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Montague, PEI, is a former town and now one of the seven communities that make up the town of Three Rivers, PEI. Montague, located around 46 km east of Charlottetown, is a picturesque community divided by the Montague River.
History
Prior to incorporation in 1917, Montague was known as Montague Bridge. The river that bisects the town was named by Samuel Holland in around 1774–1775 after either an English nobleman or the governor of what was then Nova Scotia. While the original settlement date is unknown, in 1840, the townsite was occupied by four partly cleared farms. Situated on a navigable river that flows into the Northumberland Strait, Montague began developing around the mid-19th century as a commercial and shipbuilding centre. Economic ties with the surrounding fertile agricultural region sustained Montague when the shipbuilding industry died later in that century.
While it lacked an industrial base, the town experienced renewed prosperity with the agricultural revitalization that began in the 1960s. Out-of-province investment established tobacco farms and rejuvenated the mixed- and dairy-farming industries. Forestry and fishing also contributed to the town's economy, and Montague became the commercial centre of southeastern Kings County.
In 2018, Montague was amalgamated with Brudenell, Cardigan, Georgetown, Lower Montague, Lorne Valley and Valleyfield in order to form the newly incorporated town of Three Rivers, PEI.
Present Day
Today, Montague is known for its waterfront, marina, wooden boardwalk and art trail. The Garden of the Gulf Museum is also located in the town, the province's oldest museum.
