That station, however, is long gone, replaced in 1927 by this larger and much more functional depot. The design of the building was apparently a collaboration of Canadian National Railway (CNR) architect, Mr. Crudge, Summerside contractor Percy Tanton and Charlottetown architect, C.B. Chappell. The result was this 132 by 32 foot depot.
On the west end of the station are a series of murals, painted in black and white, likely taken from old photos. Painted in 1998 by artist Greg Garand, the murals depict railway scenes from the steam era of the CNR on PEI. There are three on the north, street facing, side and three on the west end. Following is some railway history, while further below is the story of the murals and more railway history.
The railway was originally named the Prince Edward Island Railway and turned out to be a much more costly venture than the Island could finance. The debt incurred in its construction was the primary reason for Prince Edward Island's joining Confederation in 1873.
The Prince Edward Island Railway (PEIR) was absorbed by the CNR in 1919, so this station had always been a CNR station and never a part of the PEIR.
Passenger service was discontinued by the CNR in 1969 and rail service discontinued entirely in 1989, and by 1990 the station was boarded up. It fell upon the Rotarians of Summerside to launch a campaign to have the station restored and repurposed into the public library. They were entirely successful in this endeavour and the station, as the Summerside Public Library, was once again one of the hubs of the city. The library moved to larger quarters in December of 2016; in 2017 the station was sold to a private party and converted into a microbrewery and restaurant.
Along with the murals depicting the railway history of Summerside, several plaques surrounding the building relate the history, as well.
Salute to the Prince Edward Island Railway
Location: Former 1927 Summerside Railway Station, 192 Water Street
Facts: Mural # 2. Erected 1998 in partnership with Tourism PEI.
Mural Artist: Greg Garand
The Prince Edward Island Railway began operating in 1875. Its establishment was accomplished largely through the efforts of two Summerside brothers,
James Colledge Pope, who was Premier when the Railway Bill was passed in 1871, and
William Henry Pope, a Father of Confederation. The narrow gauge track ran from Tignish to Souris. The routing through Summerside, bypassing the more established communities of Bedeque and St. Eleanors, reflected the town’s growing prominence as an important centre of commerce and trade.
The massive and controversial debt incurred during the PEI Railway construction was the single most compelling factor in forcing the Island to abandon its strong Anti-Confederation position and join Canada in 1873. The terms of Confederation were negotiated for P.E.I. by Premier J. C. Pope, and included a guarantee of a continuous steamship connection with the mainland. This became a significant factor in Summerside’s early development since freight and passengers were transported from Summerside by steamship to Pointe du Chene, New Brunswick.
The rail connection continued until the Borden, P.E.I. – Cape Tormentine, N.B. ferry service was introduced in 1917. The last train rolled out of Summerside in 1989, ending more than a century of railroad tradition.
The mural depicts six historic photographs:
Rail men posing proudly with hand-fired steam engine #4, driver David Pound at the throttle
Summerside Engineers Ernie Deighan and Freddie MacKinnon in front of engine #119.
Summerside freight shed crew 1910.
Oiler standing by narrow gauge steam engine mounted with large cowcatcher.
The 1913 “Million Dollar Train” transporting breeding foxes from Tignish. Among those shown in Charles Dalton, co-founder of the silver fox industry.
Freight train carrying dehydrated potatoes destined for military forces overseas 1945
From the City of Summerside