Abandoned Utopian Society Deep in the Canadian Wilderness

Abandoned Utopian Society Deep in the Canadian Wilderness

N
Northern Scavenger
5 Video Views·Apr 24, 2026  #northernscavenger

I spent an overnighter exploring the abandoned settlement of New France, Nova Scotia—also known as Electric City. In the late 1800s, this remote logging camp evolved into a self-sufficient utopia with electricity and running water, decades before most of Canada. I explore its ruins to discover what remains and share the story of the rise and fall of Electric City.

SOURCES:
All archival images sourced from the book "The Electric City" - Stehelin Family - Stehelin, Paul. The Electric City. The Stehelins of New France. Lancelot Press, 1983.

All archival footage sourced from https://archive.org/ , and is b-roll used for illustrative purposes to support the story. No actual footage of New France, or the Stehelin family is available online.

Merch - https://www.northernscavenger.com/
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My canoe - https://www.esquif.com/en/canoe/prospecteur-15/
My local paddle shop - https://www.oldcreel.com/

Archival footage:
Lumiere Brothers, Early Lumiere Films. Publication Date - 1898
Les Annees Lumiere, 1895 - 1900, by Jean Chapot. Publication Date - 1974
From Stump to Ship: A 1930 Logging Film by Alfred Ames. Publication Date - 1930
Home Electrical Appliances by Encyclopedia Britannica Films Inc. Publication Date - 1944
Master Hands by The Jam Handy Organization. Publication Date - 1936
Wolfblood - A tale of the forest by Ryan Bros. Productions. Publication Date - 1925
The Woodworker by Vocational Guidance Films, Inc. Publication Date - 1940

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