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Authority record

Summerside and Area Historical Society

The Summerside and Area Historical Society was formed at a meeting held on 28 April 1983 at the Eptek Centre in Summerside. A proposed constitution and set of bylaws was accepted and Alex B. Campbell became the first president. The Society was formed as a non-profit organization with a purpose "of promoting and encouraging an interest in the history of the Summerside Area". By January 1984, there were 40 individuals and 5 corporate bodies on the membership list. In June of that year, an official logo was adopted for use on letterhead and promotional literature. That same summer, the Society organized a public Historic Homes tour, and repeated the venture in 1985 and 1986. Also in 1984, the group became involved in a Canada Works Project at the Holman Homestead on Fitzroy Street. An outcome of this was the establishment of the International Fox Museum at the Homestead in recognition of the role the Silver Black Fox industry played in the local economy.

The members designed and published 5000 brochures of "A Walking Tour of Summerside" in 1985. A new tour called "Of Merchant, Fox and Sails" was produced in conjunction with an exhibit at the Eptek Centre in 1992 and was reprinted in 1997. An architectural inventory project carried out in 1994 under the auspices of the group then led by President Julie Simmons, was compiled into a proposal for a heritage preservation bylaw and submitted to City Council in October 1995. Members were re-energized again in the year 2000 when the MacNaught History Centre and Archives was opened. Through meetings, lectures, and displays the Society continues to work toward its goals with many community interests such as Eptek Art and Culture Centre, the Royal Canadian Legion, and the Wyatt Heritage Properties.

Bernard, Alfred

Alfred Bernard (1896-1917) grew up in Abram’s Village, 14 miles west of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, the son of Antoine Bernard (1868-1953) and Adeline Arsenault (1868-1955). Antoine worked as a fisherman/farmer and later as a cooper in a barrel factory of J.W. Strong on Water Street in Summerside. Alfred enlisted in the First World War in March 1916 as a member of the 105th Canadian Infantry Battalion, a wholly Island unit known as the Prince Edward Island Highlanders. However, this Battalion was broken up as authorities sent reinforcements to other units and Bernard served overseas as part of the 26th Battalion of the New Brunswick Regiment. He was killed in action in France 15 August 1917.

Forbes, William Edgar

William Edgar Forbes (1891-1968) grew up on a farm in Tyne Valley, Prince Edward Island. He was the 4th of 6 children born to John W. Forbes (1852-1906) and Annie M. Sullivan (1860-1942). In 1910 he moved to Summerside, PEI and was hired as a clerk with the firm of Brace McKay & Co. Ltd., one of the major general merchants in the town. He moved up through the company and eventually became president, a position from which he retired in 1956. He was an elder in the Summerside Presbyterian Church and was active in community life. He married Miriam Irene Profitt (b.1907) of Kensington, PEI and they had two children, Gordon and Maureen.

Wyatt, Wanda Lefurgey

Wanda Lefurgey Wyatt, philanthropist and patron of the arts and education, was born on 9 May 1895 at 85 Spring Street, Summerside, Prince Edward Island. She was the second child of lawyer James Edward Wyatt (1860-1932) and shipbuilder’s daughter, Cecilia Lefurgey (1864-1937). Her older sister Dorothy (1893-1958) lived with Wanda in the family home and a brother Ivan Edward (1896-1898) died young. Miss Wyatt attended elementary school in the town and then went on to the Edgehill School in Windsor, Nova Scotia. In 1913 she entered McGill University in Montreal and earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1917. Following her graduation, she returned home and then in December joined her sister and ill mother at the Lindlhar Sanitarium in Chicago. While there, she took a history course at the University of Chicago, studied folk dancing and attended lectures and concerts. In the summer of 1919, the family was reunited in Summerside and in December Miss Wyatt became a student of law in her father’s office. She provided assistance to him in his practice over the years, but was unable to advance her studies because of the required nursing care for her mother.

In 1929, her mother’s sister, Beatrice, invited Miss Wyatt to accompany her on a round-the-world cruise. In her later years, she referred to this voyage as the “highlight” of her life. Back in Summerside, her life once again revolved around her immediate family. When her father died in 1932, Miss Wyatt assumed responsibility for the family’s business affairs, which consisted of numerous investments and mortgages. She later looked after the estates of her mother in 1937 and of her sister in 1958.

Over the years, Miss Wyatt took many trips with Dorothy and others, but spent most of her days in Summerside managing her financial affairs and continuing her community and leisure interests. Her membership in the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE) spanned 66 years and entailed many years in executive positions at the local and provincial level. She was actively involved in St. Mary’s Anglican Church, the Red Cross Society, and the Summerside Historical Society. Her interest in heritage led her to become a member of the steering committee for the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, which was created in 1972. She then served as chairperson (1972) and remained on the board until 1975. In addition to her concern for heritage preservation, she took a leading role in cultural development when she purchased her mother’s childhood home at 205 Prince Street and transformed it into the Lefurgey Cultural Centre. It was officially opened in 1966 as a gathering place for local artists and crafts people. She also was a director of the Summerside Community Concert Association and held a seat on the Board of Governors of Prince of Wales College.

In 1966 Miss Wyatt created the Wyatt Foundation which, in later years, awarded financial support to the College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts, The University of Prince Edward Island, the Red Cross Society, the IODE, the PEI Humane Society, the Rotary Regional Library, and the Lefurgey Cultural Centre. The Wyatt Centre for the performing arts, erected on the Summerside waterfront in 1996, was a major beneficiary of the Foundation and was named in her honour. The awards extended to Wanda Wyatt included the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation Award of Honour 1982 and again in 1996, an IODE Life Membership in 1981, the Lescarbot Benefactor Award for outstanding contributions to community cultural activities in 1991, the Summerside Citizen of the Year Award in 1988, and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Prince Edward Island in 1992.

Miss Wyatt remained in her family home with caregivers’ help until her death at age 102 on 14 January 1998. The house at 85 Spring Street with all its contents, the adjoining Lefurgey property, and the house and property at 75 Spring Street (the home of the MacNaught History Centre and Archives) were donated to the City of Summerside by the Wyatt Foundation in the year 2000. The 1867 Wyatt home has been restored as a museum and reflects the life of Wanda Wyatt and the historic days of Summerside.

MacKinnon, John R.

John R. MacKinnon was a resident of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

Campbell, Nellie

Nellie (Acorn) Campbell was a resident of Lower Montague, Prince Edward Island. She was married to Alex Campbell whose father, also Alex, operated a blacksmith shop in Lower Montague during the latter half of the nineteenth century. Nellie was originally from the Millview area where her family owned a store on the later site of Jenkin's Funeral Home.

McCarron, Michael

Michael McCarron was a blacksmith in Sturgeon, Prince Edward Island in the first half of the 20th century.

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