PEI slang Heritage

The Confederation Trail

East Coast Heritage Vignette – PEI’s Confederation Trail

Cycling and hiking season is in full swing! The Confederation Trail in Prince Edward Island is a place for all cycling and hiking enthusiasts to experience. It’s surely one of our East Coast gems.

Typical Prince Edward Island (Canada) coastline photographed at Cabot beach, Malpeque. The island is famous for its red soil coloured by iron oxide.

Confederation Trail

The Confederation Trail stretches for 470 km from one end of the island to the other. Originally this trail was the CN rail; built in the 1870’s, and serviced all points on the Island up until 1994. At this point in time; CN opted to close down the railroad service on the Island. The PEI Government then purchased the entire right of way from CN and turned into a Provincial Park. It’s one of the longest ones; that we know of, but it’s a cyclist’s or hikers’ dream.

PEI’s Provincial Park

The trail is a Provincial Park and is very well maintained all along the way. The ballast was changed from rock to stone dust and there are no grades either; so it makes the trail easy to travel on. There are plenty of rest stops with benches, measured km posts, lookouts and you are never any farther than about 5 km from civilization. The landscape is breathtaking and you can be going through a forest one minute and the coastline the next. Pretty spectacular I say! The whole trail can be done in approximately 3 to 4 days depending on your mode and pace of travel. For your adventure there are camping sights set up at various points. You can also easily access the trail from most anywhere along the trail and make it a day trip.

Explore PEI

In days gone by, communities were conveniently developed all along the railway lines. This Confederation Trail allows for many pit stops to these communities where you can explore the local history, enjoy some fine cuisine, experience the culture, numerous attractions for your pleasure and Island living . Yes; Habitat and Heritage are all rolled into one, in this adventure! If you ever get a chance to go, you will be happy you did! Happy cycling/hiking to y’all!

George (Flat Nose)Currie

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The Prince Edward Island connection to Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch

The Wild Bunch Connection

When you think of the Island; you think of a pleasant place with beautiful beaches, lobster, horse racing, the potatoe industry, golfing and perhaps the sweet Anne of Green Gables. Butch Cassidy and The Wild Bunch, would not even come to mind. I guess it probably should cause George Currie was a prominent member of The Wild Bunch! He was born and raised right in West Point.

Currie Family Homestead

West Point is a small settlement located on the south western part of the province. Today it is better known for the Cedar Dunes Provincial Park; now established there. In the 1870’s; it was probably home to fishermen and farmers settling the land.
George Curry was the 2nd of six children; born in 1871, to John and Nancy Anne Curry. Around this time though; many young Maritimers were packing up and heading south to the Boston States to find work. John and Nancy Ann were no different. They ended up settling in Chadron, Nebraska. This was cowboy and farming country!

Butch Cassidy & The Wild Bunch

George spent his formative years here. Somehow he ended up working at a Utah ranch makin’ a livin’ cow punchin’(branding cows). This was where he got into his first scrape with the law. George got off easy on that charge and then drifted off to Wyoming. Somewhere along the way; George got kicked in the face by a horse. This was to severely alter his nose. You guessed it, he was rechristened as “Flat Nose”. By this time; Flat Nose was probably in his early twenties and rabble rousing was in his blood. He became bosom buddies with another rouser known as Harvey Logan.(aka Kid Curry) Well; together the rustlin’ and robbin’ grew. One day they were staying at a ranch near the Hole-in-the-Wall, Wyoming. This was a popular gathering spot for criminals that were hiding out from the law. Its here that they hooked up with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Life now turned into rustlin’ and robbin’ trains, shoot outs and killings. The money was good and they extended their spree all over Wyoming, Montana and the Dakotas. They came famous and feared! The Law was soon onto them! The heat got so bad; that in the late 1890’s, the boys had to split up. George drifted back to Utah and picked up a job as a Cow Puncher again.

Flat Nose Currie

To make ends meet and because russlin’ came easy to him; George picked up on his old habits. On April 17th, 1900; (in Grand County, Utah) it all caught up to him. He was evading the law once again and running from a posse. Well; George “Flat Nose” Curry; from West Point PEI, took a bullet that day and drew his last breath.

The Wild Bunch

You probably wonder what happened to the rest of them. Well Kid Curry was gunned down by a posse in Colorado in 1904. His grave is just a short distance from Doc Holliday’s; in Glenview Springs Colorado. If you saw the movie, you know that Butch and Sundance were killed by the federales in Bolivia in 1908.

All in all, it was a hell of a way to make a living for these boys. I wonder if George ever gave any thought to the quiet life he could have had! Fishin’ lobster off the south coast of Prince Edward Island? And maybe…just maybe…the Islanders were relieved!

Lord Selkirk and the Scots

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Prince Edward Island has a very rich history of immigration. I will share a story about a very interesting person who played a large role in this process. The story about Lord Selkirk and the Scots.

Crofters

He was born into Scottish peerage in 1771 in Kirkudbrightshire, Scotland. He had not expected to ever inherit the family estate so he set out for Edinburg. Here he studied to become a lawyer. There was unrest in Scotland during this time. Scots were being ousted from their homes by greedy landlords. He had genuine concern for these displaced farmers or crofters. (A crofter was a tenent on a small farm or croft). I think he was born of a different kilt and thank goodness for that. Lord Selkirk was determined to resettle these people in British North America.

Scots in PEI

In 1799; he used his inheritance to finance, travel and locate places to settle these people. He purchased 80000 acres of land in present day Belfast PEI. He presented his plan to the British Government but they flatly refused to support his efforts. Financing three ships; he successfully relocated approximately 800 crofters to the island; in August of 1803. Each family was given an average of 100 acres of pure forest land; at a minimal price. The lands were alotted to groups of four families. This way they could provide support and comfort to each other while making their land habitable. His task at hand was highly successful. To this day, you can still find MacAulays, MacLeans, MacDonalds and many other Scottish surnames in PEI.

You might wonder what happened to Lord Selkirk. He went on to settle more of the crofters in Ontario and also played a major part in their settling in Winnipeg. In 1817; he departed North America after some involvement with the Hudson Bay Company. He spent his years in Europe where he died in Pau France in 1870. He certainly did well by his countrymen.

Check out the Scots recipe for Bannoch in Mamma’s East Coast Kitchen. Yum!

Prince Edward Island Slang

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PEI is known as The Cradle of Confederation, The Kentucky of Canada and is where our Atlantic unity all began. Historically it is the birth place of Confederation. The new Confederation Bridge spans the Northumberland Strait connecting the island to the mainland of NS. Prior to this construction all crossings were by ferry at Cape Tormentine NB to Borden PEI and Woods Island to Caribou(this ferry is still in operation today) The Atlantic Ocean and the Northumberland Strait completely surround the island with endless miles of sandy beaches, dunes, bays, coves, harbours and red sandstone cliffs. It is coastal and island livin’ extraordinare!

Settlers

This East Coast island is renowned for the fishing of lobster, crab, oysters, clams, bass, mussels and sturgeon. That being said; the fishing industry has sustained the economy and settlers for generations. However; farming has been and still is the backbone of the economy. The fertile red earth provides a huge and successful potato industry for the Province. Its no wonder settlers migrated to this area. The founding pioneers were French, Scottish, Irish and First Nation peoples. Life was not easy in the earlier days with being isolated from the mainland and resources. However; this feature attracts people who seek island livin’ even today. I just bet that Islanders say they wouldn’t have it any other way!

Explore the Island

The tourist attractions are plentiful here with museums, old mills, harbours and historical sites that walk you through time. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery is a popular tourist destination. Adventures are endless with camping , biking, whale watching, boating, sailing, horse racing, swimming and just exploring the scenic trails on the rolling hills. Bike the old rail line from one tip of the Island to the other. And you dont have to go far to put your toes in the sand and have a dip in the Atlantic Ocean. Cavendish and Stanhope beach offers family activities that are endless. Charlottetown is the hub of the province where the Fathers of Confederation met so many years ago and offers island culture at its best. Experience Atlantic Canadas finest horse racing events at the raceway in Charlottetown and Summerside. Check it all out. Y’all will sure be glad you did. Ita a vacationers playground of fun ‘n sun in the sand!

Gatherings

Y’all can’t visit without having a feast of fresh mouthwatering lobster at the numerous suppers offered! So check out the quaint little village of North Rustico. Islanders gather in droves over the summer months. Experience and celebrate the culture and lifestyle of Island living in fine style. Join in and gather with the clans and experience some fine music dancing, singing and traditional foods. When Islanders embrace your presence; Y’all might learn some great Prince Edward Island slang!

Charlottetown Festival
Cavendish Beach Music Festival
Old Home Week in Charlottetown

Slang

So you know; the East Coast Slang from this area also has a nautical theme related to the waterways. My ancestors hailed from here and I sure wish I had known them then and their Irish slang too. Please share all about your PEI Heritage, your love for island and coastal living. Share the PEI slang you know. Happy slangin’ PEI slangers.

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