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c. 10,000 BC
Wild tubers are harvested by South American natives in the mountainous and plateau regions of Peru. |
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c. 2500 BC
South American natives cultivate potatoes and create new varieties of tubers. They call the potato papa and develop methods of storage and implements for cultivation. |  |
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1492
Christopher Columbus makes the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean and discovers the New World. His voyage will lead to explorations by other countries, which will eventually carry the potato to Europe. |  |
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1534
Jacques Cartier discovers the land that will one day become Canada. |
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1537
Castellanos, a Spanish conquistador, makes the first written account of Europeans coming in contact with potatoes. He wrongly identifies the potato as a truffle. |  |
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1563
John Hawkins introduces the potato to England. However, it does not take a firm hold as a crop until a much later date. |
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1588
The English navy sinks the Spanish Armada off the coast of Ireland. |  |
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1597
John Gerard, a herbalist and gardener, publishes one of the first written accounts of potatoes in his book Herbal. In the book, Gerard claims that the potato is native to Virginia, a fact that remains unchallenged for 300 years. |  |
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1613
The British send potatoes to Bermuda as supplies for the New World colonists. |
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1622
The Governor of Bermuda sends a shipment of potatoes to his counterpart in Virginia. With this action, potatoes complete their round-trip journey from the New World to Old World and back. |
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1623
Potatoes are grown in Port Royal, Nova Scotia. This is the first recorded instance of potato cultivation in Canada. |
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1663
The potato is first established as a field crop in Ireland. |  |
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1674
Jethro Tull is born. Tull later invents the seed drill and the technique of horse-hoeing. |
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1719
With a huge influx of Scots-Irish settlers to Londonderry, New Hampshire, the popularity of the potato soars in the North American colonies. |
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c. 1740
Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, and King William of Germany begin campaigns to introduce potatoes to their empires. |  |
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1743
Thomas Jefferson is born. As American President he promotes the potato in America and serves potato dishes at the White House. Jefferson also introduces french fries--which he had tasted in France--into the American culture. |  |
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1745
Potato cultivation in Rhode Island achieves enough production to support an export crop. |
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1755
The Acadians are deported from the Maritime provinces of Canada in the Expulsion. |  |
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1756-1763
The Seven Years War is fought in Europe between Prussia and the French-Austrian-Russian allies. |
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c. 1757
Antoine Parmentier, a French pharmacist, promotes the potato in France. Parmentier played a huge role in spreading the potato in his homeland as well as throughout Europe. |
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1758
The British take control of L'Isle St. Jean from the French and rename it Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.). |
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c. 1760
Colonel Charles Lawrence, Governor of Nova Scotia, orders that potatoes should be provided for settlers in Lunenburg, Canada. After this time potatoes grew in popularity in the British North American Colonies. |  |
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1771
The first Governor of P.E.I., Walter Patterson, reports that the potato harvest on the Island is a "phenomenal success." |
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1778
The "Potato War" is fought between Prussia and Austria. |
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1789-1814
The Napoleonic Wars are fought in Europe. |  |
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1802
Lord Selkirk brings settlers from the Scottish highlands to the area around Orwell Bay, P.E.I., and provides them with potatoes to cultivate. |
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1805
Statistics indicate that of the 10,000 acres under cultivation on P.E.I. , 15% are devoted to potatoes. |  |
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1820
Over 40,000 bushels of potatoes are being exported from P.E.I. to places as far away as the West Indies. |
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1830
The Industrial Revolution begins to spread through Europe and is especially evident in England. |
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1840
Over 124,000 bushels of potatoes are exported from P.E.I.--a huge increase from 1820. |
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1840
Ireland's population swells from less than three million in the early 1500's to over eight million people. |
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1845-1851
The Potato Famine ravages Ireland, killing one million people and forcing another million to emigrate. This huge migration spread the potato’s popularity around the world wherever the Irish settled. |  |
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c. 1845-1850
The same blight that ravaged Irish potato crops ruins crops on P.E.I.. |
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1867
Canada achieves Confederation and becomes independent from Britain. |
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1873
Prince Edward Island joins Confederation and becomes a province of Canada. |
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1914-1918
World War One |
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c. 1920
Two new varieties of potatoes--Irish Cobbler and Green Mountain--are introduced to P.E.I.. |
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1920-1930
A boom occurs in potato production on P.E.I.. Potato acreage doubles and yields are tripled. |  |
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1921
The P.E.Island Potato Growers' Association is founded on April 12th with the goal of promoting growth in the industry. |
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1929-1939
The Great Depression strikes the world, temporarily damaging Prince Edward Island's expanding potato industry. |
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1929
A period of collaboration on potato research between federal and provincial governments is begun in Canada that continues to the present day. |
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1939-1945
World War Two |
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1940
10,778 growers are registered to farm 37,000 acres on P.E.I.. (comparison - see 1965 and 1990) |
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c. 1950
Mechanization is introduced to P.E.I. potato farming which results in higher potato yields and acreage being farmed. |  |
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1952
The first Mr. Potato Head © toy is invented by Hasbro Toys Incorporated. |  |
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1955
The P.E.I. Potato Marketing Board is established to promote a favourable market for potatoes. |
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1965
6,500 growers are registered to farm 44,000 acres on P.E.I.. (comparison - see 1940 and 1990) |
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1971
The C.I.P. (Centro Internacionale de la Papa) is established in Peru. |
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1987-1990
The PVYN virus devastates P.E.I. seed potato crops. |
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1989
A new Potato Board is established on Prince Edward Island. |  |
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1990
650 growers are registered to farm 75,000 acres on P.E.I.. (comparison - see 1940 and 1965) |
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