# The Oldest City in North America- St. John's, Canada



## Nuks (Jun 24, 2006)

*The Oldest British Settlement in North America- St. John's, Canada*

The oldest British Settlement in North America, St. John's is also its most easterly point. 
It is located in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador (the far right of the map):










I apologize for the lack of any major skyscrapers, but apparently St. John's has a height restriction, so as to preserve its heritage. 
It's unfortunate, but the city definitely has an old world charm.



















Pano:



































































































Water Street, the oldest street in North America:



































































































There's an arrow pointing towards the Titanic wreck on this post as well!


































































































Probably the biggest attraction, George Street is the bar district. St. John's has more bars per square foot than anywhere else in North America:




































the annual George Street Festival:












































































































The Rooms is the new provincial museum, archives and art gallery. 
While I'm not a huge fan of the building, it can look nice depending on the angle.
I also love the contrast between the old and new of The Rooms, and The Basilica of St. John the Baptist. 
Those are the two major figures in the St. John's skyline. The Rooms is only a few years old, and the Basilica is 166.


















































































Signal Hill, where Marconi sent the first transatlantic wireless signal in 1901:














































The Basilica of St. John The Baptist:





































The United Church:


















The Masonic Temple: 















































































































































































































WW2 bunker:


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## yin_yang (May 29, 2006)

looks really great, looks similar to what a big city on cape breton island would look like. really sweet pictures too!


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## Bond James Bond (Aug 23, 2002)

I like all the pretty-colored houses.


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## Yank in exile (Nov 12, 2006)

I really like St John's and wish I could have spent more time there when I visited this past Summer—and that it weren't so far away so I could contemplate going there again next Summer!

I've told all my friends in San Francisco that it's like a mini-SF without the crime with its own mini-Bourbon Street (or what used to be Bourbon Street). The people there are incredibly friendly and hospitable, and know how to enjoy themselves. I read somewhere that Newfoundland has the "happiest" population in the country, despite the economic setbacks the province has suffered since joining Canada (big mistake!).

It rained almost the entire ten days I was in NL, and I got some nasty cold virus that was going around—but between being accustomed to the wet stuff (we Seattle natives are all born with webbed feet, right?) and the delightful people there it was the highlight of a two-month slog across Canada and back.

If you ever get a chance to go there Bond-guy, do.

Plus the West coast of NL is a lot like the WA coast, but with a lot of history and a fascinating, fun-loving culture (and lots of moose, too!).


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## skyscraper03 (Feb 12, 2005)

Oh... What a cute city...


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## Nuks (Jun 24, 2006)

I just added a few more pictures in the original post.


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## ArchiTennis (Jul 3, 2006)

It is a very beautiful city. Oldest city in North America? hno: not


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## Nuks (Jun 24, 2006)

^ I know that Quebec City is considered one of the oldest as well. Is that what you were talking about?

It's the oldest British settlement at least!


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## DrJoe (Sep 12, 2002)

Very cool thread.

St. John's is a neat city.


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## movic (Jul 1, 2006)

Question: Mexico is in North America?


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## new bulgaria (Dec 8, 2005)

What is the population of the St. John?


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## xfogus (Mar 26, 2006)

new bulgaria said:


> What is the population of the St. John?


from wikipedia: 

Population 
- City (2001) 99,512
- Density 222.4/km² (576.0/sq mi)
- Metro 172,918
- Metro Density 214.9/km² (556.6/sq mi)


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## Nuks (Jun 24, 2006)

Yeah, by most people's standards, St. John's is quite a small city.
And just to clarify, there are two cities in Canada with similar names. St. John is in the province of New Brunswick, and St. John's is in Newfoundland and Labrador.


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## alex3000 (Oct 20, 2002)

Nice lil city.

I doubt it's the oldest in North America, though. :sly:

I'm pretty sure there are quite a few Mexican cities that are older than St. Jonh.


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## wrabbit (May 14, 2005)

Awesome!

I just read that St. John's is also the World's 2nd-largest harbor (after Sydney) - is this true?


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## samsonyuen (Sep 23, 2003)

Nice pictures. Whether or not it's the oldest city in North America (which I think it is), it really reminds me of Ireland. Does it feel a bit Irish?


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## harvesterofsorrows (Nov 5, 2005)

Tenochitlan is older.


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## krull (Oct 8, 2005)

Really cool to see photos of this place!

Now WTF?


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## Nuks (Jun 24, 2006)

Haha, yeah some say that St. John's is the oldest, in reality it's probably not. But hey, some people would say it is, and besides, it brings people to the the thread!


Yeah all of Newfoundland has an Irish feel to it. The outport dialect is somewhat Irish as well.


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## Plumber73 (Mar 3, 2005)

harvesterofsorrows said:


> Tenochitlan is older.


That was an Aztec city. It doesn't exist anymore from what I've read. Unless you call Mexico City the same thing.


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