Newcastle was first settled by Scottish settlers, led by
William Davidson (lumberman) in the late 18th century, and was originally called Miramichi. Early settlers changed the name due to pronunciation and spelling troubles. Throughout its history, the town's economy was largely based on the forest industry. A shipbuilding industry developed in the area during the late 18th century, largely to facilitate overseas lumber exports, including masts for the British Navy. The
1825 Miramichi fire, the advent of steel-hulled ships, and perhaps the overcutting of White Pine, contributed to a long-term decline in the town's economy. Pulp and paper production eventually replaced lumber exports as the mainstay of the town's economy. Newcastle remained the industrial heart of the Miramichi valley, its large pulp and paper mill employing hundreds. While many of the early settlers were employed in the forest industry, others participated in the salmon fishery. As transportation improved and the commercial fishery waned, a valuable sports fishery developed, attracting "sports" initially from adjacent New England, and subsequently from all parts of the world. The 1952 discovery of base metal deposits and the development of
Heath Steele Mines, 60 km northwest of Newcastle, allowed the economy to diversify and strengthen through the 1960s. The mine closed in 1999 as metal prices declined and the ore bodies were depleted. ==Notable people==