Community, Cultural Affairs and Labour

Community History Research Guide

Sources to Consult

Printed Materials

Researchers should check published materials relating to the history of Prince Edward Island. Some sources include:

Three centuries and the Island, by Andrew Hill Clarke

(University of Toronto Press, 1959), 971.7 CLA

Canada's smallest province. A history of Prince Edward Island, edited by Francis W.P. Bolger

(The P.E.I. 1973 Centennial Commission), 971.7 BOL

A history of Prince Edward Island, by A.B. Warburton

(Barnes and Co. Ltd., Printers, St. John, NB, 1923), 971.7 WAR

Past and present of Prince Edward Island, by D.A. MacKinnon and A.B. Warburton

(B.F. Bowen and Co., Charlottetown, ca. 1906), Acc. 3474/2

The French regime in Prince Edward Island, by D.C. Harvey

(Yale University Press, New Haven, 1926), 971.7 HAR

Westcountrymen in Prince Edward's Isle. A fragment of the great migration, by Basil Greenhill and Ann Giffard

(University of Toronto Press, 1967), 971.702 GRE

My Island, my people, by Lorne C. Callbeck

(1979, P.E.I. Heritage Foundation), 971.7 CAL

The Island Magazine, published by the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation

Geographical names of Prince Edward Island, by Alan Rayburn

(Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names. Ottawa, 1973), 917.17 RAY

Place-names of Prince Edward Island with meanings, compiled by R. Douglas

(Geographic Board of Canada, Ottawa, 1925), Acc. 2353/53

The cradle of Confederation, by Lorne C. Callbeck

(Brunswick Press, Fredericton, 1964), 971.7 CAL

The government of Prince Edward Island, by Frank MacKinnon

(University of Toronto Press, 1951) 320.9717 MCK

History of Prince Edward Island, by Duncan Campbell

(Bremner Bros., Charlottetown, 1875), Acc. 2353/522

Many of these books are available to be consulted at the Public Archives and Records Office. They may also be available at your local public library. Also, it is helpful to review other community histories for ideas concerning content, format and presentation.

Newspapers

Newspapers often provide first hand accounts of community events and activities. Many newspapers carried regular columns such as "Emerald notes," "News from Crapaud," etc. Newspapers also provide provincial, national and international news. The Checklist and historical directory of Prince Edward Island newspapers 1787-1986, compiled by Heather Boylan (Public Archives of P.E.I., 1987) provides a listing of newspapers published, and where newspapers are available to be consulted. Newspapers have not been systematically indexed for subjects or names and therefore can be very time consuming to check. The Public Archives and Records Office does have a newspaper index to selected items, including some articles regarding community history information, which appeared in the Guardian, Patriot and Journal-Pioneer covering 1973 through 1981. An index to earlier newspaper items is also available, however, it includes fewer such references. Also, Robertson Library's P.E.I. Collection catalogue at the University of Prince Edward Island includes references to books, newspaper references and vertical file items pertaining to local history events dating from the early 1970s to present. Items from 1997 are being indexed into the Library's Bobcat (electronic library catalogue).

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