Green Gables House
Posted on: November 19, 2022
Many of you know that Anne of Green Gables is my favourite children’s book. The opportunity to see the house in Prince Edward Island that inspired the author, Lucy Maude Montgomery, was indeed a dream come true!
Green Gables House, was originally a farmhouse that belonged to the Macneill family, cousins of L.M. Montgomery. The author spent a lot of time there as a child and later used it as the inspiration for the setting of her popular novel, Anne of Green Gables. It is now a heritage museum, done up as it is depicted in the book as the home of her characters, siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, Anne’s adoptive parents in the story. You can imagine my delight as I looked through the house. It was like stepping into the much-loved story.
The sitting room, as described in the book.
Anne Shirley’s room with her favourite dress hanging on the back of the closet door.
Marilla’s room with her shawl and the famous broach. (Sorry you can’t see it in the picture)
The property consists of a lovely garden that backs onto a wooded area, also depicted in the story.
The Haunted Wood where many of Anne’s adventures with Diana played out.
A cart similar to the one Matthew would have used to pick up Anne at the train station and take her to Green Gables to start her new life.
Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”
– L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
On the site is also The Green Gables Visitor Centre with many interesting displays and information about PEI’s famous author.
Lucy Maude Montgomery, as a young writer.
The typewriter LM Montgomery most likely typed her famous novel.
Anne of Green Gables has been translated into 36 different languages. I loved this wall of some of the different covers.
The home of Lucy Maude Montgomery is situated close by. The house she lived in with her grandparents, who raised her, is no longer standing but the foundation is there. In her memories, the author mentions she lived a very happy life there as a girl.
On the old farm site is a cosy bookstore, which is very fitting. I bought a wonderful book there which I treasure.
“Were it not for those Cavendish years, I do not think Anne of Green Gables would ever have been written.” L.M. Montgomery, The Alpine Path.
My review of this book is here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5069965399
LM Montgomery is buried in the nearby Cavendish Community Cemetery. I was able to visit her grave and pay my respects to an author I have long admired and who inspired me to write.
A visit I will never forget.
83 Responses to "Green Gables House"
November 19, 2022 at 6:21 am
What a wonderful journey! Glad you could see firsthand the house that inspired the book.
November 19, 2022 at 8:04 am
Me too. It made it all seem so real, even though it was fiction. But you could see where the author got her ideas.
November 19, 2022 at 6:57 am
That is lovely, seeing her environment. Love the typewriter.
November 19, 2022 at 8:04 am
I know. Hard to imagine writing a book on a typewriter, doesn’t it?
November 19, 2022 at 7:07 am
I love the movie, I have all three DVD’s, this is awesome, thanks!
November 19, 2022 at 8:10 am
I loved the movie too and watched it with my daughter who is also a huge fan.
November 19, 2022 at 7:28 am
I am both happy for you and envious at the same time. I loved the books and have always wanted to visit Prince Edwards Island. I loved the movie with Megan Fellows — my favorite version. But Megan was not happy how the sequels didn’t follow the books.
November 19, 2022 at 8:06 am
I loved the Megan Fellows version as well. To me she is Anne. I consider myself very lucky to have visited the house and area that is depicted in the book.
November 19, 2022 at 8:07 am
Great photos! We didn’t visit the Green Gables House on our most recent trip to PEI but I have been there previously. Fond memories.
November 19, 2022 at 8:09 am
My dad took my mom there for their 50th Anniversary as it was a place she always wanted to go to. She was so delighted as she was a huge Anne of Green Gables fan.
November 19, 2022 at 8:56 am
What a treat this post was! I enjoyed every moment of it.
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November 19, 2022 at 8:59 am
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November 19, 2022 at 9:00 am
Thank you so much for sharing this, Darlene. The photos are wonderful. When my daughter was little she fell in love with Anne’s book (and the wonderful Canadian film). She always wanted to make the trip and I regret not finding a way.
November 19, 2022 at 10:09 pm
You are never too old to visit this wonderful place. I waited 70 years!
November 19, 2022 at 9:01 am
You said this blog post was coming–and here it is. The house and landscaping are much as I imagined from the book and also from the movie it inspired. As I remember from visiting Marjory Kinnan Rawlings’ house, there is a lot of upkeep in maintaining famous authors’ houses. Thanks for sharing, Darlene!
November 19, 2022 at 10:12 pm
I love visiting the homes of my favourite authors. I was lucky to visit the home of Jane Austen as well. I’d love to see Marjory Kinnan Rawlings’ house and I remember your post about it.
November 19, 2022 at 11:08 am
I’m happy for anyone who gets to fulfill their dreams. That is an impressive wall when you see all of the books lined up together.
November 19, 2022 at 10:14 pm
I was impressed by that wall too. She wrote about 20 books in her lifetime and many short stories and magazine articles. She was a prolific writer.
November 19, 2022 at 11:08 am
I really enjoyed this post, Darlene. Thank you for sharing this with us.I loved seeing the inside of the house.
November 19, 2022 at 10:15 pm
They did an excellent job and setting up the inside as it was in the story. I’m so happy I got to see it, finally. Now to visit the other maritime provinces!
November 19, 2022 at 1:04 pm
What a wonderful exploration, Darlene! I am so very happy that you were able to pay your respects to a marvelous writer who encouraged you to write.
November 19, 2022 at 2:20 pm
What an incredible experience it must have been for you. I can’t imagine the many surreal feelings you might have felt as you walked from room to room, and later visited her grave.
November 20, 2022 at 1:14 am
It was surreal, especially since it had been on my list of things I wanted to do for such a long time.
November 19, 2022 at 6:50 pm
What a wonderful place. So lovely to see this pictures and just imagine… thank you for sharing.
November 20, 2022 at 1:15 am
Thanks, Karen. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
November 20, 2022 at 3:36 am
I did and I’ve reblogged scheduled for later this week.
November 19, 2022 at 8:53 pm
A wonderful, well recorded, visit which might just take me back to the book.
November 20, 2022 at 1:16 am
I feel like reading the book again too. Thanks for your comment, Derrick.
November 20, 2022 at 1:39 am
The haunted wood! What a wonderful post and it sounds like a great visit.
November 20, 2022 at 1:42 am
Wow, love the horse-drawn carriage and the vintage typewriter! Love to visit there too.
November 20, 2022 at 1:47 am
Thanks, Jennifer. Those were two of my favourite things as well.
November 20, 2022 at 3:45 am
Your beaming smile tells it all. Wonderful detail and photos! When living on PEI for 3 years I quite enjoyed scouring the island’s used books stores/yard sales/antique shops and had the good fortune to find the following – Anne of Ingleside – 1st Edition
Anne of Wind Poplars – 1st Edition.
Anne of the Island – 1st Edition.
Although very well read, but not yet coming apart at the seams, they are nice to have on my bookshelf.
November 20, 2022 at 6:14 am
What special finds. I’m sure you treasure those books. I didn’t realize you lived on PEI for 3 years.
November 20, 2022 at 9:24 am
Yes, from MB to PEI in the mid-90’s, then Ont and then to BC for our retirement years :).
November 20, 2022 at 4:06 am
What fun to get to visit this special place. Great photos! Thank you for sharing!
November 20, 2022 at 5:20 am
It has been years since we were in this region but found it to be delightful. Unfortunately we never made it to the well known house so I enjoyed learning about it.
November 20, 2022 at 6:16 am
It is a delightful part of Canada and quite unique. I’m glad you enjoyed visiting the Green Gables House with me.
November 20, 2022 at 6:44 am
I’m “green” with envy…as green as Anne’s hair turned when she tried to dye it black! Ha!
November 20, 2022 at 8:10 am
I remember that episode. Something similar happened to my mom when she was a teenager. Thanks, Willow.
November 20, 2022 at 8:11 am
I still remember that from the book, which I last read back in the 80s! Ha!
November 21, 2022 at 12:47 am
Certainly a dream come true, Darlene. Thank you for sharing your wonderful visit.
November 21, 2022 at 1:00 am
I didn’t know Anne of Green Gables was written and placed in PEI, Darlene. How fun to visit there. And it’s so wonderful to hear that Montgomery had a lovely childhood there. It shows. ❤
November 21, 2022 at 1:43 am
I can imagine growing up in such a beautiful, peaceful place gave her many great ideas for her books.
November 21, 2022 at 1:42 am
Great post, Darlene! I hope to go there sometime too!
November 21, 2022 at 4:09 am
Hi Darlene, Wow! What a fantastic visit. I would love to visit Green Gables which is also one of my favourite children’s books (I couldn’t possibly narrow it down to just one). It does look just like the story. To date, the two highlights of my touring career have been visiting Shakespeare’s house and visiting the Bronte Museum.
November 21, 2022 at 6:08 am
I haven’t been to Shakespeare’s house, yet, but have been to the Bronte Museum and Jane Austen’s cottage. I love visiting the homes of authors I love. This visit was amazing!
November 21, 2022 at 10:43 pm
Visiting the Green Gables House was one of the highlights from our trip to PEI this fall. It was neat to see how it would have appeared in her book. Sounds like you had a wonderful time visiting many of the important sites that provided inspiration to LM Montgomery as she wrote her famous novel.
November 22, 2022 at 5:10 am
I was only there for a couple of days but I had a wonderful time.
November 22, 2022 at 10:24 am
Good for you….how awesome. Thanks for sharing this. Love the pictures and I’m glad they turned it into a museum!! Again….thanks for sharing!!
November 23, 2022 at 8:31 am
I’m also glad they turned it into a museum and have done a good job of maintaining it. Glad you enjoyed the post and pictures.
November 24, 2022 at 12:36 am
Wow, I would LOVE to visit! That typewriter looks sturdy as heck. I wonder how hard and loud it was to press the keys.
November 24, 2022 at 2:31 am
I don’t think I would ever be able to write a book using a typewriter! it was a great visit.
November 24, 2022 at 2:45 am
Awesome! Thanks so much for sharing, Darlene.
November 25, 2022 at 2:32 am
I had no idea Anne of Green Gable was inspired by a real setting. It must be overwhelming to visit such a museum and walk among all her things. I’d have loved that! And I felt old thinking I learned to type on a typewriter 😂
November 25, 2022 at 4:20 am
It was amazing. I know, hard to believe we used to type things up on machines like that. I used a lot of correction fluid.
November 28, 2022 at 2:04 am
Darlene, it’s so great that you visited Green Gables – I’m envious! I too am a huge fan of the book and have imagined the house many times. It’s nice to see it in your photos. I love seeing those old typewriters. Thanks for taking us with you. ~Terri
November 28, 2022 at 2:39 am
Thanks, Terri! It was so wonderful to finally see this place that inspired my favourite book. PEI was such a fabulous place too.
December 4, 2022 at 11:05 pm
Anne of the green gables book series are my favourite.I have read them many times and recently I listened to the audio books in Librivox and enjoyed them again. Thank you for sharing the photos.
December 5, 2022 at 2:57 am
I’m delighted to hear that you are an Anne of Green Gables fan as well. It is a book that one can read many times.
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November 19, 2022 at 6:12 am
A beautiful tribute to Lucy, Darlene. Thanks for sharing.
November 19, 2022 at 6:17 am
Thanks, John. I’m so glad the province is keeping her memory alive.
November 19, 2022 at 7:00 am
Yes indeed.