Pete’s Historic Walking Tour

Saint John’s story is hiding in plain sight. Pete Ferguson brings it out through rare photographs, local lore, and personal stories, connecting the Loyalist landing, the Great Fire, immigration, theater, business, and waterfront renewal. I like the tour’s broad sweep from 1783 to today, and I like the way Pete’s past as a pub owner gives the history a human voice. The main consideration is time: at about two and a half hours, you spend more time listening at stops than walking.

This is an easygoing tour for getting your bearings in uptown Saint John. The group is capped at 20, and Pete projects his voice well, so you should not need to hover near the front. I also appreciate the practical route, which can use pedways, an elevator, and escalators to avoid the steepest hills. If you want extended shopping time or a brisk sightseeing circuit, this may feel slow.

Key things to know before you book

• The tour links 1783 to the present: You move from the Loyalist Landing and the Great Fire to cruise ships, business, theater, and waterfront plans.

• Pete is the main attraction: His humor, local contacts, pub stories, and love for Saint John shape the tour as much as the buildings do.

• The walking is gentle: Frequent stops, places to sit, and possible use of the pedway system make this suitable for many people with moderate fitness.

• Copies of rare photographs add context: You are not simply looking at old buildings. You get visual clues to how streets and landmarks changed.

• The route covers uptown rather than the whole city: You see many central sights, but this is not a tour of every Saint John neighborhood.

• The finish is near the waterfront: The final stop is the Marco Polo cruise terminal and Area 506 Waterfront Container Village, useful if you are exploring the harbor afterward.

Why Pete’s local voice matters

Pete Ferguson has lived in the area all his life and formerly owned Pete’s Pub. His stories about the bar, sports, entertainment, and 35 years of local life add a personal layer that a standard city lecture often lacks. He also seems comfortable answering questions, and if he does not know something, he has said he will research it and follow up.

That local connection shows up on the street. Pete is recognized by people around town, and his easy greetings help you see Saint John as a lived-in place, not just a collection of heritage façades. His humor is a regular part of the presentation, but it supports the history rather than replacing it.

I would choose this tour if you like a guide who talks directly to the group and tells stories with personality. The tradeoff is that Pete’s favorite subjects receive generous attention. The Marco Polo ship model, the theater restoration, and Pete’s old pub may interest you greatly, but they also contribute to the slower pace.

The tour is offered in the morning and afternoon, which helps if you are fitting it around a cruise arrival, lunch, or another Saint John activity. It is offered in English only.

Water Street and the opening story

The meeting point is at Duke Street and Water Street. From there, the tour heads toward Market Square and pauses near Furlongs liquor store. This first stop is brief, but it sets the tone: the city’s past is woven through ordinary commercial streets.

You begin learning how Saint John developed around its waterfront and commercial core. I like this start because it avoids a long introduction in one fixed place. You are already moving through the city while Pete explains what you are seeing.

The route then reaches Market Square, one of the most important early stops. From the exterior area, Pete points out where the Loyalists landed in 1783, where the Great Fire began, and where Prince Charles and Lady Diana took part in a walkabout.

Inside Market Square, you see the Marco Polo sailing ship model. Pete explains the ship’s story, giving you a concrete object to focus on while he fills in the wider maritime setting. The stop lasts about 15 minutes, so expect a compact explanation rather than a long museum visit.

Market Square and Saint John City Hall

Market Square works well as a history lesson because several different eras meet in one place. The Loyalist arrival explains the city’s early development. The Great Fire points to the danger and disruption that shaped Saint John. The royal visit adds a more recent public event.

At Saint John City Hall, the subject shifts from major civic events to Pete’s own connection with the city. He tells the story of Pete’s Pub, including its sports and entertainment links and his 35 years there.

This is one of the more personal parts of the tour. If you prefer architecture and dates only, you might find it less essential. If you enjoy local characters and everyday stories, it gives the tour warmth and helps explain why Pete speaks about Saint John with such affection.

The city hall stop lasts about 15 minutes. As with much of the tour, you listen at the site rather than spending extended time inside a building.

Saint John City Market and Charlotte Street art

The Saint John City Market is an important architectural stop. Pete explains its design and history, including its place as the oldest continuously operating market in Canada. You also get a few minutes to shop.

That shopping time is useful, but keep your expectations realistic. The tour does not give you a long market browsing session. One practical point is that market hours can be limited on Sundays, so check your schedule if seeing the stalls matters to you. If shopping is a priority, plan to return on your own.

After leaving the market, the group turns toward Charlotte Street. Down an alley, Pete points out large murals featuring famous Saint John people. This is the sort of small detail that can easily be missed if you are walking alone.

I like the contrast here. The market explains the city’s working commercial life, while the murals bring local personalities into the open. You do not need a grand landmark at every stop to understand a city.

King’s Square and the Irving family

King’s Square, established in 1785, brings together several memorials and public features. Pete points out the mass of molten metal left by the Great Fire, the William Young statue, the Charles Gorman statue, and the King Edward VII Bandstand.

The molten metal is especially effective because it makes the fire tangible. Instead of hearing only about destruction, you see a physical remnant. The bandstand and statues then show how the square served as a civic gathering place over time.

Across from the square, Pete discusses the Irving Oil headquarters and the Irving family’s role in New Brunswick. The story begins with K.C. Irving in 1899. This five-minute stop is short, but it adds business history to the tour’s larger account of how Saint John grew.

You should expect a city tour with several different threads: immigration, shipping, politics, retail, business, entertainment, and local personalities. Pete does not focus on one narrow theme.

Imperial Theatre and the Admiral Beatty

The Imperial Theatre began as a vaudeville theater in 1913. Pete explains its history and points out features such as the chandeliers. The stop also covers the building’s restoration.

This is a good example of how the tour reads a building from the outside. You learn to look up at details that you might otherwise pass without noticing. The theater also helps explain Saint John’s place in touring entertainment and public life.

Beside the theater is the Admiral Beatty building, which began as a luxury hotel in 1925. Pete tells you about notable visitors, including Amelia Earhart before her transatlantic flight.

The two stops work well together. One shows entertainment history, while the other brings in travel, celebrity, and the old hotel trade. They also give the route a change of pace after the civic monuments and business story.

Trinity Church and Germain Street

Trinity Church is one of the tour’s longer stops, at about 15 minutes. Pete describes the Loyalist church, its features, and four main artifacts held there.

This stop matters because it ties Saint John’s physical setting to the people who arrived after the American Revolution. The building is not presented as a decorative shell. You get the story of the congregation and the objects preserved inside.

The route continues along Germain Street, named for Lord George Germain. Across from Trinity Church is the Union Club, a business club dating from 1884. Pete explains its history in a short stop.

You should expect a lot of standing during this section. The tour has breaks, and some people have appreciated having places to sit, but it is not a nonstop walk. Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. The experience requires good weather and can be canceled if conditions are poor, with a different date or full refund offered.

Princess Street and preservation in practice

At Germain and Princess Streets, the route turns toward Prince William Street. Pete points out a newer building designed to conform to preservation standards, then explains the historic Ritchie building beside it.

This is a useful urban lesson. You see that heritage protection is not only about saving old structures. It also involves fitting newer construction into an established streetscape. The pairing lets you compare old and new in one short stretch.

The route can involve a downhill walk here, but the overall effort has been described as easy. The pedway system may be used to reduce steep climbs, with escalators and an elevator doing some of the hard work. Conditions and route choices can vary, so anyone with mobility concerns should confirm the current path before booking.

Prince William Street, once called Canada’s Wall Street

Prince William Street is one of the most information-packed parts of the route. Pete describes the street as once being known as the Wall Street of Canada and points out several important buildings.

You see Chubb’s Corner and its carved stone heads, old City Hall, the former post office, the Jarvis building, the Bank of New Brunswick Palatine building, and the Seamen’s Mission. Each façade adds another piece to the story of commerce and shipping.

Across from the mission is a mural about Partridge Island. This leads into one of the tour’s more serious subjects: immigration and quarantine, especially the Irish people who arrived during the Potato Famine.

This section gives the tour emotional weight. Saint John was not simply a port of trade. It was also a point of arrival for people facing illness, hunger, and an uncertain future. The mural helps make that story visible without requiring a separate museum visit.

The street is also where you may feel the tour’s main weakness. Pete has a great deal to explain, and the route includes many buildings in a fairly compact area. If you want to walk quickly and photograph every façade, you may feel that the commentary takes too long. If you want to understand why the buildings matter, the slower pace pays off.

The Three Sisters Lamp and the waterfront finish

At the foot of Prince William Street, the tour reaches the Three Sisters Lamp in St. Patrick Park. Pete explains the name and how the lamps helped save lives.

It is a brief stop, but it provides a memorable final landmark before the waterfront. The story connects practical navigation with local memory, showing how a simple light could matter to people arriving by sea.

The tour finishes at the Marco Polo cruise terminal and Area 506 Waterfront Container Village. Pete explains how Saint John’s cruise industry began and how the waterfront has developed.

This ending is convenient for cruise passengers and anyone planning to continue along the harbor. The stated activity information also says the experience ends back at the meeting point, so I would confirm the exact return arrangement when booking, especially if you need to collect belongings or meet transportation at Duke and Water Streets.

Price, pace, and group size

At $33.80 per person, the tour offers solid value if you want a local guide for a full two and a half hours. You are paying for a long, information-heavy walk through many central sights, not for admission to museums or a meal. All listed stops are free, and lunch is not included.

The strongest value comes from the guide’s local perspective. You could walk these streets yourself, but you would not easily know where the Loyalist Landing occurred, which buildings once served as hotels or banks, or why the molten metal in King’s Square matters.

The group maximum is 20 people. Smaller groups have made it easier to hear Pete and ask questions, while his strong voice helps even if you are toward the back. Morning and afternoon departures give you useful flexibility.

The tour is a good fit for:

• First-time visitors wanting a clear introduction to uptown Saint John
• History fans who enjoy dates, buildings, fires, immigration, and local business stories
• Cruise passengers with a few hours in port
• People who prefer a relaxed walk with regular stops
• Families, including children with special needs, who may qualify for free admission
• Visitors who enjoy an outgoing guide rather than a silent audio experience

It may be less suitable if you want a fast route, extensive shopping time, or a full-city tour beyond the uptown core.

Practical advice before you go

Book at least a day ahead if your plans are fixed. The tour averages about 44 days of advance booking, which suggests that popular dates can fill well ahead of time.

Wear shoes suited to pavement and bring clothing for changing weather. The tour requires good conditions, and Pete may adjust the route based on weather and other factors. Service animals are allowed, pet dogs are welcome, and the activity is near public transportation.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours ahead are not accepted for a refund. Confirmation arrives at booking.

Plan your meal separately. Since lunch is not included and the route ends near the waterfront, you can ask Pete for a restaurant suggestion. He has recommended Cask and Kettle to past customers, and personal local advice is one of the useful extras that come with this tour.

Should you book Pete’s Historic Walking Tour?

I would book it if you want Saint John explained by someone who cares about the place and knows its people. Pete’s humor, clear voice, rare photographs, pub stories, and local connections give the tour a strong sense of personality.

I would skip it if you prefer to set your own pace, spend a long time shopping in the market, or cover a wider area with less commentary. The tour is deliberately talk-heavy, and two and a half hours can feel long if your interest is mainly in quick photographs.

For most first visits, the price is fair and the route is useful. You get a gentle introduction to Saint John’s major stories, plus small details you might otherwise miss. Book it early, allow the full two and a half hours, and treat the walk as a conversation with a local rather than a race between landmarks.

FAQ

How long does Pete’s Historic Walking Tour last?

The tour lasts approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.

How much does the tour cost?

The listed price is $33.80 per person.

Where does the tour begin?

The meeting point is Duke Street and Water Street in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Where does the tour finish?

The route finishes at the Marco Polo cruise terminal and Area 506 Waterfront Container Village. The activity information also says it ends back at the meeting point, so confirm the exact return arrangement when booking.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included in the tour price.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

Is the walk difficult?

The tour requires moderate physical fitness, but it is generally described as an easy walk with frequent stops. The route may use pedways, escalators, and an elevator to avoid steep hills.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. If poor weather causes the tour to be canceled, you will be offered another date or a full refund.