New Brunswick Historical Tidbits

The Westmorland Road

By Mitch Biggar

In 1786 a suryeor named John Wetmore laid out a road between Saint John and The Bend. The new road was known as the Westmorland Road and it followed a straight line to the village of Hampton. Once in Hampton a river ferry was needed to reach the other side. The road then followed to Apohaqui then to Sussex and on through Portage Vale to Petitcodiac. The Westmorland Road then went east to the Memramcook River and south to Dorchester and Sackville.

The Highway Act at the time stated that all roads had to be at least five meters wide. The problem was money so in exchange for money land grants were given out. A total of 190 English pounds were raised this way including 50 pounds from Benedict Arnold.

In 1802 when suryeor Dugald Campbell made his inspection tour he reported that only ten miles of road were fit for horse and carriage. He also noted that the road had been used so little that one strecth had been fenced across by a farmer.

This page was designed by Irene Doyle September 1999