Kensington combines railway history with a trail through the town centre and regional island cuisine in a historic railway station. This gives the town several distinctive facets: a rare railway station building, a locomotive as a lasting symbol, and a range of possible activities on the Confederation Trail. When planning your trip, you can consider architecture and history, outdoor recreation, and regional cuisine as different focal points.
Railway Station and Railway History
Kensington Railway Station is in the centre of Kensington, beside the former tracks that are now part of the Confederation Trail. The rare railway station building, constructed in the picturesque Boulder style, was built in 1905 by M.F. Schurman and Company to plans by architect C. B. Chappell. It is one of only two railway stations on Prince Edward Island built of fieldstone or boulders. Its style and materials give the station a distinctive place in the island’s architectural history.
Engine 1762 was moved to Kensington on November 16, 1990, and stands there today as a symbol of Prince Edward Island’s railway era. The station and stately locomotive evoke the railway that once connected the island, as well as Kensington’s legacy as a town shaped by the railway. The architecture and locomotive offer distinct points of interest: the station building showcases a distinctive construction style, while Engine 1762 represents the railway era.
The Confederation Trail and Other Activities
The Confederation Trail runs through the centre of Kensington and connects the town with neighbouring communities. You can cycle, walk, jog, and ride snowmobiles there. Activities range from walking and jogging to cycling and snowmobiling. If you want to include outdoor activities in your trip plans, the trail offers a focus of its own alongside the railway history.
Another side of Kensington is The Mad Dr's Spooky Haunted Mansion: the spooky attraction is family-friendly and intended for all ages. The Island Stone Pub – Kensington Station serves island cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients and offers hospitality in the historic 1905 railway station building. This makes the restaurant a culinary destination within one of Kensington’s most notable historic sites.
Cultural History in Prince County
Prince County is home to cultural sites with a range of focuses. The Tignish Cultural Centre houses a museum with artefacts and documentation on local history and culture. The Alberton Museum displays artefacts from early residents, local photographs, and genealogical information about families in the area. The Tryon Museum explores the history of Indigenous, Acadian, and early European settlement in the region. A nature trail links historic sites in the area and shares information about the Tryon River watershed.
The Acadian Museum traces the history of Acadians on Prince Edward Island from 1720 to the present day. Its offerings include permanent and temporary exhibits, a bilingual video presentation, historical paintings by Claude Picard, and genealogical resources. The Green Park Shipbuilding Museum & Yeo House takes a different approach to history and craftsmanship: it presents the history of Prince Edward Island’s long-standing shipbuilding industry and offers a tour of a restored Victorian house. A historic schoolhouse and blacksmith shop are also part of the site, where visitors can learn about 19th-century crafts.
Other sites turn the focus to everyday life and community. The Bideford Parsonage Museum is a restored historic residence that brings life on a rural farm in the late 19th century to life. The Bedeque Area Historical Museum is located in the historic Callbeck Store, built in 1899. The Sea Rescue Interpretive Centre presents and explains the heroic deeds and disasters of the past. The Alberton Arts & Heritage Centre is a decommissioned Presbyterian church now used for cultural events.
Kensington focuses on railways, architecture, and the trail; cultural sites in Prince County offer different points of interest, from settlement history and Acadian culture to shipbuilding and rural life. Choose what to explore based on whether you want to focus on the town itself or the region’s broader cultural history.
Discover more destinations: Summerside, O'leary, Miscouche, Borden-Carleton, Bedeque, Prince Edward, Tignish.
Return to the main travel overview: Prince County.
