Blogging from A to Z Challenge 2013 – Road Trip! {Letter “A”}

I am so excited to be taking part in the Blogging A to Z Challenge 2013.  This is actually my third challenge; the first year I featured a recipe for each letter and last year I drew on  my nursing background and uses “parts of the human body” as my inspiration!

This year I have decided to change things up a bit.  I live in Canada and believe it is one of the most beautiful countries on the planet; so I have decided to feature a different Canadian “place”, for each letter of the challenge.

I am very much looking forward to seeing how everyone interprets the Challenge and I would love to have you join me, as I crisscross this vast country on my Blogging from A to Z Challenge 2013 – Road Trip!

So, without further ado,   “A” is for Alma, New Brunswick:

I needed to start the challenge with a place from my home province of New Brunswick.  Alma is near and dear to my heart and I have visited it numerous times and it borders Fundy National Park, one of my favourite places in the world.

Population:  232 (in 2011)

Notable People:  

Judson Arthur Cleveland –  was possibly the most outstanding citizen of Alma for his role in holding the community in place as his saw mill ran despite tiresome bad economic times, providing livelihoods so that families might remain. He was a long-standing champion of Community on the County Council as a warden and councilor.

 Molly Kool – was born in Alma N.B and is recognized as being North America’s first registered female sea captain or ship master.

History:  The settlement, known then as Salmon River Settlement, began as the lumbering trade took root with the exchange of land-grant title, and construction of a now defunct sawmill on the Upper Salmon River.

The Parish of Alma was created in 1856, commemorating the then-recent Battle of Alma during the Crimean war. The village became an incorporated municipality in 1966.

It was 18 years prior that the federal government expropriated land in the village and parish west of the Upper Salmon River for the creation of Fundy National Park. Many homes were relocated east of the river as lumber barons gave way to the new land managers, the Parks Canada Agency.  In addition to tourism related to the park, lobster and scallop fishing are an important industry based out of Alma’s tidal harbour.

Alma – Settlement view from bridge {Photo Attribution: Placeography (Creative Commons) }

Alma as viewed from the Bay {Photo Attribution:  Martin Cathrae (Creative Commons)}

Well, it’s time to fill up the gas tank, grab a bite to eat and look for a cozy Bed & Breakfast in Alma!  Get a good nights sleep because we have an early start tomorrow. We are crossing the country and the next stop on the Blogging from A to Z Challenge – Road Trip  is a somewhere that starts with the letter “B”.

Have you visited Alma?

If you have been to Fundy National Park, chances are you made it down to Alma too…it is right next door.

There is a little bakery in Alma that has the best cinnamon rolls anywhere, it is called Kelly’s and we make it a point to pick some up each time we are in the area!

Complete listing of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge 2013 participants.

CREDITS – Map source – File:Canada_New_Brunswick_location_map.svg (Wikimedia Commons) (altered to add place name).  Information contained in this post was obtained from the Village of Alma website and Wikipedia.