One of Canada's most historically important places, it was in this building that the wheels were set in motion for the creation of the Dominion of Canada. In September of 1864, 23 delegates from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Upper and Lower Canada met here to debate the possibility of joining together in the formation of a new country.
In all, three conferences were held, the second in Quebec City, in October of 1864, and the third in London, in December of 1866. The initial conference was intended to discuss the possibility of the Maritime Provinces forming a union. Upon learning of this proposed conference, the colony of Canada (Upper and Lower Canada) requested that it be allowed to participate. With its attendance the discussions quickly turned from a Maritime Union to a union of all concerned. Ultimately, on July 1st, 1867 the Dominion of Canada was born out of the three conferences.
Ironically, Prince Edward Island refused to join Confederation, choosing instead to remain a British colony. In 1871, however, the colony embarked on the construction of a much needed railway on the Island, which nearly bankrupted it. In exchange for financial aid, Prince Edward Island agreed to join Confederation, becoming the seventh Canadian province on July 1, 1873.
Built in the years 1843 to 1847 to house the legislative assembly (elected) and the legislative council (appointed), Province House also housed the Prince Edward Island Supreme Court until 1872. The building's design was the work of Isaac Smith, winner of a public design competition.
The legislative assembly presently resides in the adjacent George Coles Building at 175 Richmond Street, as Province House was closed on January 1, 2015 for three to five years of restoration work.
History of Province House
Province House has been the seat of Prince Edward Island's Legislative Assembly since 1847. It is Canada's second oldest active legislative building, after that of Nova Scotia.
Prior to the construction of Province House, or the Colonial Building as it was originally called, PEI's Legislature met in homes, taverns and, for over three decades prior to the completion of the Colonial Building, in the Plaw Building, which also housed the Court House. In 1837 Lieutenant Governor Harvey noted that Charlottetown lacked a solid and well constructed edifice for the deposit and safe custody of all Public Records. He set aside £5,000 for the construction of a building that would house both the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly, as well as offices and storage for public records. Later it was decided that the Supreme Court would also be given space in the building, and a further £5,000 was assigned to the project. A public design competition was won by builder Isaac Smith, and construction began in 1843.
Province House was built of stone to make it more resistant to fire, with brick vaults to house records. Contracts for labour and materials were awarded to Island businesses, with the exception of the stone used for the exterior walls, which came from Nova Scotia. The beginning of construction in May, 1843, was marked with a parade, music, speeches and the laying of a cornerstone by Lieutenant Governor Sir Henry Vere Huntley. The finished building comprised a cellar and three stories; a central staircase divided each floor into east and west corridors, with offices on north and south sides. Larger rooms such as the Legislative Council Chamber and House of Assembly on the second floor, and the Supreme Court on the first floor, were located at the corridors’ end. The Legislature first met in the Province House on January 26, 1847, and the finishing touches were completed in 1848. Province House was built in the Classical Revival (or neoclassical) style and is comparable to public buildings in other colonies of the time.
From the Legislative Assembly of PEI
Province House
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
Province House, a National Historic Site, is a major heritage resource in Prince Edward Island. It is centrally located at the heart of Queen's Square at the foot of Great George Street in Charlottetown, the capital of PEI. The 3 storey building is constructed in the Neoclassical style. The designation includes the footprint of the building.
HERITAGE VALUE
Province House stands as a monument to the ingenuity of local artisans in Prince Edward Island in the mid-19th Century. Constructed by Issac Smith, a local architect, this Neo-Classical gem was completed in 1847. It was a bicameral design, housing both the legislative assembly (elected) and the legislative council (appointed) on the second floor. The PEI Supreme Court was also housed in the building until 1872. As the political centre of the province, Province House has also been the focal point for numerous public events including royal visits and public demonstrations. The most famous event associated with the building is the meetings held in September 1864 of delegates from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Canadas to debate the efficacy of joining together in a new country. These meetings occurred in the Legislative Council chamber on the second floor. The building is currently restored to the era of the 1860s and is operated by Parks Canada. It continues to be the focal point of political life in the province and historically has served as the "cradle of Confederation" when the union of the British North American colonies was first debated there in 1864 - leading to the creation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
The Neo-Classical elements of Province House give character to the structure and should be preserved:
- Italian-renaissance motifs of its temple-like portico which visually organizes the facade into three equal portions
- 4 pedimented windows on the second floor
- corresponding regular windows on the third floor
- four doric columns which range from the second floor to the roof
- the wide oval doorway framed by two fluted columns on the ground floor
- the three over three windows on either side of the portico
From Historic Places Canada