Alberton, Prince Edward Island

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Alberton (2006 Town Population 1,081; UA population 1,081) is a Canadian town located in the western part of Prince County, Prince Edward Island. It is situated in the township of Lot 5.

Roughly equidistant between Tignish and O'Leary, Alberton is situated along the north shore of the island, fronting the open Gulf of St. Lawrence. It has a land area of approximately 5 km² and has geographic coordinates 46º49'N, 64º04'W.

Alberton is a service centre for local fishing and farming communities and is adjacent to the community and harbour of Northport.

Contents 1 History 2 Distances 3 Economy 3.1 Fishing 3.2 Agriculture 3.3 Transportation 3.4 Media 4 Town Amenities 4.1 Education 4.2 Health Care Facilities 4.3 Internet Access 4.4 Recreation 4.5 Historic Sites 4.6 Events 4.7 Churches 4.8 Businesses

[edit] History

Long settled by the Mi'kmaq Nation, Europeans first ventured near Alberton in 1534 when French explorer Jacques Cartier recorded making landfall at nearby Cape Kildare during his journey of discovery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and St. Lawrence River. Acadians settled on the island in small numbers through the 17th and 18th centuries but only moved in greater numbers to the western part of Ile-Saint-Jean and specifically north of present-day Alberton to the Tignish area following their explusion by British military forces in the late 1750s.

Following British victory over France, the island's sovereignty passed to Britain in 1763. In 1765, Captain Samuel Holland surveyed the island and the British government instituted a feudal system of land ownership. The township of Lot 5, which contains present-day Alberton, was granted to Edward Lewis, a British Member of Parliament in the 1767 land lottery.

Alberton proper began to be settled in the 1780s after Lewis made plans for a small trading town. "Lewis Town" was established in June 1788 and was first populated by local Acadians who had escaped expulsion three decades previous, as well as Scottish and Devonshire settlers brought in by Lewis to settle his township.

A local shipbuilding industry and lumber trade brought prosperity to the town throughout the 1800s, although this went into decline as more forested areas were lost to agriculture, on account of the excellent soils in the area.

The community underwent several name and location changes; it had originally been located at the mouth of the harbour (now the location of Northport) and is now located approximately 2 kilometres west of the harbour. The shipbuilding, lumber and shipping industries had resulted in a sustainable community which was a major trade centre in western Prince County and in 1862 it was named in honour of Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII and who had visited Prince Edward Island in 1860. The community was named Alberton on June 27, 1862.

In 1872, the Prince Edward Island Railway was constructed, making the port at Alberton (Northport) its western terminus and connecting Alberton with communities to the east such as O'Leary, Summerside, Charlottetown, Georgetown and Souris.

The western terminus was subsequently extended further from Alberton to Tignish in a sharp diversion just east of the Alberton passenger station, where a wye was constructed and a small railway yard, leading to the spur to Northport. Alberton had come into its own during this period, with various mills, manufacturing businesses, stores and services. The community became a village in 1878 and became home to a court house and justice centre for western Prince County that year.

Alberton became the centre of the world-wide silver fox industry when Charles Dalton and Robert Oulton began farming the fur-bearing animals near the town in 1894, bringing tremendous prosperity to town residents and business owners. Despite a fire that devastated part of the town the following year, Alberton quickly bounced back. Reflecting the growing economic importance of the village, the railway constructed a new passenger station for Alberton in the early 1900s entirely out of stone, one of only two such stations on the island (the other being in Kensington.

The fox farming industry brought increased growth in the population and tax base for the community, which resulted in an upgrade from village status, becoming an incorporated town in May 1913. Silver fox farming remained profitable through the 1940s and many distinctive houses in the community are a reminder of the fortunes that were made during this period.

The Western Hospital was constructed in 1945 and was the first hospital built west of Summerside. The public library opened in 1951, followed by the federal government building in 1962 and the Jacques Cartier Arena and a community museum in 1964. The Maplewood Manor nursing home opened in 1967.

[edit] Distances

• 136 km : Confederation Bridge (to New Brunswick)
• 93 km : Charlottetown
• 66 km : Summerside
• 197 km : Wood Islands ferry (to Nova Scotia)

[edit] Economy

The majority of the Alberton work force is employed in the service sector, serving a surrounding population of 5,000 residents in western Prince County.

[edit] Fishing

The fishing industry in the adjacent community of Northport is a significant economic activity, with landings by fishing boats totalling 3 million kilograms of species such as American lobster, mussels, snow crab, soft shell clams, cod, herring, American plaice, mackerel, sea scallop, yellowtail, eel, winter flounder, smelt, rock crab, tomcod, silversides, porbeagle, and blue shark. Source: 1996, DFO

[edit] Agriculture

The agriculture industry in areas surrounding Alberton is dominated by potato farmers growing table stock for use in french fries, potato chips or cooking, although a significant number of seed growers are in the area as well.

[edit] Transportation

Alberton is located on Highway 12, which is part of the Lady Slipper Drive scenic route. The town is several kilometres northeast of Highway 2, the main provincial east-west secondary highway. Alberton Harbour in Northport is administered by the small craft harbours division of the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

[edit] Media

The Journal-Pioneer, a daily newspaper published in Summerside, maintains its office for western Prince County in Alberton

The West Prince Graphic is a weekly newspaper serving the western part of Prince County and is published locally.

A bi-weekly advertising newspaper called the Penny Saver is published and distributed to all the residents of Western PEI.

[edit] Town Amenities

[edit] Education

The town has private day care and publicly-funded kindergarten facilities, as well as Alberton Elementary School (gr.1-6, 234 students). Students are also transported by bus to the more centrally-located M.E. Callaghan School (gr. 7-9, 378 students) and Westisle Composite High School (gr. 10-12, 748 students), both being located in nearby communities.

Desantis Learning Inc at the West Prince Industrial Centre is listed as a provincial training institution. The Western Development Corporation offers entrepreneurial courses, management trainee courses, and numerous adult basic education programs.

[edit] Health Care Facilities

Alberton is home to the Western Hospital which serves the area with 25 acute care beds and 2 palliative care beds. There is a pharmacy, and a 24-hour medical clinic located at the hospital. In addition, there is Maplewood Manor which is a long-term care facility, and the new Rev W.J. Phillips Residence which offers 25 units of enriched residential care.

[edit] Internet Access

Alberton has a Community Access Program (CAP) Site, located in the town hall. Residents can book time on the computer and access the internet. Computer facilities are also available at the Opportunity Centre and at the library.

[edit] Recreation

The town has an active Recreation Department, which publishes an "Activity Flyer" of programs each spring and fall. A wide variety of activities are offered for all ages, including aerobics and training, art classes, craft fairs, bowling leagues and club, boxing club, "boxercise", darts, cards, karaoke, bingo, basketball, badminton, volleyball, walking club, gymnastics, preschool activities group, swimming (at Mill River Aquaplex), skating, figure skating, minor hockey, recreational hockey, boys and girls softball and soccer. The department coordinates with many community organizations to deliver the programs.

Facilities include:

• Alberton Arms
• Alberton Community Centre (bowling lanes, bingo, dances, wedding receptions)
• Alberton Elementary School
• Alberton Library
• Iron Haven Gym
• Jacques Cartier Memorial Arena
• Maplewood Manor
• Northport Community Hall
• Old Stone Station Park
• Prince County Exhibition Grounds
• Town Community Room
• Veterans Memorial Park
• West Prince Boxing Club
• Western Community Curling Club
• soccer field
• two baseball diamonds

The town is in close proximity to three provincial parks: Mill River Provincial Park, Bloomfield Provincial Park, and Jacques Cartier Provincial Park. It is also located on the Confederation Trail for walking, running and bicycling in the summer, and cross-country skiing in the winter.

The area offers opportunities for recreational fishing at Gallant's Pond, Arsenault's Pond, Blanchard's Pond, Gordon's Pond, Warren's Pond, Black Pond, Leard's Pond, MacAusland's Pond, Livingstone's Pond, Mill River Bridge, Cain's Brook, Miminegash River, Little Tignish River, the Old Dam Site on the Mill River, the Trout River, and the Little and Big Pierre Jacques Rivers. Atlantic Salmon can also be fished (using a fly) in Leard's Pond and Trout River after the middle of June.

[edit] Historic Sites

The Alberton Court House has housed the Alberton Museum since 1980 and contains various displays from its collection pertaining to the area.

The town park contains a monument to the pioneers of silver fox farming, Robert Oulton and Charles Dalton.

[edit] Events

• The Prince County Exhibition[1] is held every August and features livestock shows, exhibits, meals, racing, youth talent, strongman competition, and a midway.

• The Alberton Winter Carnival is held every February.

• Other events include the Alberton Day Festival, Canada Day and Trail Day.

[edit] Churches

Alberton has seven churches:

• ALBERTON BAPTIST CHURCH Telephone: (902) 853-3492 128 Main Street Alberton, PEI C0B 1B0
• ALBERTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Telephone: (902) 853-3193 PO Box 340 Alberton, PEI C0B 1B0
• APOSTOLIC PENTECOSTAL Telephone: (902) 853-3494 Main Street Alberton, PEI
• GORDON MEMORIAL UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Telephone: (902) 853-3996 P.O. Box 381 Alberton, PEI C0B 1B0
• KINGDOM HALL OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESS Telephone: (902) 853-2949 416 Church Street Alberton, PEI C0B 1B0
• SACRED HEART ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Telephone: (902) 853-2344 Facsimile: (902) 853-4159 PO Box 250 Alberton, PEI C0B 1B0
• ST. PETER’S ANGLICAN CHURCH Telephone: (902) 853-2524 P.O. Box 152 Alberton, PEI C0B 1B0

Source: AlbertonYouth

[edit] Businesses

The town lists the many businesses and attractions shown in the table below:

v • d • e Subdivisions of Prince Edward Island
Counties	Kings · Prince · Queens
Parishes	Bedford · Charlotte · East · Egmont · Greenville · Halifax · Hillsboro · North · Richmond · St. Andrew's · St. David's · St. George's · St. John's · St. Patrick's
Lots	1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 · 21 · 22 · 23 · 24 · 25 · 26 · 27 · 28 · 29 · 30 · 31 · 32 · 33 · 34 · 35 · 36 · 37 · 38 · 39 · 40 · 41 · 42 · 43 · 44 · 45 · 46 · 47 · 48 · 49 · 50 · 51 · 52 · 53 · 54 · 55 · 56 · 57 · 58 · 59 · 60 · 61 · 62 · 63 · 64 · 65 · 66 · 67
Royalties	Kings Royalty · Prince Royalty · Queens Royalty
Cities	Charlottetown · Summerside
Other communities	Alberton · Borden · Breadalbane · Cavendish · Central Bedeque · Cornwall · Ellerslie · Foxley River · Freeland · Georgetown · Hebron · Hunter River · Kensington · Knutsford · Miminegash · Miscouche · Montague · Morell · Mount Stewart · Murray Harbour · Murray River · North Rustico · O'Leary · Souris · Stratford · Tignish
Subdivisions of: BC · AB · SK · MB · ON · QC · NB · NS · NL · YU · NT · NU

Coordinates: 46°48′N, 64°04′W