Carts Lined Up for Loading
Bathers on Crescent Beaches
A wide variety of produce, including
potatoes and eggs, was shipped by
schooner from Victoria until the early-
1900’s. In the days of the steamboats
Victoria was a regular stop for the Harlan,
dropping off visitors from Charlottetown
and places further afield, to spend a few
days relaxing in the beautiful village by the sea.
Docking of the SS Harland
The village of Victoria (or Victoria-by-the-Sea), tucked neatly on the south shore of the Island, halfway between Charlottetown and Summerside, was founded in 1819 by James Bardin Palmer, an immigrant lawyer and agent for the Earl of Westmoreland. His son Donald, following a well-conceived plan, laid out the village on Palmer’s estate. The effect can still be seen today by the grid pattern of its streets.
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By the late-1800’s the settlement was
prosperous with three wharves and many
thriving businesses. Because of its shel-
tered harbour and strategic location,
Victoria became an important seaport
with a significant amount of trade with
Europe, the West Indies and other
East Coast ports.
Victoria-by-the-Sea • A History
