Customs House

The Customs House is a significant example of the Italianate style of architecture in Charlottetown and is representative of the earliest brick construction of public buildings in the city. It stands as a symbol of the economic development of Prince Edward Island and of the craftsmanship available at the time of its construction in the late 1860s. It was designed by the architect, David Stirling, of local material.

The Bank of PEI began in 1856 and a decade later the sum of 3000 Pounds was set aside to finance the construction of this building on Great George Street, in view of the provincial legislature and prominently close to the commerical centre of the city. The Bank became insolvent in 1882 in the midst of an accounting scandal and the premises was soon assumed by other financial institutions. It later became the headquarters for several Dominion Government agencies, such as: the Department of Marine and Fisheries and later served as a Customs House.