Saint Andrews, a charming town nestled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada, is a national historic site teeming with the rich heritage of an 18th-century British colonial settlement. The town's original grid layout, market square, and classical architecture are a testament to its historic roots. Officially known as Saint Andrews, the town is often referred to as St. Andrews or St. Andrews by-the-Sea for tourism purposes.
On 1 January 2023, Saint Andrews expanded its boundaries by annexing the local service district of Bayside and Chamcook. Updated census information reflecting this change is yet to be released.
The town's original name, Qunnnoskwamk'ook, translates to 'long gravel bar' in the Malecite-Passamaquoddy language. A French missionary who arrived on Saint Andrew's Day later renamed the town. The eastern end of the town is home to a midden, a pile of shells and other refuse that accumulated over 2,000 years due to the year-round activity of the Passamaquoddy. Today, this midden is a provincial heritage site.
Saint Andrews was settled in 1783 by Penobscot Loyalists. The town's street grid, designed by Charles Morris, remains intact today. The street names reflect royal or colonial associations, and the town's defensive sites, public spaces, and delineation are typical of British colonial settlements of the time.
Between 1820 and 1860, Saint Andrews became a haven for Irish immigrants, with over 50% of the town's population being of Irish descent according to the 1851 census. The Pendlebury Lighthouse, built in 1833, was deactivated in 1938 and has since been restored and registered as a Canadian historic place.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Saint Andrews transformed into a seaside resort for people from Montreal and Boston seeking respite from the summer heat. The town's first seaside hotel, the Argyll, opened in 1881, followed by The Algonquin in 1889. The Ross Memorial Museum commemorates the lifestyle of these wealthy summer visitors.
Saint Andrews is located at the southern tip of a peninsula, extending into Passamaquoddy Bay. The town faces Saint Andrews Harbour and the Western Channel, formed by Navy Island. The town is directly opposite the community of Robbinston, Maine, and Ministers Island is east of the town, accessible by road at low tide only.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Saint Andrews had a population of 2,048 living in 921 of its 1,096 total private dwellings. This represents a 14.7% increase from its 2016 population of 1,786. With a land area of 8.35 km2 (3.22 sq mi), the town had a population density of 245.3/km2 (635.2/sq mi) in 2021.
Despite its proximity to the Canada–United States border, the nearest border crossings are 30 km away at St. Stephen or via a ferry service at Deer Island, both in New Brunswick. The only way into or out of Saint Andrews by land is via Route 127, which runs directly through the town and meets Route 1 on either end of the town.
