We set out from the Marriott Hotel (where their office is) and headed past the Convention Centre towards the waterfront.
A very cool metal sculpture display....
The park is located at the same location where on Sept 1, 1864 the eight-member fathers of confederation, including John A. MacDonald, arrived.
We stopped at the Visitor Centre and picked up a walking tour map, got some tips for places for lunch...and then headed out on the Heritage Walk.
Fine Buildings on the BlockThis block once was the site of a little wooden Baptist church, a livery stable and, even a soap and candle factory. In 1867 the Bank of Prince Edward Island chose this block to build this fine brink building. It later became the Bank of Nova Scotia and then various federal government departments occupied it....
SDU Place...Home of St. Dunstan's University Board of Governors...
The "Bishop's Palace"The "Bishop's Palace" was constructed by Bishop Peter McIntyre between 1872 and 1875 to serve as the episcopal residence for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown. Designed by architect John Corbett, the imposing stone residence blended the Italianate and Gothic Revival styles. The north wing was added after 1913 to a design by J.M. Hunter, and the massive two-storey balcony in 1924 After the bishop's residence re-located in the mid-1960s, the building served several functions, while continuing as the rectory for St. Dunstan's Basilica. In 2008, the building was acquired and restored by the Board of Governors of St. Dunstan's University which is mandated to foster and promote higher education for the Diocese's Roman Catholics. SDU Place now houses the SDU Board offices, as well as rental space for parish purposes, apartments for retired clergy, and the Catholic Women's League.
The Bells of St. Dunstan's BasilicaThe 18 bells, manufactured by the Paccard Bell Foundry in France, were installed in the north steeple of St. Dunstan's Basilica in 1928. For almost 50 years their chimes were part of the culture of Charlottetown. Due to structural issues the bells were removed and put into storage in the 1970's. With the support of generous donors, the refurbished bells were reinstalled in the steeple and range again on July 1, 2017. Paccard Bells can be found in many locations in North America such as Mission Hill Winery in BC, St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal, and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.
Beautiful inside!
John Hamilton GraysIt is an odd coincidence that, at the meeting of the 23 delegates at the Charlottetown Conference in September 1864, two men would have the same name. That is precisely what happened.
John Hamilton Gray, the Conservative Premier of Prince Edward Island, was the Chair of the Conference. John Hamilton Gray of New Brunswick represented Saint John as a Conservative member and was one of the five delegates from that province. Both believe in a confederation, both were pro railway and had active careers in the military. It would seem likely that if they had met here on Great George Street that week in 1864 they would have had much to discuss.
Housing a Rich History
The history of these houses that make up this block now known as the Great George Hotel is one of the richest in Charlottetown. All the buildings in one form of another were here before 1864. In addition to being homes or home businesses, they have had a very very long history in the hotel business. The building - at least a part of it - on the north corner was built before 1812 and was called The Wellington Hotel. For years it was the centre of much social activity in the town. The south corner, now the main entrance into the hotel, was known as The Pavilion Hotel in 1864. The delegates from Nova Scotia stayed there. Its history in the hotel business has been continuous since 1853.
Building on Our Local Heritage
The renovation of the block between Richmond and Sydney Street in the 1970s, site of Governor Edmund Fanning's former residence, was undertaken by the Heritage Canada Foundation and the local heritage community, leading to a major renewal of Great George Street. The street was designated as a National Historic district of Canada in 1990.The Union Bank building on the north corner was built in 1872. The remainder of the block, known as the Heartz O'Halloran Row, built in the British classical style, was started in 1850 when the south corner was erected by Richard Heartz, a merchant and town councillor. This was followed by the construction of the other parts of the building in 1865 and 1879 by Martin O'Halloran at his residence and store. Over the last century and a half the building has been occupied by the offices of lawyers, doctors and other professionals and remains the finest Victorian row building in the province.
Province House is getting a face-lift....
Erected by the citizens of Charlottetown in Memory of those from Prince Edward Island who gloriously laid down their lives in the Great War and in honour forevermore of all who served therein...
WWI 1914-1918
WWII 1939-1945
Korea 1950-1953
Afghanistan 2001-2014
Explore the Confederation Chamber, an accurate replica of the Province House site where Canada was born.
The Story of Confederation offers visitors the opportunity to experience Province House in Prince Edward Island National Historic Site and the Charlottetown Conference while Province House is closed for conservation work over the next three to five years.
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