Montague

Montague

 Montague, PEI, incorporated as a town in 1917, population 1895 (2011c), 1802 (2006c).The Town of Montague, located 46 km northeast of Charlottetown, is a picturesque community divided by the Montague River. Until incorporation, the town was known as Montague Bridge. The river was named by Samuel HOLLAND in 1774-75 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 4 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 still lacks an industrial base, the town has 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 contribute to the town's economy and Montague is the commercial centre of southeastern Kings County. Located in the town is the Garden of the Gulf Museum, the province's oldest museum.