New Brunswick boasts over 100 museums and heritage sites, and in the Museum Road Trip series by CBC News, we’re shining a spotlight on eight historical gems in small-town New Brunswick.
Once an integral part of life in Tracadie, northeastern New Brunswick, the Religieuses Hospitalières de Saint-Joseph order provided care for the sick, ran an orphanage, and educated children. Although the order is no longer active in Tracadie, its legacy lives on at the Musée Historique de Tracadie.
Initially focused on operating a lazaretto, a hospital for lepers, the nuns’ efforts were crucial in battling leprosy, a bacterial infection that affects various body parts. The disease first surfaced in Tracadie in 1828, possibly introduced by immigrants from Norway.
The nuns’ dedication led to the construction of the first lazaretto in Tracadie in 1849, which evolved over time to serve lepers from across Canada. However, the stigma attached to the lazaretto had negative repercussions on the town’s reputation.
In 1943, the discovery of an effective treatment for leprosy marked the beginning of the end for the lazaretto, which eventually closed in 1965. Despite its primary focus on leprosy patients, the lazaretto also provided general healthcare services to the local community, making it a pioneering francophone hospital in New Brunswick.
The museum showcases historical artifacts from the hospital’s past, including medical equipment like glass IV bottles and metal syringes. Medical professionals visiting the museum are often amazed by the tools used by their predecessors.
In addition to healthcare, the nuns also established schools in the community to address the lack of education. Starting with a day school and later a boarding school, the nuns aimed to provide quality education to children in the area and beyond.
Although the Religieuses Hospitalières de Saint-Joseph order continues its work in other communities, including Montreal, their presence in Tracadie officially ended in 2025.