Perth-Andover, a former village in Victoria County, New Brunswick, Canada, is a place of rich history and natural beauty. Although it held village status until 2023, it is now part of the village of Southern Victoria.
Andover, originally known as Little Tobique, was named after the town in Hampshire, England. Many of its original land grants were given to English soldiers and Loyalists from the American Revolution.
Perth, initially called Larlee, was part of the territory of the Tobique First Nation. The reserve was established in 1801, at the band's request. However, due to squatters, the First Nation was forced to surrender a total of 2,539 acres, much of it in Perth-Andover.
In 1878, the New Brunswick Railway opened its line through the community, connecting Fredericton and Edmundston. This line crossed the river from the east bank at Perth to the west bank at Andover. The Tobique Valley Railway constructed a line from a junction with the CPR at Perth to Plaster Rock in 1894, which was leased by CPR in 1897.
Andover was the shire town of Victoria County until the end of county government in New Brunswick in 1966.
In March 1987, severe ice jams on the Saint John River caused a high water level that forced residents to evacuate. The Canadian Pacific Railway bridge was demolished by the large ice jam, and many buildings and homes along the river in Perth-Andover were flooded.
In 2009, the Canadian government accepted the Tobique Specific Land Claim of 10,533 acres for negotiation. The settlement of the claim will result in compensation, but existing landowners will not be affected.
On March 23, 2012, a high spring freshet coupled with an ice jam caused a rise in water levels surpassing those in the 1987 flood. A mandatory evacuation order was issued, affecting about 500 people.
On 1 January 2023, Perth-Andover amalgamated with the village of Aroostook and parts of two local service districts to form the new village of Southern Victoria.
Perth-Andover is divided by the Saint John River with Perth on the east bank and Andover on the west bank. Each was a separate community until municipal amalgamation in 1966. Despite meeting the requirements for "town" status under the provincial Municipalities Act, it has chosen to retain its village designation.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Perth-Andover had a population of 1,574 living in 744 of its 785 total private dwellings. With a land area of 8.96 km2 (3.46 sq mi), it had a population density of 175.7/km2 (455.0/sq mi) in 2021.
Perth-Andover hosts the annual Gathering of the Scots Festival at Veteran's Field on the last weekend in May and the Larlee Creek Hullabaloo in August, held at Baird's Campground. Other major events include the Tuff Muck Challenge on the last Saturday in July and the Dam Run marathon on the first Saturday in October. The Tomlinson Lake Hike to Freedom Trail explores New Brunswick's role in the Underground Railroad for African Americans escaping enslavement.
The Perth-Andover Electric Light Commission (PAELC) is one of three municipal power utilities left in New Brunswick, and the only one completely independent of NB Power. The residents of the municipality enjoy the lowest power rates in the province.
