The first of the recorded mouse plaques occurred in 1724. They are remembered today in the naming of the Souris area. Havre a la Souris appears on Sieur de la Roque's map of Acadia and Isle Royale, as well as the Bellin and Pichon maps. In Mik' Maq, the harbour was known as Sgoltjoegatig. Surveyor-General Samuel Holland assigned the name Colville Bay to Souris Harbour as he completed his survey of the Island in 1764. Colville Bay was named for Alexander, 7th. Lord Colville of Culross (1717-1770) who was in command of naval forces from Quebec in the Bahamas in 1763. This community is located on the west side of the Souris River. There was a Post Office situated here from 1867 until 1916. The school district was known as Souris West.
A brief history . . .
Souris West merchant John MacGowan advertised on December 13, 1826, that he had a few hampers of Single Gloucester cheese for sale.The Union Protestant Church was established in Souris West in 1863. Baptists, Bible Christians, Methodists and Presbyterians alike shared the use of the building in apparent harmony.
A draw-bridge replaced the ferry between Souris West and Souris East in 1900.
A young Norwegian flyer being trained at
the Air Navigation School in Charlottetown,
was shaken up but uninjured when his plane
crashed in Souris West, in 1943. The plane
was dismantled and returned to Charlottetown
on a railway flatbed. | 
The Veterans Memorial Highway travels
the length of P.E.I. It commences
as you leave Souris and passes through
Souris West, Rollo Bay, Rollo Bay West,
Fortune and Dingwells Mills |
Interesting individuals associated with the community . . .
In July 1982, Tracey Fogarty of Souris West was the first from the Souris area to be named Miss P.E.I. Her sister Kerri was named Miss Teen P.E.I. in 1990.
Rev. George "Bing" Gallant was born at Charlottetown in 1955. He was a Teacher, a Deacon and Chaplain and a Radio Commentator. He was raised in Souris West and educated in Souris. He taught Christianity and World Religions in a high school in Ottawa, Ontario. He was ordained a Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church in 1999. He served as a prison chaplain in the Ottawa Valley north to Pembroke, Ontario. Rev. Gallant had a weekly column on C.H.R.I. Christian Radio. He passed away in Ottawa in 2002.
In August 1963, Souris West native, World War I veteran and professor Willibald J. MacDonald was named as Lieutenant-Governor of Prince Edward Island. He proved to be a visible and a popular one, traveling from event to event during his term.Today . . .
A Place To Harbour CottageBusch Vacuum Technics Inc.
Cahill Construction Ltd.
Jim Cahill's Septic Tank Service
Deagle Construction & Renovations
Discovery Toys
Eastern Eyes Photography
John G. Hughes Electrical Contractor
Tom Kickham - P.E.I. Mutual Insurance Agent
Lighthouse & Beach Motel
Lobster Point Beach House
MacAulay Directional Drilling Inc.
MacCormack's Cottage
McNally's Inishkeen Country Market
Mingo Electric
Cameron Ross - Woodcarver
Sam's Bakery
Sherware Pottery & Glass
Tom's Christmas Trees
Union Cemetery
Away from the area, just at the moment . . .
Connections to the area . . . .
Images from the Past & Present . . .
Souris West looking east in 1920
Copyright
Waldron H. Leard
