Introduction

Stretched along the southeast coast of Prince Edward Island lies Belfast. It’s a district, really, rather than a community. Or perhaps it’s more accurately described as a “community of communities,” bounded by the waters of Orwell Cove to the north, the Northumberland Strait to the south and west, and King’s County to the east. Within these boundaries are a number of smaller, but nonetheless, distinct communities which, taken together, make up the Belfast district.

It’s a very beautiful part of the province. There are sandy beaches, level farmlands, rolling hills and splendid hardwoods. There are well- kept farms, picturesque fishing ports, and historic buildings.

And there are people. Belfast people — sixth and seventh generation descendants of the Scottish and Irish settlers who came to the area in the first half of the nineteenth century.

Early Settlement: The Selkirk Settlers

The modern history of the Belfast area began in 1803. That was the year that Thomas Douglas, the Fifth Earl of Selkirk, led his group of Highland Scots to this new land. His was not the first settlement. The French had settled the area in the mid 1700s, but were forced to abandon their homesteads during the expulsion of the Acadians in 1758. But the French had left their mark, most notably in the place names which still grace some of the smaller communities in the area. Pinette (named after Acadian immigrant, Noel Pinet), Point Prim (Prime Pointe, or “first point”), and Belle River (Belle Riviére), still bear reminders of their early French lineage.

Despite the availability of ready, cleared land following the expulsion, attempts to settle the abandoned Acadian homesteads in 1775 and again in 1785 both ended in failure. So, why did the Selkirk settlement succeed where others failed? Certainly much of the credit must go to Lord Selkirk himself, though not because of any on—going interest he took in the settlement. In fact, Selkirk was far more hopeful for his settlements in Upper Canada and in the Red River area. Rather, it appears that Selkirk’s efforts were successful because he had chosen his settlers well.

At a time when the vast majority of the Island’s absentee owners were attempting to populate their lands with poor tenant farmers from whom

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