Charlottetown

Before European settlement of Prince Edward Island began in the early 18th century, the area around what is now Charlottetown was populated by the Mi'kmaq nation of indigenous peoples. The first European settlers were French explorers who founded the settlement of Port la Joie across the harbor to the south of modern Charlottetown in 1720. After the British took control of Prince Edward Island in 1763, Port la Joie became the site of Fort Amherst, built to protect the harbor on which Charlottetown is situated. The British surveyor-general, Captain Samuel Holland, located the new settlement across the harbor from Port la Joie and suggested the name Charlotte Town, after Charlotte, wife of King George III. In 1768 it was named the capital of the colony.

A detailed plan of city blocks was laid out in 1768 by Charles Morris, the chief surveyor for the colony of Nova Scotia. Changes and refinements were made in 1771 by surveyor Thomas Wright, acting on the instructions of the first colonial governor, Walter Patterson. The plan devoted 110 hectares (270 acres) to building lots and 230 hectares (565 acres) to a common area, reserved for later expansion. Beyond the common were over 2,420 hectares (6,000 acres) of pastureland, known as the Royalty.

In 1864 Charlottetown was the site of the Charlottetown Conference, a meeting between representatives of most of the British North American colonies to discuss Confederation. The meeting was a success, and led eventually to the establishment of the Dominion of Canada in 1867.

Charlottetown was incorporated in 1855, with a population of 6,500. On July 16, 1866, the city experienced its worst of several fires. “The Great Fire” broke out in an old building near the waterfront. It was thought to be deliberately set, and before it was brought under control it had destroyed nearly four city blocks. One hundred buildings were lost, and 30 families were left homeless. The fire prompted the city government to promote brick construction, and the many brick buildings of the downtown area began to appear.

By 1921 the population had grown to 10,814, and in 1957 the neighboring municipality of Spring Park became part of Charlottetown. In 1983 the federal Department of Veteran’s Affairs was relocated to Charlottetown, the only federal department of government to be moved out of the Canadian national capital of Ottawa.

In 1992 Charlottetown was the site of the signing of the Charlottetown Accord, an agreement between Canadian federal and provincial governments designed to amend portions of the Canadian constitution. Charlottetown was chosen for the signing because of its significance as the Birthplace of Confederation. However, the accord was defeated in a national vote on October 26, 1992.

The Confederation Bridge was completed in 1997 as the first highway link between Prince Edward Island and the mainland. At the time it opened it was the world’s longest multispan bridge over salt water.