The Lucy Maud Montgomery Birthplace is a historical museum located in New London, Prince Edward Island.
L.M. Montgomery was born in this house on November 30, 1874. Her parents, Hugh and Clara Montgomery, lived here after their marriage and during L.M. Montgomery’s infancy. Sadly, Clara died of tuberculosis when L.M. Montgomery was just 21 months old. After her mother’s death, L.M. Montgomery was raised by her maternal grandparents, Alexander and Lucy Macneill, in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island at their homestead.
At the time of L.M. Montgomery’s birth, the town of New London was called Clifton. L.M. Montgomery described her first home in her journals as a yellowish-brown house, but it is currently painted white and green, echoing the colors of Green Gables. When Anne visits her birthplace in Anne of the Island, Montgomery used her own birthplace as the model, weaving a personal thread into the fabric of her beloved story.
The house is now a small museum where visitors can explore Montgomery's first home, including the bedroom she was born in (shown below).
The house has been furnished with authentic Victorian pieces to give visitors a sense of what the home might have looked like at the time of Montgomery’s birth. There are quilts, flowers made from human hair, and a stove and cooking utensils from the time period. The home overlooks the New London Harbour and sand dunes, which feature in Montgomery's writings.
The special exhibits include a replica of L.M. Montgomery's wedding dress, veil, and shoes from her marriage to Ewen MacDonald.
The Lucy Maud Montgomery Birthplace also displays her personal scrapbooks from the time when she was a student at Prince of Wales College and from her years as a teacher and writer. The scrapbooks contain copies of her stories and poems, mementos, and personal treasures that she saved.
Throughout the museum, there are articles, rare books, dolls, press clippings, photos and memorabilia related to L.M. Montgomery’s life and legacy.
Official Website:
Lucy Maud Montgomery Birthplace
Location:
Lucy Maud Montgomery Birthplace
6461 PE-20, New London, PE C0A 1M0, Canada. At the intersection of Routes 6 and 20.
Image credits:
Photographs by World of Anne Shirley.
Map copyright OpenStreetMap.
Created July 17, 2007. Last updated August 9, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com
