Municipal Register of Local Historic Places

Salmon Fish Ladder

St. George, New Brunswick

Also known as Pool and Weir Fishway, Passe à poissons à bassins successifs, Passe à poissons

Summer view of the Gorge and the entire fish ladder.

Summer view of the Gorge and the entire fish ladder.

Photo: Norma Stewart

Built
1928
Recognized
2006
By
Local government

The register’s text, word for word

Description

Salmon Fish Ladder is located on the east bank of St. George Gorge at First Falls in St. George. It consists of 43 concrete pools resembling a staircase of water cascading from pool to pool built into gorge rock. A public access viewing station is located at the Upper Bridge.

Heritage value

Salmon Fish Ladder is designated a Local Historic Place for the implementation of an innovative design to address an environmental concern.

Salmon Fish Ladder was designed and built to offset the negative impact industries in the St. George Gorge at First Falls were having on the annual migration of Atlantic salmon going up the Magaguadavic River to spawn. It was the world’s first artificial fishway. Built into gorge rock in 1928, it consists of 43 concrete pools resembling a staircase of water cascading from pool to pool. The pools are naturally filled with water from First Falls.

SourceCharlotte County Archives, St. Andrews, New Brunswick - St. George Historic Places File #005

Character‑defining elements

The character-defining elements that describe Salmon Fish Ladder include:

  • strategic location on the east bank of First Falls, above the Magaguadavic River tidal basin and below the fresh water of Magaguadavic River, allowing the passage of fish;
  • location within the St. George Gorge at First Falls;
  • 43 concrete pools, each 30,5 cm higher than the other, naturally filled with water from First Falls;
  • proximity to a public viewing station located on the Upper Bridge.

End of the register’s text

Location

St. George Gorge at First Falls, St. George, New Brunswick, E5C, Canada

45.12851° N, 66.82671° W

Get directions (opens in a new tab)

Being on the register doesn’t make a place open to visitors. Many are private homes or businesses; please view them from the street.

Loading map…

Nearby

All 15 places in St. George

Similar places

Places whose register descriptions are closest to this one.

From the Canadian Register of Historic Places, as last updated on December 12, 2025. The register’s text is shown word for word.