For genealogists researching family history in Prince
Edward Island, community history books represent a
treasure-trove of colourful details and anecdotes. The
stories contained in these volumes bring to life the
bustling communities in which long-passed ancestors
lived. During the 1970s and 1980s, community historical
societies and Women’s Institutes across the Island
undertook the daunting task of recounting the history of
their locality. In all cases, these local historians
showed great industry and resourcefulness in retrieving
old photographs, collecting family histories, and
preserving local stories.
Aside from those
volumes written by individual local historians, the
majority of these books were created through one of two
projects. In the early 1970s, the History Committee of
the Prince Edward Island Centennial Commission sponsored
local communities in the publication of the story of
their founding and growth. On the 100th
anniversary of Prince Edward Island’s entry into
Confederation, these booklets were intended to honour
Island pioneers without whose toil and dedication our
Island communities would never have endured. Then, during
the 1980s, the provincial Department of Health and
Welfare, in co-operation with the New Horizons Program,
helped organize community members to apply for grants
from New Horizons that would help finance the research,
typing, and printing of local history books.
Of special interest to genealogists is the significant attention devoted to family histories in these volumes. In some cases, half of a two-hundred-page history will be devoted to the history of the community’s families. These genealogies detail the geographic moves that brought families to the community and, in some cases, away from it.
These community histories typically cover the entire
evolution of the community from pre-colonial days up to
the present. Many describe the geological origins of the
Island and its indigenous fauna and vegetation. Often,
accounts of the area’s Aboriginal inhabitants are
also presented. The 
community’s historical
narrative then enters the pioneer era, depicting, in
great detail, the arrival of colonial settlers and
vividly portraying their way of life. Records of
traditional livelihoods are thorough, identifying mill
and factory owners, merchants, pastors, school teachers,
and the like. Maps indicating land ownership, the
construction of roads, and the growth of the community
are invariably integrated with the narrative. The
development of industries, commerce, and services, such
as postal, electrical, and telephone, are also chronicled
along with key people and secondary characters. Other
sections are devoted to sports, local organizations,
community activities and festivals, church life, schools,
veterans, and local personalities. Many photos, school
enrolment lists and organizations’ membership lists
also grace the pages of these community chronicles.
Genealogists and curious Islanders exploring their Island heritage are sure to find useful hints and otherwise unrecorded accounts of their ancestors’ lives and how they helped create what has come to be known as “The Island Way of Life.”
To access a list of community history books click here.
