Charlottetown is the provincial capital of the smallest province in the confederation, Prince Edward Island, which is several times smaller than Vancouver Island. Though small, it played the biggest part in confederation by hosting the meeting that led to the confederation of Canada. In 1964, the city built a replica of the confederation chamber with funding from the federal and every single provincial government.
Confederation Park is a great place to gaze out into the Hillsborough River system, the largest in the province, which is a national heritage river system. The mix of salt and fresh water in the marshlands harbours a diverse range of wildlife in addition to fishers. Indigenous people have been using this waterway for thousands of years for transportation and food.
Great George Street begins at the harbour and continues through Province House, the seat of the provincial government and the place of confederation, as the city’s main thoroughfare. The five delegates from Nova Scotia stayed in a hotel on the street within view of Province House. Further down the road, a fine example of a Victorian row building stands as the remainder of the Union Bank building. St. Dunstan’s Basilica stands opposite all of this and used to have 18 bells in its steeple.
Good food is best discovered through Google Maps. Lobster rolls, fried scallops, and fresh mussels are all seasonally available.
