In 1866, Father Georges Antoine Belcourt of Rustico, Prince Edward Island, demonstrated an unusual machine he’d purchased in Philadelphia earlier that year. It was a steam-powered automobile, the first in British North America, a car that had arrived in Canada so early the country didn’t even exist yet. Join automotive historian Rudy Croken as we look back more than 150 years to the dawn of automotive history in Canada, with the arrival of the Belcourt steam car on the shores of Prince Edward Island.

Rudy Croken is a retired educator and lives in Kensington, Prince Edward Island. He has had a life-long interest in automobiles, especially those built in the Maritimes. Rudy is the former Director of the Prince Edward branch of the National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada (NAACC), and currently serves as the President of the Prince Edward Island Antique Car Club, of which he has been a member for 48 years.

This online talk was part of the Canadian Automotive Museum's Third Thursday lecture series. These online talks are free and open to the public, but registration is required. To view future talks visit https://www.canadianautomotivemuseum.....

The Canadian Automotive Museum is a registered Canadian charity and a suggested donation of $10 goes toward covering the cost of hosting these virtual events. Donors who make a contribution of over $25 will receive a charitable tax receipt. https://www.canadianautomotivemuseum....

For more information, visit https://www.CanadianAutomotiveMuseum.com