A HISTORY OF CRANEWOOD

William Crane arrived in Sackville from Nova Scotia in 1804 as a young man, and soon became one of the most successful businessmen in the Chignecto area. He later became a judge, was elected to the New Brunswick House of Assembly, and became Speaker of the House.

Crane began construction of this English country house 1836 near Crane’s Corner in downtown Sackville. Built in the Georgian style, it is made with red sandstone from a local quarry.

In 1838, he married Eliza Wood in London, and brought his English bride back to live in this beautiful stone building, which was not yet complete at the time.

William Crane died in Fredericton in 1853. Soon after, Eliza returned to London, and the Crane home was left empty for several years.

In 1867 it was purchased by Josiah Wood, who added a mansard roof in 1888. Wood was a wealthy local merchant, one of the first two graduates from Mount Allison in 1863, and the first mayor of Sackville. Wood went on to federal politics as an Member of Parliament and later a Senator, and in 1912 Wood was appointed the Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick.

When Wood died in 1927, the house was acquired by his eldest son, Dr. Herbert Mariner Wood. He moved in with his mother, Laura, and named the home Cranewood. In 1937 the mansard roof was destroyed by fire, and Dr. Wood restored it to the original 1836 style.

In 1966 Dr. W.S.H. Crawford bought the home from the heirs of Dr. Wood, and finally in 1975 it was purchased by Mount Allison as the official residence for the President of the University.

In August of 2013, Mount Allison sold Cranewood to the Malcolm and Debbie Fisher family, long-time residents of the Sackville area. The family has a love for historic homes and properties, and endeavors to maintain as much of Cranewood’s original architectural integrity as possible. Renovations include extensive stonework restoration over the past few years, and new windows custom built to duplicate the original deesign.

The Bakery at Cranewood, which opened in 2013, shares the same kind of passion, putting thoughtful intention into everything we make: primarily organic whole grain breads, with a helping of cookies, desserts, and specialty breads. Tuesdays are gluten-free baking days. There are also daily soups and sandwiches, as well as seasonal treats.