Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domain10 heritage places lie within 25 km of Nelson
Heritage of the first rank begins 15 km from Nelson, in Northesk. The newest homes, 2016 to 2021, are 4.9% of the total, the typical town 4.1%.
The highest designation, 5 times, within 25 km of Nelson
Within 25 km there are 10 in all. They are spread over 4 towns, including Miramichi, Southesk and Northesk. “Miramichi Fish Hatchery, RR1” in Southesk is the nearest, 8.5 km away.
The 10 nearest, within 25 km
| Miramichi Fish Hatchery, RR1Recognized Federal Heritage Building · 1907–1908 · 8.5 km away, in Southesk |
| The Enclosure Provincial ParkProvincial heritage place · 12 km away, in Southesk |
| BoishébertNational Historic Site · 1756–1760 · 12 km away, in Miramichi |
| Beaubears Island ShipbuildingNational Historic Site · 1790–1791 · 13 km away, in Miramichi |
| Augustine MoundNational Historic Site · 16 km away, in Northesk |
| OxbowNational Historic Site · 17 km away, in Northesk |
| Marine HospitalNational Historic Site · 1830–1832 · 20 km away, in Miramichi |
| St. Michael's BasilicaLocal historic place · 1922 · 22 km away, in Miramichi |
| Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption MonumentProvincial heritage place · 24 km away, in Rogersville |
| Middle IslandProvincial heritage place · 25 km away, in Miramichi |
Within 25 km of Nelson, the dated places belong mostly to the years before Confederation
Reaching 25 km out from Nelson: the historic places by their first construction date on record.
The earliest is Boishébert in Miramichi, begun in 1756. 5 dated places within 25 km make up the record. 3 predate Confederation.
Nelson’s building boom came from 1981 to 2000: 28% of its homes
More than half of Nelson’s housing predates 2001. Nelson has an unusual share of homes built from 2001 to 2015: 24%, where most towns have 15%. Like the typical town (18%), Nelson has 17% of its homes from before 1961.
2021 Census, private dwellings by period of construction (Statistics Canada); the typical town is the middle Canadian town of 2,500 or more.
Nelson and its neighbours
| Town | People | Places | Highest | Oldest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson | 1,014 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Southesk | 1,748 | 1 | 0 | 1907 |
| Northesk | 2,301 | 2 | 2 | — |
| Blackville | 2,104 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Rogersville | 1,131 | 0 | 0 | — |
Nelson in brief
Pre-1961 homes are a small part of its stock: 17%, against 18% in the typical town. For the rest, its past has one life on the record, James Robinson (1852).
What this data can and can’t tell you
- The federal register. Parks Canada’s Directory of Federal Heritage Designations lists every National Historic Site, federal heritage building, heritage railway station and lighthouse; the Canadian Register of Historic Places adds their statements in English and French.
- The tiers. Three tiers: the top for National Historic Sites, classified federal buildings and Québec’s classements, a second for the other federal designations, a third for provincial and municipal listings.
- People and events. The open directory puts its national historic persons nowhere, so a town shows one only on firm ground: a birth there, matched by name and life years, or a historic place there named for the person whose record says so. Events are left out.
- The grade. History is described, not graded, for every Canadian town.
- Protection. A National Historic Site designation recognises significance; it doesn’t by itself protect a building the federal government doesn’t own. Legal protection comes from provincial and municipal designations, whose own registers aren’t open data outside Québec.
- Provincial and municipal lists. Provincial and municipal listings here come from Wikidata alone, since the provinces’ own registers can’t be reused; a listing needs an encyclopedia article to get a page.
Questions about Nelson’s history
How many historic places does Nelson have on the registers?
The registers have nothing inside Nelson; Miramichi Fish Hatchery, RR1, in Southesk, is 8.5 km away.
How old are the homes in Nelson?
Before 1961: 17% of its homes; the typical town has 18%.
Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada (Parks Canada).
Sources: Parks Canada, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations · Canadian Register of Historic Places (federal extract) · Wikidata (CC0) for map points, other names and articles · Statistics Canada, 2021 Census (homes by period of construction). Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).