Discover Jacksonville

Jacksonville has a local history that stretches from the early 19th century to religious and commemorative themes of the 20th century. It also offers a specific leisure activity: bowling on five-pin lanes and arcade games at Woodstock Bowlacade. If you’re looking for a hotel in Jacksonville, these two themes can help you decide whether local history or a leisure activity matters most for your trip.

Settlement History and Memorial Sites

Jacksonville was founded around 1818 and originally belonged to the neighboring community of Jacksontown. More than 200 years ago, free Black Loyalists immigrated to the Jacksonville area from Nova Scotia. The local history thus brings together the development of the settlement and the story of a free Black Loyalist community. These distinct themes offer insight into settlement and life in the area.

The Lower Jacksonville Cemetery offers another connection to Black Loyalist history: the grounds contain 26 unmarked graves of descendants of Black Loyalists who once attended the small Free Baptist Church. The cemetery also has 165 headstones bearing 324 names from 72 local families. These numbers bring family histories into focus; the unmarked graves also point to people whose final resting places have no markers.

Commemoration of the First World War is also part of local history. The Jacksonville Soldiers' Monument is believed to be the first monument in Carleton County to honour soldiers who died in the First World War. Together with the settlement and family histories, it forms a distinct historical theme in Jacksonville.

Church History and Leisure

The Jacksonville Baptist Church congregation has played a role in Jacksonville’s community life since November 21, 1860. A larger church was also built in 1860 near the site of today’s Jacksonville United Baptist Church. It was intended to accommodate churchgoers travelling by horse and wagon to Jacksontown. This journey to Jacksontown gives the church’s history a concrete link to the transportation of the time.

Woodstock Bowlacade offers a different kind of leisure activity, with traditional bowling on five-pin lanes and arcade games. This adds a clearly defined activity to the historical themes. When considering Jacksonville as a destination, you can weigh local history and bowling as distinct priorities for your trip.

In the Wider Destination of Carleton County

The wider destination of Carleton County also offers distinct themes to consider when planning a trip. The Hartland Covered Bridge in Carleton County is the world’s longest covered bridge and was built in 1901. The Florenceville Covered Bridge in Carleton County dates from 1910 and is 45.3 metres long. Another point of reference is the North Becaguimeg River No. 4 Covered Bridge, also known as Ellis Bridge, which is located in Lower Windsor. The bridges differ in their construction dates as well as in the recorded details about their lengths and significance.

The Carleton County Military Museum displays artefacts, uniforms, helmets, badges, handmade military models, and flags from the period before the First World War to the present day. It also traces the development of the Carleton Light Infantry through the Carleton York Regiment and on to other regiments in New Brunswick. For those interested in military history, both the objects on display and the development of the regiments are central.

St. David’s Presbyterian Church is believed to be one of only two surviving early Presbyterian churches in Carleton County. The Old Carleton County Court House was built in 1833 and offers tours and exhibits. Visitors can sit in the prisoners’ dock there. On the Meduxnekeag River, significant sections are suitable for canoeing and kayaking when water levels are high or moderate. This water condition is important when considering the activity: suitability is expressly tied to high or moderate water levels.

Discover more destinations: Wakefield, Hartland, Wilmot, Centreville, Florenceville-Bristol.

Return to the wider travel overview: Carleton County.