Sussex Thriftlodge

Historic Murals

by Bwana_Brown

In recent years, residents of Sussex initiated a mural project that involves contributions from artists all over the world painting historic scenes on the side of the downtown buildings, depicting various aspects of life in this small town. Partially in answer to the denuding of the town caused by the loss of its majestic old trees due to Dutch Elm disease, this project has really helped to spruce the place up. This scene covers one wall of what used to be the single largest store in town - the Mercantile building. Since this street is the start of Church Avenue, the mural depicts a Victorian mansion scene such as you will find further up the avenue if you continue onward. In its heyday, the Mercantile building sold just about everything, in those days before shopping malls were invented. With the arrival of a shopping mall in the centre of town and subsequent development of an even larger one at the western end of Sussex, the Mercantile store gave way and the building now houses many small shops and boutiques. If you are driving around the town, keep your eyes open for the many other murals scattered here and there.

The 2nd photo is a closer view of the same mural, with Sue standing at the left side, during a guided 'mural tour' as part of the amusements during the June, 2007 celebration of the 40th anniversary since my classmates (in the photo) and I graduated from Sussex High School. The scene is in remembrance of a British officer who fought in the 1853-56 Crimean War and then returned to Sussex to build the depicted Victorian mansion further up the street.

Sussex - nestled in the valley

by Bwana_Brown

Sussex is the place where I spent most of my early childhood years, went through school from Grades 1-12 and then spent another three summers there, until the age of 20, as I worked to pay my way through university. I still return regularly to visit my mother and a younger brother who never caught the wanderlust like I did!

The town has one of the most beautiful settings in New Brunswick due to its location in a wide valley formed by the meandering Kennebecasis River, which flows westward as a tributary to the mighty Saint John River. The location of the town here was a bit of an accident when, in 1857, the original settlement of Sussex Corner refused the offer of having a railway station built in their community as the new European and North American Railway was building a line between Moncton and Saint John - feeling these infernal machines would be far too disruptive to their quiet and peaceful way of life. As a result, the railway station was located a few miles to the west in what was then regarded as 'swamp ground', a location that soon grew into the town of Sussex as business establishments began to sprout beside this new and efficient means of transportation.

Sussex eventually came to be the hub of major highways connecting Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton and is a prime tourist area with many nearby attractions. This photo shows the route of the original Trans-Canada Highway as it descends Prescott Hill from Fredericton, with the road swinging left to Moncton and right to Saint John. It was from the bottom of this hill in early-May, 1970 that I set out hitch-hiking to western Canada just to break the constant monotony of university for 7 months and then summer work for 5 months! I made it to Quebec City the first night, Chalk River north of Ottawa the 2nd, Sault-ste-Marie the 3rd, Thunder Bay (at the western end of the Great Lakes) the 4th and half-way across the country in Winnipeg, Manitoba after 2100-miles and four and a half days since setting out. By then, my little adventure had cured me so, two days later, I hopped on a $26 non-stop train ride and soon arrived back in Sussex to begin another round of work!

"Same view in December instead of October!"

Our trip!!!!

by marcoparco

We decided to go to this place we had heard of to drop our sleds. Little did we knoe it envolved taking a dirt road that was about 10km long. After much anticipation we arrived safely.

We spent most of our day sleddin' though the trails of Fundy Nationnal Parc. The trails were all about 20 feet wide and straight as can be. this is where I hit 100mph on the ZR 900. I have never had such a rush.

I wasn't kidding when I said that trails were made out of roads.

I also was not kidding when i said there are chances to hit deer when snowmobiling. Here is one chillin in someones front yard! Only in the country!!!!!!!

Here is the Bay of fundy. It is on the south shore of New-Brunswick.

The view above a lookout tower

Me with a couple animal freinds!

Some fishing boats put away for the winter.