Elgin, sometimes referred to as Elgin Centre, is a small unincorporated rural village located in Albert County, New Brunswick, Canada. It was first settled in 1811 by John Geldart, followed by other pioneers in subsequent years. The heart of Elgin is situated at the "Four Corners", which refers to the intersection of Route 895, River Road, and Gowland Mountain Road. In the past, this central part of Elgin housed various businesses such as stores, small shops, hotels, factories, as well as a race track. Presently, the sole remaining establishment at the Four Corners is a general store, which was built in 1948 and opened in 1949. It closed for a period of four years before reopening on February 26, 2020, under new ownership. It now operates as the Elgin Country Kitchen and General Store, serving both as a general store and a restaurant.
Elgin is situated in the western part of the county and within the western part of Elgin Parish, where it is located. It is approximately south of the former village of Petitcodiac (now part of Three Rivers), intersecting past Route 895 and the south ending of Route 905.
Elgin is the founding and headquarter site of Canadian Syrup Inc. (Steeves Maples), a maple syrup producing company established in 1869 which exports products internationally through distributor relationships. Elgin has also been utilized in mining operations, with certain areas having been involved in copper mining, and briefly after World War II, manganese mining took place in the region.
Toponymy
The area that would later become Elgin was first known to the pioneering settlers as the Upper Settlement, as it was situated situated up the Pollett River from the Glades and Forest Glen (previously known as American Mill Village) settlements. Originally, the region known today as Elgin was a part of Salisbury Parish, which in itself was a part of Westmorland County. However, with the establishment of Albert County from Westmorland County, a new parish was formed called Elgin Parish, named in honor of James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin, who served as the Governor-General of the Province of Canada at the time. When Elgin was founded as a village in 1847, it adopted the name of the parish as its own.
History
Indigenous period and early settlement
The area that is now known as the village of Elgin had originally been traversed by the Micmac, who, from spring to fall, hunted and gathered in the region for possibly thousands of years. However, the land remained unsettled until 1811 when John Geldart, a 32-year-old immigrant from Yorkshire, England, constructed his house there. Geldart recognized the farming potential of the level meadows and fertile land, which led him to choose this location for settlement, upon his arrival after travelling upriver. Prior to Geldart's arrival, several farms were already being cleared and cultivated along the Pollet River, extending up to the village of Forest Glen. In 1812, following Geldart's settlement, other pioneers followed suit and arrived in the area, clearing forests and establishing their homes.
Many of the early settlers in Elgin had previously settled in other parts of the province, with a significant number coming from the Alma area. The presence of mountains in Elgin attracted Irish and Scottish farmers. In the early days of settlement, it was likely common practice to seek higher ground to avoid early frosts in the region. Consequently, the hills were heavily farmed, while the farmers built their homes in the valleys. The area from Forest Glen to Elgin was originally lined with large pine trees on both banks of the river. The first settlers utilized these trees by hollowing out their trunks to create canoes for transporting provisions.
During the initial years of settlement, the pioneers were preoccupied with building homes, gathering fuel for harsh winters, clearing land for agriculture, and obtaining food from the forests and streams. Salmon, which migrated up the river as far as "Pollett River Falls," were caught in substantial quantities and dried or salted. Grouse were also abundant in the more open valley and were smoked, salted, or preserved in fat for winter consumption. Clearing and preparing the forested land for cultivation was challenging, as every quarter acre required clearing and removing roots. However, once the settlers established their way of life, they turned their attention to producing marketable goods.