Sunday, February 22, 2015

New book: Charlottetown THEN AND NOW

     I received this book for Christmas - it's amazing to see the changes and lost buildings!

Friday, February 20, 2015

All Saints Parish, Cardigan

     Here’s the last of the photographs I took last week in Cardigan - All Saints Parish Church on Chapel Road near the intersection with Launching Road.
     The following information comes from, A Faith Walk: Diocese of Charlottetown. 2001.  By Reverend Art O’Shea.  Page 49.
     “In the early 1800’s a few Scottish immigrant families settled this area and eventually other Scottish and some Irish families joined them.  In 1874 they built the present beautiful church which they dedicated to All Saints.  Of French Gothic design, one of its special features was the main altar of Italian marble constructed by parishioner William Lewis.
     The rectory is undated but is said to have been moved to its present site before 1900 after which two towers were added.  Father John MacMillan was the first resident pastor and served from 1894 until 1916.  One of his magnificent accomplishments while in Cardigan was his writing of a two-volume history of the Catholic Church in Prince Edward Island covering the years 1720  to 1891.
     J.J. Bowlen, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta in the 1950’s, was a native of Cardigan Parish.  His brother, Father William Bowlen, while pastor at High River, Alberta baptized former Prime Minister Joe Clark.
     In 9154 the parishioners constructed a Marian archway at the entrance of the church to commemorate that year’s well celebrated Marian Year throughout the world.
     In recent years the church has received extensive renovations including a splendid new basement with facilities for its parish functions.  One of its sections is named the “MacMillan Room” after the above-mentioned pastor and in which parish wakes are held.
     Named after on of the earls of Cardigan, the village area where the church is located offers a picturesque view, touched off by the beauty of its river of the same name which winds through the center of the parish. 
     Today there are 160 families in All Saints Parish.”
      The following information cf. Historic Places website...
     “Construction began in the Spring of 1874 and by November, the church was completed and blessed by Bishop McIntyre. It originally did not include the transept which was added later. The building retains many of its original style elements which include the segmented entrance tower with a spire rising from the middle of four triangular gables on each of the four sides of the tower. These are each topped by a small cross.  The large gable roof features eave bracketing and the transept features a Celtic style cross at the peak of each gable. A transom Gothic window is placed above the double entrance doors. Several renovations, the most recent in 1995, have been made to the building. The original sandstone foundation was replaced by a large modern basement which accommodates many church events. The interior features a rare Italian marble altar which was carved by one of the parishioners, William P. Lewis.”
     The interior photo below also comes from Historic Places website...
Showing view of interior
     Below is an image of All Saints Parish House.  cf. "Can you Identify these people" on the Island Register website.  The house was demolished in recent years.

"Hi Dave, It is the All Saint's Parish house in Cardigan, he said it was taken about 1970. Rev. David McTague would have been the parish priest at that time. Nora Macdonald" -  June 24, 2013

Over 100 barns blow down in 1930 Winter Storm

     The following comes from, 150 Years of Prince Edward Island Weather: Some weather we're having! 2015 PEI Weather Trivia Calendar by Don Jardine and Adam French with David Weale, and the Climate Research Lab at the University of Prince Edward Island.
     February 16, 1930: "A terrific gale, reported as the worst hitting this area in many years, blew down over 100 barns in Kings County.  Winds hit a maximum of 65 km/h at Charlottetown and 37 cm of snow fell.  Two young sons of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Noade of Launching Place narrowly escaped death when they were feeding cattle in the barn and the barn collapsed.  Large pieces of the barn roof were found on Boughton Bay and shingles were found on Boughton Island, three kilometers away."  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
     It's always nice to have an image with a story - since we don't have one from 1930, here's an old barn at the Stetson's on the O'Leary Rd. in Union (between O'Leary Corner and O'Leary) destroyed by a wind storm in the fall of 2009.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

South Granville Presbyterian Church - recent article

     I recently received this article from a friend - it's undated.  The article tells the story about the little church on the Smith Road.  The article comes from "The County Line Courier" - a community newspaper from the Kensington area.  Here's a link: http://issuu.com/countylinecourier
Here's two previous posts about this church...
I took this photo of South Granville Presbyterian Church in the Summer of 2014.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Former John A. MacDonald Store, Cardigan

     Here's a photo I took last week of the former John. A. MacDonald Store - today it's a restaurant called "Cardigan Lobster Supper" at 4557 Wharf Street.  Here's their website: http://www.peicardiganlobstersuppers.com/
     The following information about the store comes from Highlights of Cardigan Area by Beth Brehaut. Page 35:
John A. MacDonald’s Store
     "In 1905, the store operated by Morson & Morgan burned down. The fire also destroyed the early records of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. Douglas C. Morson and William Minto then went into partnership. This store was also destroyed by fire. In 1902, John A. MacDonald purchased James Norton's store. Mr. MacDonald dealt in general merchandise and shipped Island produce as well. John A. MacDonald's store. 35 During the First World War most ships were in war service. It was decided to build schooners for shipping produce. A saw mill was needed for this project, so James E. MacDonald's old store was hauled across the ice to be used in the shipbuilding industry. John A. MacDonald's store is now a restaurant operated by his grandson, Jock MacDonald. A disco and lobster supper are also operated in the old store in the summer months."

Monday, February 16, 2015

Station Agents House, Cardigan

     Here's the Station Agent's house in Cardigan.  This was a standard design built in many Island communities with a train station.  I have identified about a dozen agent houses still remaining.  
     I took this photo last week when visiting Cardigan.
     Below is an excerpt from, Highlights of Cardigan Area By Beth Brehaut, Page 8:
"The station house, which housed the station agent, was built when William Flynn was the agent between the late 1890's and the early 1900's. Noel Wilson was the last station agent in Cardigan and he purchased the station house for his home after the station closed."
     See also a previous post in this blog on other Station Agent Home's on the Island...
http://peiheritagebuildings.blogspot.ca/2014/07/station-agents-house-1904.html
     Charlottetown architect, C.B. Chappell, designed this house in 1904 - the drawings below came be found at the Prince Edward Island Public Archives & Record Office.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Dunvegan Mansion, near Cardross

     I was reading the community history of Cardigan called, "Highlights of Cardigan Area" by Beth Brehaut, undated (probably late 1970's).  Page 82-83. Printed on P.E.I. by Island Offset.
     "Mary Docherty, of Cardross, married a wealthy American named Paige.  They planned to build a house near Mary's former home, however, before their plan could be carried out, Mr. Paige died.  After her husband's death, Mrs. Paige, with the help of her late husband's secretary, had the house built.  Construction occurred in 1910.  Materials were brought by rail to Cardigan from the United States and hauled to the site.  This very large four-storey building had 72 rooms.  On the first floor the doors, window casings and walls (to a height of five feet) were made of black walnut.  The large fireplaces and the basement were built with bricks from the United States.  Water was pumped from a well and stored in a large tank.  The water was then piped to the different parts of the house.  Gas provided lighting.  A large pool table, brought from the United States on a flat car, was raised by a derrick to the third floor and taken in through a window opening.
     Sometime after Mrs. Paige's death Allan Cameron bought the house - named Dunvegan - and very shortly after sold it to Sandy of Sandy's Restaurant.  The house was taken apart and hauled to York Lane in Charlottetown, where it was rebuilt into 10 apartments."

     Below is the rebuilt Dunvegan Mansion at 47 York Lane in Charlottetown - this photo comes from Mallard Painting's Facebook page...

Lot 16 School

     Here's another old schoolhouse in Lot 16 - I took the photo in the winter of 1994.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

St. Margaret's School

     Here's a photo I took of St. Margaret's School in 1993.  

Monday, February 9, 2015

Hayden's Mill, Vernon River

     Here's a great photograph of Hayden's Mill at Vernon River posted on the Facebook page of Earls Picture Restoration.
The following are Facebook comments posted about the mill...
“ The mill was owned by John Furness Hayden, son of James Lewis Hayden and Margaret Furness. The mill was on the site of the present Vernon River dam. The buildings are all gone now, but the house and barns on the hill belonged to John and his brother Lemuel and their parents. The house is still standing as is the barn on the left. Gordon Ross and Mac MacLean had a mill around the same site possibly across the road.” - Gordon Furness

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Mayflower (Gates) Mill, West Royalty

     I've always heard of the Gates Mill but never saw a photo of it - I just saw this on Facebook - amazing!!
Quotes from Facebook's Photos of Vintage Charlottetown -
     "For TBT on a beautiful winter day, the Mayflower (aka Gates) Mill, West Royalty, on the Lower Malpeque Rd. Picture taken in the '50's by my father Rollie Taylor. Henry Sylvanious Gates, my 1st cousin, 3 times removed, through the Chappell line was the miller in 1881." - Dennis Taylor
      "My father used to take me fishing there when I was a kid, now it's a subdivision and a highway." - E.B.

Springbrook Barn

     I just came across some photos I took around 2001 before getting my digital camera.  Here's a great old barn from Springbrook - it's not there anymore.  The barn was located on the east side of Route 20 not far from Getty Memorial Church.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

South Granville Presbyterian Church

     I was up by this church on the Smith Road in South Granville on Sunday afternoon just after a snow and ice storm.  Here's a few photos!  
     See also previous post on this blog:  http://peiheritagebuildings.blogspot.ca/2013/09/south-granville-presbyterian-church.html
    They've had many problems with vandalism and break-ins at this remote location.  The only thing you can see in all directions is clay roads and trees - a prime target for thieves and vandals.  Last fall, following their annual summer service, they boarded up the windows and posted a website link on the end of the building - here's the link.  
    Also on this website you can see recent photos of exterior and interior.
    Also on the website link above you can see photos of the exterior and interior from 2012 and 2013.

Silliker Farmstead, Milo

     Many years ago I took this photograph of a wonderful line drawing of the Silliker Homestead in Milo - I can't recall the name of the artist (its on the drawing, however, blurry).