Prince Edward Island

By Daniel Colburn

Photos by Shelley Colburn

Prince Edward Island presents a landscape reminiscent of rural Ireland, which is likely why so many Irish immigrants found comfort in the island’s tall grasslands and rich soil.

Many Irish made homes in Eastern Canada, Nova Scotia and nearby Prince Edward Island during the mid-1700s and through to the late 1800s. Long before the Potato Famines sparked an exodus of Irish in search of food and more prosperous land, these adventurous people left their homeland in search of something more -- more freedom and more hope.

I think today we still search similarly for places which help us return to the basics; places which bring us back to a level ground and help us forget all the things we love and hate about modern America. Believe it or not, there are obscure places throughout the world that seem to have been lost and forgotten; where time appears to stand still and technical evolution moves very slowly, if at all. Dirt roads are more the rule than the exception, and it’s not uncommon to see more horses than cars in some areas. In these places you'll find fewer strip malls, an attractive lack of condominium complexes, an unspeakably beautiful landscape and, ultimately, happier people. Prince Edward Island is one such place.

PEI, as it's often called, is located in the Eastern Maritime provinces of Canada. It’s situated in one of the most picturesque parts of North America, just off the coast of New Brunswick (northeast of Maine), which places it between mainland Canada and the island of Nova Scotia in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Measuring 140 miles by 40 miles at its widest point, the island’s population holds steady at around 130,000 full-time residents, as opposed to Nova Scotia’s fluctuating population which numbers, at its seasonal height, around 900,000 people.

The capitol city, Charlottetown, does have a university, some shopping and even a Wal-Mart, but as soon as you leave the city you enter what I consider to be the "Real PEI." All at once, you're surrounded by rolling green hills, rugged coastline (no place on the island is more than 10 miles from the sea) and sprawling farmland. I mentioned the dirt roads earlier; they provide a rustic charm for island vacationers. You encounter them anytime you stray from the main roadway, which I encourage any visitor to avoid as much as possible...the main roadway, that is.

Don't avoid them because they're crowded with motorists or riddled with police, but because the routes they take bypass everything that is the essence of PEI: the uncorrupted small towns, the busy, rustic fishing villages, the hard-working farms, the unspoiled terrain, and the wonderful people who wave as you pass by. These are the things that make PEI the incredible place it is.

Although not much information is readily available concerning the specific numbers of Irish immigrants to PEI, one book, Brendan O'Grady's "Exiles and Islanders: The Irish Settlers of Prince Edward Island," contains bountiful information about their settlement. As many as 10,000 Irish settled in PEI throughout the 19th century, and by 1850 they accounted for approximately 25% of the island’s population. Although records show Irish coming to PEI from nearly every county throughout Ireland, the main influx was from nation's southern coastal regions. They brought their families, their wonderful culture, and their skills in farming and fishing which were essential in making PEI a thriving island community on all fronts.

My father’s grandfather was born on PEI in 1860 and his mother was born on the island in 1889. As a child he spent most every summer there and as natural evolution would have it, he brought us along later. I have very fond memories of the time we spent there as a family -- all 13 of us (yes, 13; I'm the youngest of 11 children). We lived in New Hampshire at the time, so the 10-plus hour drive wasn’t completely intolerable. Dad would pile us all in the back of the pickup with some blankets and pillows and we’d hit the road, traveling through some of the most beautiful scenery ever witnessed through the rear hatch of a camper top.

Quite possibly one of the most vivid memories I have is when we hit the coast of New Brunswick, where the driving stopped for a while and we boarded the ferry boat to PEI. In 1997 a 12-kilometer bridge was opened, but prior to that a ferry ride across the Northumberland Strait enlivened the long journey by car. The ferry ride afforded us all a nice rest and a chance to relax -- a salty checkmark in the sea voyage category on the ol’ vacation to-do list. The Strait is very cold and in the winters an icebreaker was necessary to make the crossing. I guess the story goes that my older brother, Scot, during our first voyage on the ferry, looked over the edge of the boat and made the astute observation: "Big dink a wata!" He’s a teacher now. Anyway, the ferry was always a highlight of the trip.

PEI is divided into three counties: Prince, Queens and Kings, and each has its own unique identity. The eastern side of the island faces Nova Scotia and has some amazing views out over the Northumberland Strait, and this is the area where we spent most of our childhood vacations. My great grandfather worked in a shipyard in the town of Cardigan and laid the keel for many great ships that traveled the oceans in the late 1800s. An interesting little museum commemorating this era of shipbuilding lies nearby. The central portion of the island is probably the more inhabited area with Charlottetown situated on its southern edge. This area also is home to Kensington, one of the island's 7 main towns.

Visitors can also find the town of Cavendish to the north which is where "Anne of Green Gables" was based. On the northern coast you begin to see the more rugged aspects of the land as smooth beaches transform into rocky shores. As you follow the coastline you head west and north as the island makes a quick turn, forming a cape of sorts. This is where the land becomes most rural and the coastline most picturesque. The rocks swell into boulders and the tranquil beach converts into a series of jumbo-sized, twisted rock formations and caves.

Getting access to the beach can be an adventure in itself, not because condos have blocked public access, but because it's lined by cliffs, some reaching 100 feet or more. This is what makes this land beautiful: the widely evident and uncommonly intentional lack of development. Seclusion and uninterrupted tranquility awaits as far as the eye can see. Explore for hours in busy tidepools and caves and marvel at the bizarre rock formations. When you’re there, it really does seem like the last frontier.

Among PEI's aboriginal inhabitants were the Mi'kmaq tribe. For the Mi'kmaq, storytelling was a main form of entertainment and cause for tribe members to gather together. Among the modern islanders, this tradition of storytelling is still proudly carried on. During those childhood vacations, it seemed that every evening we'd gather at someone’s home to be regaled with tall tales and ghost stories. I specifically remember my father’s cousin Jim telling us the story of the "Man in Plaid."

It seems Jim bought an old farmhouse on the island and was in the process of remodeling it when he came across an old key mounted above a doorway, under the wallboard. He took the key down, not thinking much of it. That night, as he slept, a man dressed in a plaid shirt visited him. The man was enormous -- 7 feet tall. He stood at the foot of Jim’s bed and slowly raised his arm, gesturing to the key that Jim had sitting on the bureau. Jim jostled his wife who fell out of bed which in turn startled the man, causing him to bump his head on the wood beams in the ceiling. The next morning, Jim thought maybe it was all his imagination until he saw a tuft of hair on one of the ceiling beams. He immediately mounted the key back above the door and it still sits there today. I have no idea how much of the tale is factual, but it really got all of us kids going. I will tell you that about midway through the story the lights in the house went out...probably my Dad trying to make things a bit more convincing.

The people of PEI are like that; more likely to tell a tall tale just for fun rather than watch TV. Which isn't surprising when you consider the Irish influence on the island and their legendary love of storytelling. But PEI itself holds enough lore and legend to have several books written about this pastime, including at least one ghost story anthology I am aware of.

As citizens of modern America, we are part of a society that bases much of its wealth on all that can be measured according to economic and technological standards. Although these things are important to the advancement of our species, it seems we sometimes move too quickly, occasionally losing track of our history and what is most important to us.

On that note, I offer, on behalf of the residents of Prince Edward Island, an invitation to come and experience a land rich in history and folklore. Take a hike along some of the most deserted and beautiful coastline found anywhere. Visit small fishing villages reminiscent of those found throughout coastal Ireland. Strike up a conversation with some locals, listen to their tales, and try to forget about how many Starbucks there are back in your hometown.