The Albert County Historical Society & Museum are proud to announce a Heritage Talk that will be taking place on Saturday, August 21st from 2-4 pm in the Albert County Court House. This Heritage Talk will share the history of the Reid Brother Architects who were born and raised in Harvey, and their accomplishments.
People of the Tides - Museum Experience & Community Fair - Part of the 2021 Rising Tide Festival! The Albert County Museum opens at 9:30 and the Community Fair starts at 11:00 am with live music from 1:30 to 4 pm outdoors in front of the Exhibition Hall. Featured Performers are: TOMATO / TOMATO, The Road Kings, headed by Shane Douthwright, and Colin Fowlie. Tickets are only $15 each or $10 for seniors and students
We are proud to share the story of Albert County’s Molly Kool, first female sea Captain in North America. Born and raised in Alma, NB, Molly changed the Canadian Shipping Act by becoming a sea captain. Hosted by ACHS President Dawne McLean, this informative and educational video was produced by NB Tourism, Heritage and Culture and was recorded and edited by Peter Brzezicki of Painted Haus Productions and includes music from recording artist Paul Toner. We are proud of you Captain Molly Kool!
“Love Your Covered Bridge Day”. Bring your lawn chair and join us for a festive afternoon on Sunday, August 1, 2pm-4pm, at the Sawmill Creek Covered Bridge in Hopewell Hill (just a stone’s throw off Route 114). Tap your toes to lively music played by Sara and James Nelson. Listen to the interesting history of the construction of the bridge. Enjoy canteen refreshments provided by Riverside-Albert Volunteer Fire Dept and also an ice-cream from C&S!
Canada’s National Museum Day takes place every year on May 18th. We are honoured to be doing our part by preserving and sharing the history of Albert County and New Brunswick with our local community and the visiting public. We have a great line-up of events for the 2021 season starting with our Season Opening on May 22nd with a Heritage Talk on Grindstone Island. See you at the Albert County Museum this Summer! Open Daily from 9:30 to 5:30 until the end of September! www.albertcountymuseum.com
Albert County Museum Officially Opens the 2021 Season with new “Grindstone Island” Exhibit and Heritage Presentation taking place on Saturday, May 22nd at 2pm in the Hopewell Cape Community Hall. For safety reasons, we can host a maximum of 50 attendees (by donation or admission to ACM). The Museum is open daily from 9:30 to 5:30 through to the end of September. Join us to meet the “People of the Tides”!
Albert County Historical Society & Museum would like to congratulate fellow nominees and award winners as part of the Albert County Chamber of Commerce’s 2021 Excellence Awards, these year with the theme “Small Town - Big Hearts”. Thanks for nominating the Albert County Historical Society & Museum as well as sharing the work we did on Albert County 175 with community - we hope you can visit the Museum after we open on May 22nd!
Post by Dawne McLean, President, Albert County Historical Society. Everyone in our community is extremely pleased to see the scaffolding around the Sawmill Creek covered bridge, which means that major repairs are going to be done to preserve our covered bridge for years to come! No one is more pleased than I am!
It is with sadness that we report the passing of a true Albert County Hero and WWII Veteran William (Bill) West. Bill was highly decorated for his service as a radar operator in WWII, and received the prestigious “British Empire Medal” from King George VI. (The British Empire Medal is awarded for meritorious military service worthy of recognition by the Crown).
Bill never served as an ACHS director, but he and his wife were members for many years and they attended Museum events. The photo shows him at the 2015 Anniversary of the Sailing of the 26th Battalion on June 13, 1915. Bill always attended the Riverside-Albert Remembrance ceremonies and the Riverside Consolidated School student program, as long as his health allowed.
His Obituary follows:
It is with greatest sympathy to his family that we report the death of Howard Dixon. A Past President of the Society and was a director for numerous years. Howard was an avid genealogist and completed many family genealogies for Albert County families. He helped with the Quilt Show and his wife was very involved on the Quilt Committee until recent years. Their daughter Gwen Dixon Potts is still involved with the Museum quilt show and offers a workshop each year. You can read his obituary by clicking on the link.:
It seems fitting to talk about this interesting Albert County MLA and Premier of the Province from 1897 to 1900 on the day 91 years ago that Women were declared persons! On October 18, 1929, the British Privy Council ruled that the word “persons” in the Canadian Constitution referred to both men and women.
Henry Emmerson was first elected MLA for Albert in 1889. In 1891 he was appointed to the Legislative Council of the province and oversaw its abolition. He re-entered the House of Assembly and in October 1892 was appointed to the Executive Council, serving as Chief Commissioner of Public Works in the Liberal government of Premier Andrew George Blair.
As commissioner, Emmerson stopped the practice of building bridges out of wood and opted for more permanent, and more expensive, materials thus driving up the province's public debt. He also supported women's suffrage.
Emmerson became Premier in 1897. During his tenure, he briefly held the position of Attorney-General. His government tried to promote tourism and wheat farming and the development of natural gas and petroleum in the province. In 1899, he introduced legislation to grant women the right to vote but in a free vote, the bill was defeated.
Along with many butterflies, hummingbirds and bumble bees, we are so grateful to Sharon MacFarlane and Andree Ostiguy for their wonderful landscaping and gardening work over the 2020 season. Many guests who visited to tour the Albert County Museum, or take part in an Albert County 175 event, commented on how wonderful the gardens near the Hopewell Cape Community Hall, and nearby Friends of Fundy Pollinating Garden, looked. Thank you also to the team from United Way Day of Caring for volunteering in June to work on our landscaping, and to our employee Nathan Tingley for his hard work on grounds keeping this season. Together we are looking after flower gardens, grounds and heritage trees, many over 100 years old. New for this year is the Crimson Maple Tree, planted in honour of BR Bennett 150th Birthday!
