Saint John, New Brunswick, was a small, stagnant mercantile town in 1800. Its character was set by its British garrison, a few prominent Loyalist officials, and a small merchant elite. But that character changed quickly and dramatically in the first half of the nineteenth century. T.W. Acheson traces the events that lead to the change and analyses their impact on the community.
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'An excellent work on the very frontier of 19th-century urban research.'
" - Choice
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'An unforgettable insight into a hitherto sadly neglected part of the history of the city and the province.'
" - City Magazine
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'The finest study to date of early 19th century Canadian Society.'
" - Canadian Historical Review
