It’s Bristol – but not as you know it

With a maritime past and history of exploration the name of Bristol has spread far and wide. 

There are 35 populated Bristols around the world – everywhere from deepest Peru and tropical Costa Rica to chilly Canada, although most of the other places called Bristol are found in the USA. There’s even a ghost town – the mining town of Bristol in Nevada was abandoned in the 1950s. 

We asked some of our namesakes what life is like as a Bristolian on the other side of the world.

Bristol Rhode Island, US
Michael Byrnes, Explore Bristol
“Bristol is a small town with less than 25,000 people. We think of ourselves as the quintessential New England waterfront town.”

“Founded in 1680, we have a good variety of older houses between 200- to 300-years-old. For a small town we have a large number of museums – eight in total.”

“The original settlers were from England and we are named of course after Bristol, England. We had big wave of Portuguese immigration in the 1950s and 1960s so the Portuguese are the dominate group in town.”

Bristol in three words: Community, scenic, maritime

Bristol Ontario County, New York County, US
Sheryl Mordini, Innkeeper, 1795 Acorn Inn
“My Bristol is generally quiet and very green. The Bristol Hills are gorgeous and driving through the valley any time of the year is stunning, especially so in the spring and fall.”

“It’s difficult to pick out one thing as the best thing about living in Bristol, but I would have to say it would be the countryside. I am always in awe.

“The worst thing would be the winter. We get on average about 106 inches of snow a year. The shovelling gets tough when one runs out of places to put it and the back aches.”

Bristol in three words: Picturesque. Friendly. Home.

Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick, Canada
Charles Walker, Bristol Tourist Office
“Our Bristol is a thriving little community (half of an amalgamated town with Florenceville).”

“Bristol’s history can be traced back hundreds of years when the Wolustoquiyik (Maliseet) occupied the land. The area was called “Shiktehawk, which in the Maliseet language means “where he killed him”. In the 1870s when the New Brunswick Railway was being built, railway officials would not accept the name Shiktehawk for their station. The company changed the name to Kent.  Villagers did not like this name and choose the name “Bristol” as it was not in use elsewhere in New Brunswick. “

Bristol in three words: Tranquil, Country, Charm! 

Bristol, Vermont, USA
Reg Dearborn, Bristol Historical Society 
“Bristol, Vermont is a town in the New England area of the US with an area of 42 sq. miles and a population of about 3,900 people.”  

“Probably the best thing about living in our Bristol is the small town atmosphere. You can walk in the village area anywhere you want to go and you will know most everyone you meet.”

“If there is a worst thing, it would be that you have travel 20 or 30 miles to major shopping, entertainment and jobs.”

Bristol in three words: Very enjoyable living.

Bristol, Wisconsin, USA.
Randy Kerkman, Administrator of Bristol 
“We are 32 square miles with a population 4954. One of the original businesses was Merkt cheese which was known all over the country. We are rural and there are also many horse farms both private and commercial.”

“We are the lowest taxed village for our population in the state of Wisconsin and have a very highly ranked school system.”

Bristol in three words – Better than that – one word “naturally”

Bristol, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia
Lori Worley, Bristol Chamber
“The state line of Tennessee and Virginia runs right through the middle of State Street in downtown Bristol. Brass markers line the centre of the street, one siding reading ‘Tennessee’ and the other ‘Virginia’.”   

“Combined, both Bristols have about 45,000 residents. There are two city governments, two police departments, two mayors, etc. We like to say we’re ‘Two Cities, One State of Mind’.” 

“Bristol is the official birthplace of country music and also boasts Bristol Motor Speedway, a half-mile concrete race track that seats 160,000 people and is home to two NASCAR races each year.”

Bristol in three words: Music. Motorsports. Mountains.

Bristol, Connecticut, USA
Mark Walerysiak Jr, Bristol Chamber of Commerce
“We’re city-sized with a little more than 60,000 residents. As a community, we’re rich with history — with historic neighbourhoods like Federal Hill and its Victorian homes. Bristol is also the place where Albert Rockwell and his wife invented the yellow taxi concept.”

“Bristol is now famous for newer forms of production like ESPN – Bristol is its world headquarters. There’s a passion in this community where people care for one another. We have one of the few non-profit hospitals around in Bristol Hospital.”

The famous baseball ground Muzzy Fields, Bristol where Babe Ruth hit a legendary home run

“The worst thing is the weather! We get quite a bit of snow.”

Bristol in three words: All Heart Community

Bristol, Peru
One of the most elusive Bristol’s in the world has to be a small village near San Lorenzo, on the Marañón River in the Amazon.

The Peruvian Amazon – hundreds of tiny villages are found on the river’s many tributaries (Photo credit: The Vine Trust)

According to Wikipedia, some 300 people live here, but it’s been hard tracking down anyone who knows anything about this Bristol or why it is called Bristol. From academics to the Peruvian Embassy, we have drawn a blank.

Willie McPherson is chief executive of the Vine Trust which runs a medical barge, the Amazon Hope, along the river.

He says the area is very remote, with poor communications. Many of the villages along the tributaries of the Peruvian Amazon are incredibly hard to reach, even by boat.

If you know anything else about Bristol, Peru answers on a postcard please.