Elmira is a community located centrally in Eastern Kings, 11 miles north-east of Souris, and was known as "the end of the line" for the Prince Edward Island railroad. Presently the Prince Edward Island Railway Museum is in operation on the site of the former railway station.
Name Origin[]
Originally called Portage (although pronounced Portash by locals), it was named as such due to its location between North Lake and South Lake. In the early times of the French settlers, those wishing to travel from north to south had little access to roads, and instead had to portage across country while carrying their canoes.
As such, the name stuck until 1872 when it was changed, at the suggestion of George B. McEachern to Elmira, named after Elmira, New York. According to Rayburn, it was selected for its euphony[1].
. PO from 1844. Noted in Meacham 1880.
References[]
- ↑ Rayburn, Alan. Geographical Place Names of Prince Edward Island. Print.