine) directly across the river and its history as "Canada's Chocolate Town". Ganong has made candy locally since 1873; the company is now operated by the fourth generation of the family.
Residents of St. Stephen and Calais often regard their community as one place, cooperating in their fire departments and other community projects. As evidence of the longtime friendship between the towns, during the War of 1812, the British military provided St. Stephen with a large supply of gunpowder for protection against the enemy Americans in Calais, but the town elders gave the gunpowder to Calais for its Fourth of July celebrations. For much of their history, both towns' fire departments have responded in tandem to any fire call on either side of the border.

History

The Passamaquoddy Aboriginal people were the first to make their home along the St. Croix River. They dispersed and hunted inland in the winter; in the summer, they gathered more closely together on the coast and islands, and primarily harvested seafood, including porpoise. In 1604, French explorer Samuel de Champlain and his men spent a winter here. The Passamaquoddy were forced off their original lands repeatedly by European settlers since that time.
St. Stephen was incorporated as a town in 1871.
Prior to World War II, St. Stephen’s local economy was heavily based in the lumber and ship building industry. At the end of the 18th century, there were at least 100 dry docks and slips along the river, shared by the cities of Calais and St. Stephen. Lumbering companies were located along both the Canadian and American sides of the river. By the early 1900s, 200 ships had been built in the St. Croix waters. However, by the end of World War II the town's main employers were Ganong Bros. Limited, Canada's oldest candy company, established 1873; and the St. Croix Cotton Mill, Canada's second largest textile mill, with 20,000 spindles, which opened its doors in June 1882 and operated its own hydro-electric generating station, the Milltown Dam. Electricity generated by the Milltown Dam is exported to the United States, connected to a transmission circuit. In 1957, the textile mill closed, and it was demolished in 1972. At one time, the St. Croix Cotton Mill employed as many as 1200 people at peak periods. Ganong remains a key employer.

Climate

The climate is temperate but greatly affected by the size of the Bay of Fundy. The bay is a cool body of water which acts as an air conditioner in the summer and diverts major snow storms in the winter. The bay never freezes. The average summer temperature is 22 °C with the average winter temperature being -3.9 °C.

St. Stephen is served by NB Route 1 and Route 170.
US Route 1 serves Calais, directly across the St. Croix River in the United States of America.

• Friendly Cab

  phone: +1 506 466-5500

• The Chocolate Museum

  phone: +1 506 466-7848
  address: 73 Milltown Blvd
  Learn about candy making with hands-on exhibits, vintage chocolate boxes, antique candy-making equipment and machines in what used to be the original Ganong factory. Chocolatiers make the candy by hand as they have for over 100 years.

Events

• Chocolate Fest

  phone: +1 506 465-5616
  address: 9 Mark St (office)
  Every August since 1985, the town has played host to the week-long Chocolate Fest.

• International FestivalA week-long festival in early August co-hosted with the neighbouring town of Calais, Maine. There's an concerts, an international parade, and a soap box derby.

• Ganong Chocolatier

  phone: +1 506 465-5611
  address: 73 Milltown Blvd
  An old-style chocolate shop (not an outlet store).

• Old Ridge Antiques

  phone: +1 506-466-6011
  address: 9296 Route 3

• Carman's Diner

  phone: +1 506-466-3528
  address: 164 King St
  An authentic 1950s diner that is family-owned and -operated.

• Golden Chinese Restaurant

  phone: +1 506-467-9295
  address: 43 Milltown Blvd
  Menu or buffet. Szechuan and durry dishes.

• Something's Brewing Cafe

  phone: +1 506-466-2211
  address: 140 Milltown Blvd
  Soups and sandwiches. Art by local artists. Free Wi-Fi.

• Five Kings Restaurant & Picaroons Brewhouse

  phone: +1 506-466-2739
  address: 5 King Street
  Fresh beer brewed on site, a full seasonal menu.

• Blair House Heritage Inn

  phone: +1 506 INN-A-BED
  address: 38 Prince William St
  Victorian heritage bed and breakfast, smoke-free inside, perennial flower and shrub gardens, garden bench and outdoor porch chairs.

• Scoodic Motel

  phone: +1 506 466-1540
  address: 241 Route 170, Oak Bay
  Clean, quiet, comfortable, small rooms with microwave and mini-fridge. Pets allowed. Continental breakfast included. Playground.

• Winsome Inn

  phone: +1 506-466-2130
  address: 198 King St
  Canada Select 3½ stars. Rooms with microwave and mini-fridge. Pets allowed. Continental breakfast included. Playground and barbecue.

• St. Croix Public Library

  phone: +1 506-466-7529
  address: 11 King St
  The public library has internet-connected computers available for public use.