The names, faces and legacies of the architects who created many familiar buildings in Prince Edward Island have emerged from the past and are now just a click away.
Available for viewing on the PEI Historic Places website are biographies of ten pioneer Island architects from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including John Plaw, Isaac Smith, Thomas Alley, David Stirling, William C. Harris, Charles B. Chappell, John M. Hunter, George Baker, Edward S. Blanchard and James E. Harris.
Across the Island, there are private homes, commercial buildings and churches which were designed by these creative minds. This legacy continues to add character and charm to many Island communities.
Tourism and Culture Minister Robert Vessey encourages the public and educators to visit the website. “We have compiled a wonderful resource which tells the story of many of the people whose work still contributes to the heritage of communities in our province. I am glad that many of these buildings have been listed on the PEI Register of Historic Places.”
Each biography is illustrated with original archival drawings, architectural plans, and photographs, some of which have never been seen before. The text will be available in both English and French.
The website was made possible with the support of the Historic Places Initiative, a federal-provincial-territorial collaboration. The objective of the initiative is to raise awareness of the importance of heritage places across Canada through public education, the establishment of online resources, and by listing places on provincial registers as well as the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
The Confederation Centre Art Gallery, the Institute of Island Architectural Studies, the Wyatt Heritage Centre and the PEI Public Archives and Records Office contributed to the research component of the project.
Since being launched at Province House in February 2008, the online register of PEI’s historic places has been growing. Historic places can be nominated for inclusion in the register. Application forms are available on the site.
For more information visit the “resources” section at www.peihistoricplaces.ca