When most people think of Prince Edward Island, they picture red cliffs, lighthouses, and quiet fishing villages—not notorious Wild West outlaws. Yet one of the American West’s most feared criminals was born right here on the Island. George Sutherland Currie was born in the tiny community of West Point, Prince Edward Island, in 1871. While […]
West Point’s Wild West Outlaw: George “Flat Nose” Curry Read More »
On April 6, 1869, more than 1,500 Islanders crowded into Connaught Square in Charlottetown to witness what would become one of the most gruesome events in Prince Edward Island history. George Dowie, a sailor by trade, had been convicted of murdering John Cullen during a drunken altercation over a woman he frequently visited while in
George Dowie and PEI’s Last Public Hanging Read More »
If you had asked me this question ten years ago, I might have surprised you with my answer. I’m a printed-paper kind of person. I still prefer reading a physical book over an e-reader. I like newspapers. I print recipes. When I need to find information again, I often find it easier to flip through
Are Audio Tours Better Than Printed Guides? Read More »
In the early 1840s, tensions were rising across Prince Edward Island as landowners pressured long-time tenants to sign leases and pay years of back rent. Many Acadian families in the Tignish area had lived on their farms for decades and considered the land their own. Unknown to them, British common law provided protection through squatters’
The Battle of Tignish: An Acadian Stand Against Landlords in 1844 Read More »
What if you threw a message in a bottle into the ocean… and someone on the other side of the world wrote back? That’s exactly what Harold “The Bottle Man” Hackett of Tignish did. Beginning in 1996, Harold tossed thousands of bottles into the waters off North Cape, each containing a simple note inviting whoever
Harold the Bottle Man of Tignish, PEI Read More »
The Legend of the Hoop Snake If you grew up in Western Prince Edward Island, especially around the Tignish area, chances are you’ve heard stories about the legendary Hoop Snake. Older generations often spoke of a strange serpent that could grab its tail in its mouth and roll after its prey like a giant
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Prohibition in Prince Edward Island: Why PEI Stayed Dry for Nearly 50 Years If you are looking for unique Prince Edward Island history, here is one that usually catches people off guard. There was a time when alcohol was completely banned across much of Canada. Most provinces enforced prohibition from 1916
PEI’s Prohibition Era Read More »
If you walk through Charlottetown’s government buildings district today, you’d never know that a once-thriving Black community stood here. The Bog, as it was called, existed from the early 1800s to the early 1900s and was home to freed slaves and their descendants. Located on marshy land from Government Pond to Richmond and Rochford Streets,
The Lost Black Community of Charlottetown: The Bog Read More »
Let me tell you about PEI’s worst train wreck which occurred on February 21, 1932, at Handrahan’s Cutting, just 1.5 miles outside Tignish. The trouble began during a relentless snowstorm that had been battering the area for days. On the evening of February 20th, freight train No. 211 found itself trapped in a massive
The Tignish Train Wreck Read More »
Across from St. Dunstan’s Basilica and in front of Peake’s Wharf on Great George Street, you’ll find two small, rough-looking sections of sidewalk. They might not seem like much, but they hold a fascinating piece of Charlottetown’s history. Dating back to the late 1800s, these stones are part of Great George Street—a National Historic
The Charlottetown Sidewalk Mix Up Read More »