Imagine a time when you had to carry a whale oil lamp to see your way up a dark, muddy Queen Street because there were no streetlights to light your way, or in order to travel to a neighbouring community, instead of jumping in the car, you had to walk, sail or hitch up your favourite horse. These situations were the norm not that long ago. Energy uses and innovation have changed the way we live, from a harsh reality, to a relatively easy existence. Slowly, these conveniences have been negatively impacting our environment. However, our history of innovation shows that we have been adapting to new ways of doing things for many years and it is possible to change.
In recognition of the City’s efforts to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, we created an exhibit outlining the City’s energy and innovation milestones. Entitled, Heat, Lights and the Devil Wagon: A History of Energy and Innovation in Charlottetown, the exhibit featured historic photos from the City’s Archival Collection, donations from the public and artifacts generously provided by the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation Collection.