Panmure Island is a small island of

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

red

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

island, with sand beaches, located off the east coast of

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen Provinces and territories of Canada, provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has seve ...

in the Lot 61 township in

Kings County Kings County or King's County may refer to: Places Canada *Kings County, New Brunswick *Kings County, Nova Scotia *Kings County, Prince Edward Island ** King's County (electoral district), abolished in 1892 Ireland * County Offaly, formerly call ...

. The island is located about from the nearest point on Prince Edward Island. The first visitors to Panmure Island were the Micmac First Nations Indians. The Micmac came to the island in the summer months to dig clams, mussels and quahaugs. The first full-time inhabitants of the island were settlers from

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, the first of which is believed to have been Andrew MacDonald and his family in 1805. The Panmure Island Cemetery was established in 1813. Panmure Island was connected to Prince Edward Island by sand bars at low tide, but since the 1960s, an artificial

causeway A causeway is a track, road or railway on the upper point of an embankment across "a low, or wet place, or piece of water". It can be constructed of earth, masonry, wood, or concrete. One of the earliest known wooden causeways is the Sweet Tra ...

has carried a road to the island. The causeway also created an extensive

barrier beach Barrier islands are coastal landforms and a type of dune system that are exceptionally flat or lumpy areas of sand that form by wave and tidal action parallel to the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a ...

and sand dune formation, which is now protected by Panmure Island Provincial Park; this park is not actually located on the island but along the causeway. The causeway has faced increased wave erosion in recent years and the provincial government has spent a significant amount to preserve the connection despite

rising sea levels Rising may refer to: * Rising, a stage in baking - see Proofing (baking technique) *Elevation * Short for Uprising, a rebellion Film and TV * "Rising" (''Stargate Atlantis''), the series premiere of the science fiction television program ''Starga ...

and increased storms. The island contains the oldest wooden lighthouse on Prince Edward Island, near the northern end of the causeway. Built in 1853, the historic lighthouse structure has gabled windows and four stories with a warning beacon atop. It sits on the northeast shore alerting ships of the dangerous shoals that have been responsible for several shipwrecks in the region. Tours of the lighthouse are available in the summer months. A school was built on the island in 1897 for $150, and had a total of seven pupils the first year. The island is home to the community of

Panmure Island Panmure Island is a small island of Canada, Canadian red sandstone island, with sand beaches, located off the east coast of Prince Edward Island in the Lot 61, Prince Edward Island, Lot 61 township in Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Kings ...

, which derives its name from the island.

References

{{clear Islands of Prince Edward Island Landforms of Kings County, Prince Edward Island