Saint John (city, New Brunswick)

Saint John (city, New Brunswick), city in southern New Brunswick, Canada, seat of Saint John County. It is on the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. The largest city in the province, it is a commercial and manufacturing center, a major year-round seaport, and a rail terminus. It grew as the manufacturer of goods such as refined petroleum, wood and paper items, beverages, and processed food. Tourism is also important to the city's economic base. A growing segment of Saint John’s population works in service-based sectors. Saint John Airport is located in the city.

A campus of the University of New Brunswick is located in the city. Saint John is the site of Martello Tower, a harbor fortification built during the War of 1812; the Saint John Arts Centre, which contains several galleries; and the New Brunswick Museum, which is Canada’s oldest museum and houses historic collections. Saint John is also home to the Reversing Falls of the Saint John River, the result of a reversal of the river flow caused by tides of the Bay of Fundy. Rockwood Park, a recreational area containing the Cherry Brook Zoo, is the site of the annual Loyalist Days celebration in July. Other annual events include the Festival by the Sea, held in August.

The name of the city comes from the river. In 1604 explorer Samuel de Champlain reached the river and named it after Saint John the Baptist. In the early 1630s French explorer Charles de La Tour established a trading post on the site of present-day Saint John. The British gained control of the area in 1758, and in 1783 several thousand United Empire Loyalists from the United States settled in the area. Parr Town and Carleton merged in 1785 to create the city of Saint John, the first city in Canada to be incorporated. In 1877 a fire destroyed much of the city.

Saint John covers a land area of 322.9 sq km (124.7 sq mi). Population 74,969 (1991); 69,661 (2001).