The Novelty II

The first steamboat built especially to operate between Hampton and Saint John was the small side wheeler the Novelty built in Hampton in 1881. (This was the second steamboat with this name, the first being built in Clifton, NB, running from 1836 to 1844).

The Novelty was 91 feet long, with a capacity of 26 tons, and built in 36 days. The Novelty was originally built as a tugboat but served as a passenger boat early in her career.

In the 1881 period, there were no public wharfs on the Kennebecasis and the Novelty always towed a jolly-boat used to transfer passengers and freight to and from shore. The Novelty continued as a tugboat after the arrival of her replacement, the stern wheeler the Clifton, that began passenger service in 1887.

A replica of the Novelty can be found at the New Brunswick Museum.