The Harvey Rural Community is a newly formed municipality in New Brunswick, Canada, named after the input received from 250 households who suggested the name “Harvey.” This new rural community is an amalgamation of several historic settlements, each with its own unique history, some dating back over 200 years.
Notably, Prince William was established in 1786 as an original county parish, while Longs Creek, initially a First Nations habitation named Eskootawopskek, was surveyed in 1785 for settlement by the Royal Garrison Battalion. Brockway, named after Rheuben Brockway, was settled in 1818, and Magundy has a history dating back to 1822. Magaguadavic was settled in 1831, and Newmarket saw the construction of the St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in 1833. Acton was settled in 1842, and by 1854, the Lake George United Church was purchased for five shillings. George Lister started the Briggs & Little Woolen Mill in York Mills in 1857, and the W.W.E. Smith Country Store opened in Harvey in 1869, coinciding with the arrival of the railroad. Kings Landing Historical Settlement was later established in 1974 as a living showcase of local history.
Despite the municipal reform creating a single entity, the unique histories of these individual settlements will continue to be recognized, and their traditional names will be preserved. The Harvey Rural Community is characterized by its strong sense of community and shared support among its diverse settlements.