Perth Andover

Geography

The village 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. Perth-Andover's population meets the requirements for "town" status under the provincial Municipalities Act; however, it has not applied to change from village designation. It is believed that the costs would be too great to change the designation to "town", as it would require changing all of the villages letterhead.

History

Andover was originally called Tobique, the community was given the name Andover, from the town in England. Much of Andover's original land grants were to English soldiers and Loyalist from the American Revolution.

Much of Perth (originally called Larlee) was originally part of the territory of the Tobique First Nation, whose reserve was established in 1801, at the band's request. Due to squatters, the First Nation were forced to surrender a total of 2,539 acres, much in Perth-Andover.

In 1878 the New Brunswick Railway opened its line through the community connecting Fredericton and Edmundston, crossing the river from the east bank at Perth to the west bank at Andover. In 1890 the NBR was leased by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). In 1894 the Tobique Valley Railway constructed a line from a junction with the CPR at Perth to Plaster Rock; it was leased by CPR in 1897.

Until the end of county government in New Brunswick in 1966, Andover was the shire town of Victoria County.

In March 1987 the spring freshet caused several severe ice jams on the Saint John River upstream of the railway bridge in Perth-Andover. On the night of April 1, 1987 an extremely high water level forced residents to evacuate, including a seniors home and the hospital. The morning of April 2, 1987 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. The destruction of the railway bridge cut off CP Rail's network north of Perth from the railway lines in the southern part of western New Brunswick. This contributed to CP Rail's abandonment of these rural branchlines, which were considered unprofitable by the railway. CP Rail tried to blame NB Power for failing to control water discharges from its hydro-electric dams on the river. By the early 1990s, the railroad had ended railway from the northern end of the Saint John River valley.

Present day

In 2009 the Canadian government accepted the Tobique Specific Land Claim of 10,533 acres for negotiation; this relates to the 1892 surrender which the First Nation claims is invalid due to the failure of the government to get approval by Order in Council. Settlement of the claim will result in compensation; existing landowners will not be affected. The governments and the Tobique First Nation have three years to negotiate a settlement.

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. About 500 people were affected. Since most of the village is located on a flood plain, some residents are planning on moving to higher ground.

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 pay the lowest power rates in the province.

Perth-Andover is host to the annual Gathering of the Scots Festival in late May and the Larlee Creek Hullabaloo in August. Both events are held at Baird's Campground.

Notable people