Historic Charlottetown.

Randall White is the author of Voice of Region: On the Long Journey to
Senate Reform in Canada, Too Good to Be True: Toronto in the 1920s, and
Global Spin: Probing the Globalization Debate.

If forthcoming studies of Maritime communities in Nimbus’s Images of our Past series get as talented an author as Julie Watson proves she is with this book, local history buffs will be well served. Admittedly, Charlottetown’s story as the birthplace of Canada has been mined by many past scholars, but this well-documented and -illustrated history tops the list of the several in this series that I have reviewed, thanks to the crisp yet conversational writing style and the author’s sharp eye for the “human interest” angle. After an introduction reaching back to its first inhabitants, the Mi’kmaq First Nations, and thence to a brief overview of the first European efforts at control and settlement, we are given an Islander’s perspective of Confederation, with the emphasis and illustrations on local politicians and the roles they played both during that momentous week and the months following. The next chapter deals with the “Growth of a City,” and the other six sections describe developments in transportation, commerce and agriculture, culture and community, sporting affairs, service to others (which is mainly a survey of religious institutions), and this small city’s contributions to the two world wars.

The many illustrations stand out not so much for their visual clarity (I had to use a magnifying glass at times to see what the accompanying text was referring to) but for the fascinating tidbits of history she uncovered. A good example was a shot of the island’s first gasoline auto (circa 1905) and a discussion of how the politicians initially passed very restrictive regulations as to their use that lasted until 1919, when the passage of a new Automobile Act enabled vehicle owners to drive anytime rather than just on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Islanders’ long love affair with sulky racing, which continues to this day, features a composite photo of the winning horses in the first gold cup and saucer race in 1961, a tradition that also continues each summer. Space prevents mention of scores of other examples of Charlottetown’s long and distinct culture, but this volume should be a big seller among the thousands of Canadians who visit the island each year.