40th Anniversary
The Atlantic Salmon Museum owes its existence to a core group of forward thinkers, all of whom were members of the Central Miramichi Historical Society in the late 1970s – early 80s.
Passionate about the area’s history, they were quick to appreciate the powerful relationship between the community’s economic and cultural heritage and that “King of Fish,” the Atlantic salmon.
And, in an era where both federal and provincial governments were eager to offer financial support for cultural and recreational facilities, they were able – through months of hard work and determination – to bring their dream of a “Miramichi Salmon Museum” to fruition on May 8, 1982 with an official sod-turning ceremony.
Initial plans called for a banquet room, a gift shop, and an aquarium, as well as display areas featuring the various stages of the salmon’s life cycle, a fly tying exhibit, a poacher’s corner, a guide and outfitter’s section, fishing photos, a theatre specializing in films on salmon fishing and conservation, a library with books and magazines on salmon and angling, and other displays “to be determined by the Directors from time to time.”
An annual Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony was proposed as the highlight of the Museum’s year, but other events included an Ice Cutting Day, a Spring Fling and regular River excursions.
From the beginning, the Museum has enjoyed unwavering support from the Doaktown-Boiestown communities. Many residents (joined by seasonal anglers “from away”) helped with construction, served on committees, volunteered their time for special fund-raising events, and/or donated artefacts to begin what has now evolved into a collection of well over 5,000 items.
Our first Board of Directors consisted of such luminaries as Ted Williams, Father Elmer Smith, Dr. Wilfred Carter, and Mr. Harrison McCain who were joined by a number of local representatives including W. R. “Bill” and Audrey MacKinnon, Louise Bamford, Morris Green, Rex Freeze, Floyd Gaston, Jerry Doak, Vin Swazey, Stan Donovan, Herb Wade and Ken Jonah.
We have celebrated many milestones over the last 40 years including a number of major renovations both inside and out, the arrival in 2017 of the Keith-King collection valued at roughly half a million dollars and containing -- among many other things -- 159 fly plates by the renowned William Cushner; and the donation in 2019 to our Library of hundreds of books (some irreplaceable) from the estate of the late Jim Corrigan, a former member of our Board.
Perhaps more importantly, through the efforts of our Board, our staff, and our dedicated volunteers, we have established ourselves as a well-known “tourist destination,” welcoming on average over 3,000 visitors a year. And while we are always seeking to expand our collection and refresh our displays, we now consider ourselves to be much more than a mere repository for fishing artefacts. We operate a summer camp for children that teaches environmental conservation and respect for our river and its wildlife; we offer a well-stocked and very popular gift shop and boast a small but beautiful meeting room that is rented year round for business meetings and family celebrations. We give back to our community as much as we can by donating part of the proceeds from one of our weekly lotteries (Salmon Museum and Friends) to a rotating list of other non-profit organizations in the area, and by funding bursaries for graduates of three local high schools.
Going forward, it is our hope that, with the aid of corporate partnerships and support from both levels of government, we will be able to refurbish our aquarium building and to make substantial changes to our grounds. Above all, however, we want to strengthen our resolve to work with others concerned about the plight of the Atlantic salmon so that its story and its importance to the Miramichi can never be ignored nor forgotten.
