Charlottetown in Queens County, Prince Edward Island — The Atlantic Provinces (North America)

The Lay of the Town

La fondation de le ville

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 16, 2019

1. The Lay of the Town Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

English:
In 1768 Charles Morris, a Halifax Surveyor, was directed to lay out the town under the directions of the Board of Trade and Plantations in London. Later the Island's first British Governor, Walter Patterson, through his surveyor Thomas Wright made considerable adjustments to the plan. He enlarged the town lots, clarified the Common, doubled the size of the Royalty lots and established the fine water lots and five squares; leaving us with the bones of the orderly town we have today.

Français:
En 1768, Charles Morris, un arpenteur de Halifax, reçut à Londres le mandat d'établir la ville selon les directives de la Commission du commerce et des plantations. Plus tard, le premier gouverneur britannique de l'île, Walter Patterson, par l'entremise de son arpenteur Thomas Wright, apporta de considérables ajustements à ce plan. Il agrandit les lots de la ville, clarifia les aires communes, doubla la superficie des terres royales et définit les beaux plans d'eau ainsi que cinq squares, soit les fondations de la ville ordonnée actuelle.

Erected by Historic

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Charlottetown.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1768.

Location. 46° 14.458′ N, 63° 6.875′ W. Marker is in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, in Queens County. Marker is at the intersection of Water Street (Prince Edward Island Route 1) and Grafton Street, on the left when traveling north on Water Street. Marker is located in the "Welcome to Charlottetown" plaza at the southwest corner of the intersection. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Charlottetown PE C1A 1M1, Canada. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Site of Charlottetown (here, next to this marker); Birthplace of Confederation (here, next to this marker); The Historic Port of Charlottetown (here, next to this marker); The City of Charlottetown (here, next to this marker); Predominantly a Wooden Town (here, next to this marker); Making History in 1864 (here, next to this marker); Provincial Governance (here, next to this marker); A Centre for the Arts (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charlottetown.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Historic Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

Also see . . . Walter Patterson. Walter

Marker detail: Governor Walter Patterson image. Click for full size.

2. Marker detail: Governor Walter Patterson

The Island’s first British Governor, Walter Patterson
Le premier gouverneur britannique de l’Île,
Water Patterson

Patterson was appointed governor on 14 July 1769 and arrived at his capital of Charlottetown on 30 Aug. 1770. The population of the entire colony was a mere 300, most of them Acadians who did not speak English. The capital city had only a few crude houses and no public buildings. The civil officers were an unpromising lot, a hungry contingent of disaffected office-seekers with little, if any, previous administrative experience, depending for a tenuous subsistence on the collection of the quitrents. (Submitted on May 14, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Marker detail: Charlottetown, Lake Map, 1863 image. Click for full size.

3. Marker detail: Charlottetown, Lake Map, 1863

Marker detail: Panoramic View of Charlottetown<br>by Albert Ruger, 1878 image. Click for full size.

4. Marker detail: Panoramic View of Charlottetown
by Albert Ruger, 1878

Vue panoramique de Charlottetown par Albert Ruger, 1878

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 16, 2019

5. The Lay of the Town Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on May 17, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 13, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 97 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 14, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.