13 Reasons New Brunswick Is The Cutest Province Ever

Where else would you find both the home of the McFlurry and the french fry capital of the world?

1. The McFlurry was invented in Bathurst, New Brunswick.

LadyDucayne / via Flickr Creative Commons / Via Flickr: goodladyducayne

It's hard to believe that there was a time before the McFlurry. But, sure enough, that delicious, crunchy candy-and-ice-cream dessert was invented in 1995 by McDonald's franchise owner Ron McLellan in New Brunswick.

2. Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick is dubbed the french fry capital of the world.

Corey Balazowich / via Flickr Creative Commons / Via Flickr: coreyann

The town hosts the corporate headquarters for McCain Foods, which produces one-third (!!!) of the world's french fries.

3. In fact, the town even has a potato museum called — wait for it — Potato World.

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The museum highlights the growth of the potato industry in New Brunswick and offers interactive displays that will let you try to move 165-lb. sacks of potatoes. If that sounds grueling, this might make it better: They give you a plate of hot french fries at the end of the tour.

4. If McFlurries and french fries aren't enough for you, there's also an honest-to-goodness chocolate museum in St. Stephen, New Brunswick.

Chris Campbell / via Flickr Creative Commons / Via Flickr: cgc

Located in the original Ganong chocolate factory, The Chocolate Museum will educate you on the history of candy making and show you how delicious chocolates are still made to this very day. (Oompa Loompas not included.)

5. The world's largest axe can be found in Nackawic, New Brunswick.

tanukik / via Flickr Creative Commons / Via Flickr: tanukik

Built in 1991 and measuring 15 metres tall, the axe "symbolizes the importance of the forest industry, past, present and future, to the Town of Nackawic and the Province of New Brunswick," according to the axe's plaque. There's also a time capsule embedded in the head of the axe!

6. The dialect of French spoken in Northern New Brunswick is called "Brayon."

Instagram: @tirebouchongriffin

Brayon (which can also refer to the French-speakers themselves) is a mishmash of Acadian and Quebecois French. Although many associate Brayon with Acadian French-Canadians, many of the people more closely identify with the Quebecois.

7. People in Moncton believe cars are ~spookily~ rolling uphill on Magnetic Hill.

youtube.com

The eerie road is a destination for many road trippers. When you drive your car to the end of the road and put it in neutral, your car will roll backwards — which, to the naked eye, seems to be uphill. (Bad news for any conspiracy theorists, though: It's just an optical illusion.)

8. The meeting of the Bay of Fundy and the Saint John River results in the incredible Reversing Rapids. (Press play below to see it in action.)

Instagram: @airlehhjaytee

During high tide, the strong force of the bay causes the current of the river to reverse directions. While it's awesome to look at, it's very dangerous for sea vessels to navigate, so they have to wait for slack tide to enter or exit the river. Aw, look at those cute rapids, they have no idea what they're doing.

9. During the War of 1812, New Brunswick and Maine were on such good terms that N.B. lent Maine some gunpowder for the Fourth of July.

somenametoforget / via Flickr Creative Commons / Via Flickr: somenametoforget

The towns of St. Stephen, New Brunswick, and Calais, Maine, were so close-knit that when Calais ran out of gunpowder, St. Stephen didn't think twice about sending over a shipment to help with their Independence Day celebrations.

10. However, despite their friendly history, New Brunswick and Maine are still involved in ongoing disputes over land, puffins, and lighthouses.

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New Brunswick and Maine claim sovereignty over North Rock and Machias Seal Island (where you can also find PUFFINS!!!!), both located between the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of Maine. Canadians occupied the island's lighthouse for many decades, and the island itself is currently managed by Canadian Wildlife Services. But the U.S. is all ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and kind of ignores that.

11. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt basically stayed in a giant dollhouse in New Brunswick.

Kevin Donahue / via Flickr Creative Commons / Via Flickr: kevdonahue

Roosevelt made this cottage on Campobello Island his summer home until 1939 (it's now an international park). And who could blame him? It's super cute. Less cute: Campobello Island is where Roosevelt fell ill and was diagnosed with polio, the disease that would eventually paralyze him from the waist down. But hey, look at that adorable cottage, eh???

12. Molly Kool, the North American first female sea captain, was born in New Brunswick.

AP Photo/courtesy Jonni-Anne Carlisle

Kool received her captain's license in 1939 from the Merchant Marine Institution of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Her dad gave her the title to his boat, the Jean K, and she captained it for five years. Thanks to her, the Canadian Shipping Act had to be amended to include the language "he or she." There really was nobody Kool-er.

13. And the only U.K. prime minister born outside of the British Isles was from New Brunswick, and his name was (heh heh heh) Bonar Law.

Via en.wikipedia.org

As the leader of the Conservative Party, he only served as the U.K. prime minister from October 1922 to May 1923. But with a name like that, you know he probably had a good time.