Georgetown, Prince Edward Island
Encyclopedia
Georgetown is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and the county seat of Kings County
Kings County, Prince Edward Island
Kings County is located in eastern Prince Edward Island, Canada.It is the province's smallest, most rural and least-populated county. Kings County is also least dependent upon the agriculture industry compared with the other two counties, while being more heavily dependent on the fishery and...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
. As of 2011, the population was 693.
Geography
Georgetown, Capital of Kings County, sits on an 8 kilometre long peninsula formed by the Cardigan and Brudenell Rivers, Along with Georgetown Harbour. This peninsula forms part of the township of Kings RoyaltyKings Royalty, Prince Edward Island
Kings Royalty is the royalty for Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.The township was established as part of the colonial survey of 1764 undertaken by Capt. Samuel J. Holland. It was intended to host the shire town of Kings County, Georgetown...
and extends into Cardigan Bay, a sub-basin of the Northumberland Strait
Northumberland Strait
The Northumberland Strait is a strait in the southern part of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in eastern Canada...
to the east.
Georgetown Harbour is a deep natural harbour and lies to the south of the town at the confluence of the Brudenell River and the Montague River
The Three Rivers
The Three Rivers is the collective name given to three tidal estuaries in eastern Prince Edward Island, Canada. The water bodies are the Brudenell, Cardigan and Montague rivers, which in 2004 were included on the list of outstanding Canadian Heritage Rivers...
.
History
This area of eastern Prince Edward Island traces its history of human settlement to the Mi'kmaq Nation which inhabited the area. These people were referred to as "Epegoitnag" and for them, the region was an Acadian forest wilderness containing wild game, as well as fruit, berries and wild nuts for gathering, as well as plentiful marine resources in the nearby rivers and Northumberland StraitNorthumberland Strait
The Northumberland Strait is a strait in the southern part of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in eastern Canada...
. The land in this area was called "Samkook" which translates to 'the land of the sandy shore'.
Georgetown lies opposite Brudenell Point
Brudenell, Prince Edward Island
Brudenell is a small community located along the Brudenell and Montague Rivers in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Brudenell point, which is located right where the rivers meet, was the site of the Jean Pierre Roma Acadian settlement in the 18th century. This small portion of Brudenell is now a...
, which divides the Brudenell River to the north from the Montague River to the south. Brudenell Point was the location of the first permanent Acadian
Acadian
The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France...
settlement on what the French called Ile-Saint-Jean. Here, entrepreneur Jean Pierre Roma landed in 1732 with approximately 100 settlers to begin a commercial settlement to grow food and catch fish for provisioning the French military garrison at Fortress Louisbourg on Ile-Royale (now Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
). French settlers called the area Trois-Rivieres (Three Rivers). The British burned the village in 1745, the same time they took control of Port-la-Joye
Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst
Port-la-Joye—Fort Amherst is a National Historic Site of Canada in Prince Edward Island, Canada, commemorating the location's double distinction in hosting both the oldest permanent European settlement on Ile Saint-Jean and the first military fortification on the island to be built by the British...
.
Following the transfer of control of Acadia to Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
at the conclusion of the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
in 1763, the British government survey of St. John's Island by Captain Samuel Holland
Samuel Holland
Samuel Johannes Holland was a Royal Engineer and first Surveyor General of British North America.-Life in the Netherlands:...
selected the entirety of Cardigan Point for the capital of Kings County and designated it as the township of Kings Royalty
Kings Royalty, Prince Edward Island
Kings Royalty is the royalty for Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.The township was established as part of the colonial survey of 1764 undertaken by Capt. Samuel J. Holland. It was intended to host the shire town of Kings County, Georgetown...
.
The county capital was to be named Georgetown in honour of King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
. The settlement was oriented on magnetic north and a broad street network was designed.
Present-day Georgetown's collection of venerable and beautiful heritage buildings mostly dates to the late Victorian Era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
at the height of Georgetown's importance in the wooden shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
industry. As one of the most important ports in the colony of Prince Edward Island, the port was selected in 1870 to be the eastern terminus of the Prince Edward Island Railway
Prince Edward Island Railway
The Prince Edward Island Railway was a historic Canadian railway.-Construction:Located wholly within the province of Prince Edward Island, construction of the PEIR started in 1871, financed by the United Kingdom...
(PEIR) and became a vital steamship terminal with connections to the Intercolonial Railway on the mainland at Pictou, Nova Scotia
Pictou, Nova Scotia
Pictou is a town in Pictou County, in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Located on the north shore of Pictou Harbour, the town is approximately 10 km north of the larger town of New Glasgow....
. Georgetown's harbour was frequently the only port on the island to be usable during the winter months on account of prevailing wind and tide directions (this being before the Canso Causeway
Canso Causeway
The Canso Causeway is a rock-fill causeway in Nova Scotia, Canada.The causeway crosses the Strait of Canso, connecting Cape Breton Island by road to the Nova Scotia peninsula...
altered sea ice patterns in the Northumberland Strait).
The PEIR mainline from Georgetown extended through Montague Junction (where a spur was built to service nearby Montague
Montague, Prince Edward Island
Montague is a Canadian town and the largest population centre in Kings County, Prince Edward Island.The town straddles the Montague River which is the dividing line between the townships of Lot 52 and Lot 59. The town functions as a regional service centre for a rural population of 20,000...
) to Mount Stewart
Mount Stewart, Prince Edward Island
Mount Stewart is a Canadian village located in the northeastern part of Queens County, Prince Edward Island.Mount Stewart is located at the head of the once-navigable portion of the Hillsborough River at the point where the river begins to narrow significantly.The village played an important role...
and on to Royalty Junction (connection to Charlottetown), Summerside
Summerside, Prince Edward Island
Summerside is a Canadian city in Prince County, Prince Edward Island. It is the second largest city in the province and the principal municipality for the western part of the island.- History :...
and Alberton
Alberton, Prince Edward Island
Alberton is a Canadian town located in the western part of Prince County, Prince Edward Island. It is situated in the township of Lot 5....
.
In the 20th century, Georgetown's industrial base diversified to include the Island's only shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
, East Isle Shipyard, which is now owned by J.D. Irving Limited, as well as the Island's largest saw mill (also owned by JDI). A major seasonal employer is a seafood
Seafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
plant, operated by Seafood 2000 and originally constructed by National Sea Products Limited.
Local attractions
- Georgetown is adjacent to Brudenell River Provincial ParkBrudenell River Provincial ParkBrudenell River Provincial Park is a provincial park in Prince Edward Island, Canada. It lies on the north side of the Brudenell River, and some of its land is also used by Rodd's Brudenell Resort. Brudenell River is the largest provincial park in eastern Prince Edward Island. It has two 18-hole...
which hosts a campground and tourist accommodations. Two of the province's top golf courses are located at the Brudenell River Resort.
- A lit boardwalk on the water with benches, lookouts, a gazebo and access to the beach.
- The Confederation Trail works its way through Georgetown offering wonderful water views, perfect for walking or cycling.
- 10 historical buildings are listed in Georgetown and there is a walking tour showing you these and other buildings of interests.