Chasing history
Trying to trace a family tree leads to a corollary interest in history, particularly local history. I’ve been busily tracing my family (and yours, probably, if we are of more than passing acquaintance) for a quarter of a century now. Along the way, I’ve accumulated a lot of tidbits about time and place.
Why, just this morning, as I sat down for breakfast in a picturesque inn located in the county seat, I remember that my own great-great grandfather had come through town, back in 1841. Spent the night in a local hostelry; could this have been the place? The owner confirmed that the building was erected pre-passage of the famous man, but he had no more detail to offer.
And so, tonight, I did some checking. Yes, the building was of the right period, and no, it didn’t become an inn until just a few decades ago. No success here. Of course, I will keep on searching, and I can sleep knowing that when my forebear debarked from the “ferry” at the wharf, he may well have walked right by this home, admiring the fine architecture of pre-Confederation PEI.
This was a drive down country roads kind of day, despite the heavy mist. Checking out where the next bend might lead (I already knew, but there’s room for surprises). We were listening to an old Vinyl Café episode, where Dave and Morely renovated the cottage they were renting. Oops… wrong cottage. Somehow, I could visualize just how something like this could happen to any one of us, if we would only dare to follow directions scribbled on a pad in another language.
