In
Lot 47, the area was first named Black Hill. The early settlers seeing, from the water, the expanse of scrub black spruce, thinking the area was burned. It was later named West River, for the inlet of water, that is today part of Basin Head. James MacDonald, agent for the proprietor Robert Bruce Stewart, names the area Kingsboro for the MacDonald estate of Kingsburgh, on the Isle of Skye. Another spelling used was Kingsborough. There was a school here in 1855 and a post office from 1882 to 1913. Basin Head was probably Havre de l'Escoussier as found on a map in 1760. There has been evidence found of early native use of the area in the summer months. It extends into Northumberland Strait and receives its name because its shape is like a basin.
The dunes system at Basin Head is held together by a beach grass called Marram grass. The grass covers the surface of the dunes. It is pale green in colour and coarse in nature. It traps the sand blown by the wind and stimulates the plant to devlop runners into a mat of roots. This in turn creates a base to hold the sand particles and over time build a dune structure. The roots have a small fungus growing inside that glues the sand grains in place. The dunes system is fragile. While the grass can stand the wind, it is susceptible to pressure from above such as people walking or people driving over the grasses. Please allow the dune structure to grow and thrive by not walking or driving over them.
A brief history . . .
The first settlers included the Kennedy's, MacDonald's, MacLean's, MacVane's, Munn's, Robertson's and Stewart's. Several of these families arrived in Charlottetown on The Clarendon in 1808.Mrs. James MacDonald and Mrs. John Kennedy traveled on foot through the wilderness to Crossroads to secure the services of a minister in 1823. There was a growing population of Scottish immigrant protestants in Eastern Kings at that time. They succeeded and the Rev. Alexander Crawford traveled to Kingsboro with them, several days later.
A special service was held on July 12, 1833, by pastor John Shaw, in the new East Point Baptist Church in Kingsboro.
David Young owned and operated a Blacksmith forge near the Kingsboro School. Other forges were operated by William Ford, Seldon & Wilfred MacLean and Kenneth MacGregor
The lumber ship, The Henrietta wrecked here in a heavy gale on on October 24, 1856. The captain and three of the 13 crew were buried in the Kingsboro Cemetery, after losing their lives.
James MacVane of Kingsboro lost five heifers to attacks by bears in 1894.
It was a bad winter for snow in 1905. The Guardian reported on March 14 that John Bruce's sawmill in Kingsboro was still covered with snow to a depth of two feet over the ridgepole.
Kingsboro resident (but former Cape Bretoner) Jim Robertson left Souris with a dory load of fishing supplies in 1912. The 60-year-old Robertson is headed for home, just 7 miles up the coast. He never made it. Several weeks later the dory containing his dead body washed up on shore in Cape Breton -- just a few miles, according to community legend, from the house he was born in.
A sea plane landed in the Basin on August 30, 1945, where it remained until engine trouble was repaired.
The Debbie Bryan sprung a leak out at sea in 1971. The captain and crew were forced to abandon her. She drifted ashore some time later on the Beach.
His Royal Highness Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York made a brief visit to the Basin Head Fisheries Museum in August 1988, as part of a Royal Visit to P.E.I.
Interesting individuals associated with the community . . .
Herbert F. Gordon was born in Kingsboro in 1880. He originally studied law but later became involved in investments. He served in the Canadian Field Artillery, but was gassed and wounded at Passchendale. After a failed farming venture in Saskatchewan, he was offered and accepted positions with the Soldier's Settlement Board. He moved from position to position in the Canadian Civil Service culminating as Deputy Minister of National Defence for Air. In 1946, he was made a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. He passed away in 1963 in Ottawa.Peter W. Gordon was born in Kingsboro in 1877. To assist his education, he played professional basebell in the Maritimes. His business career began in the newspaper business as a reporter and later a sports editor. He then worked his way up in the oil industry and transferred to Hamilton, Ontario where he served as General Manager of Western Ontario for Imperial Oil. He was a Hamilton Citizen of the Year and was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. He died in Hamilton, Ontario in 1955.
Robyn MacPhee, Student and a Canadian and World Champion curler is descended from a Jardine and Bruce family from here. She joined the Suzanne Gaudet rink in the fall of 1999 and won the P.E.I. Championship in 2000 and 2001. The team finished as runner-up at the Canadian Championships to Saskatchewan in 2000 and then won the Canadian title in 2001. In Ogden, Utah on March 24, 2001, the team won the World Junior Women's Championship, defeating defending champions Sweden, 6-4. The team won the Canadian title again in 2002 and finished third at the World's.
The Hon. Brenda (Tubb) Robertson's late husband Wilmot, was born here. Mrs. Robertson was the first woman elected to the New Brunswick Legislature and serve in the cabinet. She was later appointed to the Senate of Canada.
Rev. Dr. Warren Cameron Young was born in Kingsboro. He taught school in P.E.I., then studied in the United States, Germany and Switzerland. He was ordained in 1944 and served as a pastor in Massachusetts. Later he was a Professor in Theology and Christian Philosophy in colleges and universities in Massachusetts, Illinois and Texas. He conducted Seminary Bible Land tours. He also had many articles published and wroye a text book entitled A Christian Approach to Philisophy.
Today . . .
Basin Head Day Park
The Blue Panda Bed & Breakfast
Ching Brothers Inc.
East Point United Baptist Church & Cemetery
Linda Guiguere - Artist
Keus' Bed & Breakfast
The Kingsboro Labyrinth
Robertson's Farm Bed & Breakfast
George Schurman - Netmaker
Singing Sands Beach - a natural phenomena
Skallywag's Patio Restaurant
Sun Sand & Surf Shop at Basin Head
War Memorial, interior of the East Point Baptist Church
Away from the area, just at the moment . . .
Connections to our area . . .
Images from the Past & Present . . .
 Edward Robertson Grocery Store January 1978 |  Full Moon - August 1984 |
 Potato Field in Kingsboro - July 7, 2002 | |
Copyright
Waldron H. Leard