Discover Kensington: Railway Heritage and the Confederation Trail

Kensington offers two distinct focal points for visitors: railway heritage and outdoor activities. The Confederation Trail runs through the town centre; the historic Kensington Railway Station sits beside former tracks that are now part of the trail. Other attractions include Engine 1762 and a family-friendly haunted attraction. These themes offer different ways to shape your trip.

The Station Building and Railway Heritage

Kensington Railway Station is a rare, picturesque station building made of fieldstone or boulders. M.F. Schurman and Company built it in 1905 to designs by architect C. B. Chappell. There is only one other station on Prince Edward Island that is also built of fieldstone or boulders. The building thus combines distinctive stone architecture with the town’s railway history. The historic station is home to Island Stone Pub – Kensington Station, which offers regional island cuisine and hospitality.

The Confederation Trail in the Town Centre

The Confederation Trail connects Kensington with neighbouring communities. In Kensington, the trail can be used for cycling, walking, jogging, and snowmobiling. This makes its different uses relevant to your planning: depending on your interests, you can consider activities on foot, by bicycle, or by snowmobile. The route through the town centre and its connections to other communities are two distinct aspects of the same trail.

The Locomotive and Other Experiences

Engine 1762 was moved to Kensington on November 16, 1990, and arrived at Kensington Station. Today, the locomotive stands there as a symbol of Prince Edward Island’s railway era. Together with the station building, it serves as a lasting reminder of the railway that once connected the island and of Kensington’s railway-shaped legacy. The Mad Dr's Spooky Haunted Mansion offers a different kind of experience: this haunted attraction is family-friendly and welcomes all age groups.

More History in the Broader Destination of Prince County

In the broader destination of Prince County, several museums explore the region’s history and culture. The Tignish Cultural Centre houses a museum with artefacts and documentation on local history and culture. The Alberton Museum features artefacts from early residents, local photographs, and genealogical information about families from the area. The Tryon Museum presents the history of Indigenous, Acadian, and early European settlement in the region. The Acadian Museum traces the history of Acadians on Prince Edward Island from 1720 to the present day. Its offerings include permanent and changing exhibitions, a bilingual video presentation, historic paintings by Claude Picard, and genealogical resources.

The Green Park Shipbuilding Museum & Yeo House tells the story of Prince Edward Island’s longstanding shipbuilding industry. Guided tours are offered through a restored Victorian house; a historic schoolhouse and blacksmith shop provide insights into 19th-century crafts. The Bedeque Area Historical Museum is located in the historic Callbeck Store, built in 1899. At the Bideford Parsonage Museum, a restored historic residence illustrates life on a rural farm in the late 19th century. Each of these places focuses on different aspects of history than Kensington’s railway heritage.

Discover more destinations: Bedeque, Borden-Carleton, O'leary, Summerside, Tignish, Prince Edward, Miscouche

Return to the broader travel overview: Prince County.