Gagetown, a former village in Queens County, New Brunswick, Canada, is a place of rich history and cultural significance. Once holding village status prior to 2023, it is now part of the village of Arcadia. Nestled on the west bank of the Saint John River, Gagetown serves as the county's shire town.
Gagetown's history is deeply rooted in the lives of the Acadians and Maliseet, who originally named it Grimross. The village was a significant location during the St. John River Campaign (1758–59) and the Expulsion of the Acadians. Many Acadians sought refuge in villages along the Saint John River, including Gagetown.
The village's name is derived from British General Thomas Gage, who was granted a large tract of land in central New Brunswick for his service to the British Empire in the Seven Years' War. This land now comprises modern-day Gagetown.
In the 1800s and early 1900s, Gagetown was a historic Loyalist community and a stop for river boats. It is also the birthplace of Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley, a Father of Confederation.
Despite sharing its name with the nearby army training centre, CFB Gagetown, the community has no direct access to the base and its training area. However, Gagetown is not without its attractions.
Every summer since 2009, a local music & art collective known as FEELS GOOD and the North Hampton Brewing Company (which produces a local microbrew known as Picaroons) has produced and hosted a 3-day music festival known as Folly Fest. This festival generally falls on the weekend closest to the split of June & July.
The Gagetown Ferry, formerly a free cable ferry, crossed the Saint John River to Lower Jemseg on the east bank. However, in 2015, the Liberal Government cut the ferry for provincial budget reasons. In 2020, the Gagetown ferry service was restored but only for the summer tourist season.
On 1 January 2023, Gagetown amalgamated with the village of Cambridge-Narrows and all or part of five local service districts to form the new village of Arcadia. Despite this change, the community's name remains in official use.
Gagetown experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) with warm summers, cold winters, and plenty of precipitation year-round. Snowfall is frequent in winter, adding to the charm of this historical village.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Gagetown had a population of 787 living in 315 of its 341 total private dwellings. This was a change of 10.7% from its 2016 population of 711. With a land area of 49.32 km2 (19.04 sq mi), it had a population density of 16.0/km2 (41.3/sq mi) in 2021.
