July 17, 2007

Lover’s Lane and the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place

Lover’s Lane and the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Immerse yourself in the enchanting woodland walk of the Balsam Hollow Trail, located on the grounds of the Green Gables Heritage Place in Prince Edward Island National Park. This delightful 0.5-mile (0.8 km) interpretative trail begins behind Green Gables, winding south through serene forests and along a babbling brook, before looping back to the historic house.

The trail's journey begins along a path that L.M. Montgomery fondly called Lover’s Lane. Once a route from the barnyard to the pastures, this tranquil lane was a treasured retreat for Montgomery, offering her peace and rejuvenation. She captured its beauty in numerous photographs, preserving its essence.

Montgomery's penchant for naming places was a trait she shared with her most beloved creation, Anne Shirley. In Anne of Green Gables, Anne names the path below the orchard "Lover's Lane," mirroring Montgomery's own cherished pathway. L.M. Montgomery writes:

"Lover’s Lane opened out below the orchard at Green Gables and stretched far up into the woods to the end of the Cuthbert farm. It was the way by which the cows were taken to the back pasture and the wood hauled home in winter. Anne had named it Lover’s Lane before she had been a month at Green Gables.

“Not that lovers ever really walk there,” she explained to Marilla, “but Diana and I are reading a perfectly magnificent book and there’s a Lover’s Lane in it. So we want to have one, too. And it’s a very pretty name, don’t you think? So romantic! We can’t imagine the lovers into it, you know. I like that lane because you can think out loud there without people calling you crazy.”


There’s something magical about walking in the very place where L.M. Montgomery found her inspiration. As you meander along the trail, interpretive signs guide your journey, offering Montgomery's own poetic descriptions of nature from her journals and letters. Discover the parallels between fiction and reality as you stroll through the landscapes that inspired her timeless storytelling.

L.M. Montgomery had a deep appreciation for nature. It consoled her and encouraged her. In 1909, she wrote about Lover's Lane in her journals, saying:

"This evening I spent in Lover's Lane. How beautiful it was—green and alluring and beckoning! I had been tired and discouraged and sick at heart before I went...and it...stole away the heartsickness, giving peace and newness of life."
-The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, entry of August 1, 1909.

Sign describing Lover’s Lane at the Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Here's a view of the peaceful forested pathway. For fans of Sullivan Entertainment's Anne of Green Gables miniseries, some exterior filming was carried out along Lover's Lane.

Photograph of the forested pathway in Lover’s Lane and the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Much of the pathway follows along a stream, and lovely bridges cross it at several points.

Photograph of the stream in Lover’s Lane and the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

In L.M. Montgomery's day, Lover’s Lane was longer, but it was shortened due to the construction of the Green Gables Golf Course.

View of the Green Gables Golf Course from Lover’s Lane and the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

After walking along Lover's Lane, the Balsam Hollow trail continues. The interpretive signs have additional quotes about the woods and provide the names and images of plants, such as the ferns, trees, and flowers, that grow along the trail.

L.M. Montgomery enjoyed spending time alone in nature. In 1896, she wrote:

"...I would like to go away on Sunday morning to the heart of some great solemn wood and sit down among the ferns with only the companionship of the trees and the wood-winds...and I would stay there for hours alone with nature and my own soul."
-The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, entry of July 26, 1896

Quote by L.M. Montgomery on a sign along the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

There are sweet wildflowers along the path.

Photograph of flowers on the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

L.M. Montgomery shared her observations and thoughts about nature with her longtime pen pal G.B. MacMillan. In 1904, she wrote:

"A brook was laughing to itself in the hollow. Brooks are always in good spirits. They never do anything but laugh. It is infectious to hear them, those gay vagabonds of the valleys."
-My Dear Mr. M.: Letters to G.B. MacMillan, November 9, 1904.

Quote by L.M. Montgomery on a sign along the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Here's another view of the woods in Balsam Hollow.

Photograph of the woods in the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

This sign has L.M. Montgomery's description of the brook, wind, light, and ferns. In 1899, she wrote:

"Once and again, I stray down and listen to the duet of the brook and wind, and watch the sunbeams creeping through the dark boughs, the gossamers glimmering here and there, and the ferns growing up in the shadowy nooks."
-The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, entry of July 24, 1899

Quote by L.M. Montgomery on a sign along the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Here's a view of the brook with ferns and plants growing on its banks.

Photograph of the stream at the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Writing to her lifelong pen pal in 1906, L.M. Montgomery shared that she felt at home in the woods, saying:

"The woods always seem to me to have a delicate, subtle life all their own...in the woods I like to be alone for every tree is a true old friend and every tip-toeing wind a merry comrade...I always feel so utterly and satisfyingly at home..."
-My Dear Mr. M. Letters to G.B. MacMillan, September 16, 1906

Quote by L.M. Montgomery on a sign along the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Prince Edward Island National Park was established in 1937. According to this sign:

"When Prince Edward Island National Park was established in 1937, many of L. M. Montgomery's favourite haunts were preserved. Now we and future woodland wanderers can share in the natural beauty of this area which gave her so much joy and inspiration throughout her life."

Sign along the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

I'm glad this region was preserved so that we can visit and walk along the same paths that L.M. Montgomery once did.

World of Anne Shirley's Anne of Green Gables Travel Guide Banner

Official Websites:
Balsam Hollow Trail, Prince Edward Island National Park, Parks Canada
Trails at Green Gables, Green Gables Heritage Place

Location:
Lover’s Lane and the Balsam Hollow Trail
8619 Cavendish Rd. (Route 6), Cavendish, PE C0A 1N0, Canada.

Map of Lover’s Lane and the Balsam Hollow Trail at Green Gables Heritage Place by OpenStreetMap
Image credits:

Photographs by World of Anne Shirley.
Map copyright OpenStreetMap.

References:
Balsam Hollow Trail. Hiking PEI. Retrieved from: https://www.hikingpei.ca/Trails/PEIPark/Cavendish/BalsamHollow.html

Balsam Hollow Trail, Prince Edward Island National Park. Parks Canada. Retrieved from: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/pe/pei-ipe/activ/sentiers-trails/balsam

Krzewinski, Agatha. The Original Homes of Lucy Maud Montgomery. Anne of Green Gables. Sullivan Entertainment. Retrieved from: https://www.anneofgreengables.com/blog-posts/the-original-homes-of-lucy-maud-montgomery

Montgomery, L.M. Anne of Green Gables. L.C. Page & Company, 1908.

Trails at Green Gables: Green Gables Heritage Place. Parks Canada. Retrieved from: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/pe/greengables/activ/sentiers-trails


Created July 17, 2007. Last updated August 7, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

The Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home

Foundation of the L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish Home in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Step into the world of L.M. Montgomery at the site of her beloved Cavendish home, where she wrote Anne of Green Gables. This location is part of L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site, alongside the neighboring Green Gables Heritage Place. A stroll through the Haunted Wood, named by Montgomery herself, connects these two iconic sites.

After her mother’s death from tuberculosis, young L.M. Montgomery was raised by her maternal grandparents, Alexander and Lucy Woolner Macneill, at their Cavendish homestead. For more than three decades, from 1876 to 1911, Cavendish was her cherished home, and she fondly referred to it as “hallowed ground.” It was the land she loved and wrote about, even after she married and left Prince Edward Island.

Today, little remains of the original home except the foundation and stone cellar, but in recent years, the kitchen was returned to the site. Although much of the structure is gone, you can explore the gardens, forests, and landscape that inspired L.M. Montgomery to write Anne of Green Gables and many of her other stories. She loved the old apple trees, birches, poplars, spruces, pathways, and flower gardens surrounding her home.

Foundation of the L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish Home in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

There are many mature trees around L.M. Montgomery's home.

Old trees at the Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Following her grandmother’s death in 1911, L.M. Montgomery married Ewen MacDonald and left Cavendish for Ontario. The homestead remained in the Macneill family, but the house was closed after L.M. Montgomery moved away. Around 1920, much of the original homestead fell to ruin, except for the kitchen. Today, the farm property is still owned by the Macneill family. In the 1980s, John Macneill, a great-grandson of Alexander and Lucy Woolner Macneill, alongside his wife Jennie Macneill, lovingly tended to the site and opened it to visitors. It is now maintained by their son David Macneill.

The Old Lane at the Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Here's a photo of the fields around the home.

Surrounding fields at the Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Here is a photograph of the vegetable garden.

Garden at the Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Here's a well on the property.

Well at the Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Placards with quotes from L.M. Montgomery’s journals are placed around the homestead property to help visitors see the site through her eyes. L.M. Montgomery began writing Anne of Green Gables in the kitchen of the Cavendish homestead, and wrote most of it in her cherished bedroom by its gable window. Nearby, you can walk down "Lover’s Lane" or you can spook yourself along the "Haunted Wood" path, which leads to the Green Gables house. Montgomery named these places in her real life, and she brought them to life for her readers in Anne of Green Gables.

Sign Showing L.M. Montgomery's gabled window at the Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

In the site's bookstore, you'll find an array of books by and about Montgomery, as well as other charming gifts. The original desk and scales from the Cavendish Post Office, run by Montgomery and her grandparents, are also on display, with the current Cavendish Post Office nearby housing an exhibit on her life.

The kitchen, the heart of the old house, has a fascinating history of its own. After the house fell into disrepair in the 1920s, only the kitchen survived. L.M. Montgomery’s uncle repurposed this part of the building and used it as an outbuilding in the barnyard to house animals and later as a storage shed. In the 1960s, a Catholic priest and historian named Father Francis Bolger was researching L.M. Montgomery and writing a biography about her. Father Bolger asked the Macneills if he could use the kitchen building, and they gave him permission to use it. He moved the kitchen structure to his summer home, cleaned and repaired the building, and then used it as his writing cottage. In 1974, Father Bolger published a biography on L.M. Montgomery called The Years Before Anne. After Father Bolger’s death in 2017, the kitchen was returned to the Macneill property, where it now serves as a museum next to the bookstore.

Visiting the Site of L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish home is a poignant experience, offering a deep connection to the places and memories that shaped her stories. The sense of home, so central to Montgomery’s writing, comes alive here, making it a truly special place to explore.

World of Anne Shirley's Anne of Green Gables Travel Guide Banner

Official Websites:
The Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home
L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site, Parks Canada

Location:
The Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home
8521 Cavendish Road Rte, PE-6, Cavendish, PE C0A 1N0, Canada.

Map of The Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home by OpenStreetMap

Image credits:
Photographs by World of Anne Shirley.
Map copyright OpenStreetMap.

References:
Cavert, Mary Beth. (2024). The House of Home: Montgomery’s Macneill Grandparents’ Homestead. The Anne of Green Gables Manuscript. Retrived from: https://annemanuscript.ca/stories/the-house-of-home/

Hamilton, Kathleen and Frei, Sibyl. Finding Anne on Prince Edward Island. Ragweed Press. 1998.

Krzewinski, Agatha. The Original Homes of Lucy Maud Montgomery. Anne of Green Gables. Sullivan Entertainment. Retrieved from: https://www.anneofgreengables.com/blog-posts/the-original-homes-of-lucy-maud-montgomery

L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site. (2024). Retrieved from: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/pe/cavendish

Piece of L.M. Montgomery's childhood home returned to original homestead. (2018, December 18). CBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-lucy-maud-montgomery-kitchen-building-homestead-1.4951107

The Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home. Retrieved from: https://www.lmmontgomerycavendishhome.com/


Created July 17, 2007. Last updated September 19, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Cavendish Cemetery

Cavendish Cemetery, grave of Lucy Maud Montgomery MacDonald and Rev. Ewen MacDonald in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

The Cavendish Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The cemetery is the final resting place of L.M. Montgomery. She is buried alongside her husband, the Reverend Ewen MacDonald.

The entrance to the Cavendish Cemetery has a large metal archway reading, "Resting Place of L.M. Montgomery, Cavendish." The cemetery is located in walking distance from the Green Gables Heritage Place and The Site of L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish Home. It is open to the public, and visitors can enter and pay their respects at L.M. Montgomery's grave.

Entry arch of the Cavendish Cemetery in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

L.M. Montgomery's mother, Clara Woolner Macneill Montgomery, is buried nearby in the Cavendish Cemetery. Clara died of tuberculosis in 1876 when L.M. Montgomery was 21 months old.

L.M. Montgomery grieved the loss of her mother throughout her life. On December 29, 1921, L.M. Montgomery wrote in her journals, "Somehow, I have an odd feeling that mother is very near me as I write. Does human personality survive death? And is it possible that when we think of our dead it summons them irresistibly to us?"

Grave of L.M. Montgomery's mother, Clara Woolner Macneill Montgomery, in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

After the death of her mother in Cavendish, L.M. Montgomery remained there with her maternal grandparents, Alexander Macneill and Lucy Woolner Macneill, who raised her at the Macneill homestead. Alexander Macneill died in 1898, and Lucy Woolner Macneill died in 1911. L.M. Montgomery's grandparents are buried next to L.M. Montgomery's mother.

Gravestone of L.M. Montgomery's maternal grandparents, Alexander Macneill and Lucy Woolner Macneill, in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

World of Anne Shirley's Anne of Green Gables Travel Guide Banner

Location:
Cavendish Cemetery
PE-13, Cavendish, PE C0A 1M0, Canada.

Map of Cavendish Cemetery by OpenStreetMap
Image credits:

Photographs by World of Anne Shirley.
Map copyright OpenStreetMap.

Reference:
Montgomery, L.M. The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, Volume III: 1921-1929. ed. Mary Rubio and Elizabeth Waterston. Oxford University Press, 1992. page 33.


Created July 17, 2007. Last updated August 7, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

The Cavendish Post Office aka The Green Gables Post Office

Photograph of a historical exhibit on L.M. Montgomery showing a package containing the Anne of Green Gables manuscript addressed to the L.C. Page Company in Boston at the Cavendish Post Office in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

The Cavendish Post Office (also known as the Green Gables Post Office) is a modern post office and museum located in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, close to the Site of L.M. Montgomery’s Cavendish Home and the Green Gables House. Step inside to view a historical exhibit called “Yours sincerely, L.M. Montgomery” to discover how the postal service played an important role in L.M. Montgomery’s life and early career as a writer. Send a letter or postcard from this post office, and it will receive a special Anne of Green Gables, Cavendish PE postage mark, adding a touch of literary magic to your correspondence.

Photograph of the postmaster's office in the L.M. Montgomery exhibit at the Cavendish Post Office in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

L.M. Montgomery was raised by Alexander and Lucy Woolner Macneill, her maternal grandparents, in Cavendish. As key members of the community, the Macneill family operated the Cavendish Post Office for generations, from its opening in 1833 until it closed in 1913. As a girl, L.M. Montgomery helped her grandparents run the post office from the kitchen of their homestead. The post office was more than just a place to send and receive mail; it was a vital hub where the rural community of Cavendish gathered to share news and stories, shaping the social fabric of the village.

History of the Cavendish Post Office and the Macneill family, part of the L.M. Montgomery exhibit at the Cavendish Post Office in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

After her grandfather’s death in 1898, L.M. Montgomery left her teaching post in Lower Bedeque and returned home to Cavendish to live with her grandmother. She helped her grandmother at the post office, serving as its assistant postmaster.

L.M. Montgomery exhibit at the Cavendish Post Office in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Having a post office in her home was fortunate for L.M. Montgomery. As a young writer who struggled to obtain paper, L.M. Montgomery wrote poems and stories on the backs of red postal letter bills. Living in the post office benefited L.M. Montgomery in another way. It allowed her to pursue her literary dreams and submit her stories and poems to publishers in secret. No one had to know if she received a rejection letter, and she could privately correspond with editors.

Red letter bill reproductions at the L.M. Montgomery exhibit at the Cavendish Post Office in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

In 1905, L.M. Montgomery began writing Anne of Green Gables while sitting at the end of the table in the Macneill kitchen. After completing the book, L.M. Montgomery submitted it to several publishers, and the story was rejected repeatedly. L.M. Montgomery then stored the manuscript in a hatbox. In 1907, she decided to try submitting Anne of Green Gables for publication again, and she packaged and mailed her manuscript to L.C. Page Company, a publisher based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Her perseverance paid off when L.C. Page accepted the manuscript, and Anne of Green Gables was published in 1908, bringing Anne Shirley's adventures to the world and cementing Montgomery's place in literary history.

L.M. Montgomery exhibit showing her mailing her manuscript for Anne of Green Gables to L.C. Page Publishing Company in 1907 at the Cavendish Post Office in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

In the 1970s, the government planned for a new post office to pay tribute to Prince Edward Island during its centennial anniversary of joining Canada in 1873. The post office was designed to honor L.M. Montgomery and Anne of Green Gables with a special museum exhibit. A building resembling the original Macneill homestead was relocated from Rocky Point on the other side of Prince Edward Island to a site near the original Macneill homestead in Cavendish. The building was restored and decorated with authentic decorations and postal artifacts. The exhibit was designed and produced by the Canadian Museum of History in collaboration with Canada Post.

Commemorative Canadian Anne of Green Gables Stamp at the Cavendish Post Office in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

The Cavendish Post Office is a special place to visit because it played a key role in L.M. Montgomery’s life and the origin of Anne of Green Gables. Open from May through October, the exhibit also provides a look back at how early post offices functioned.

World of Anne Shirley's Anne of Green Gables Travel Guide Banner

Official Websites:
Yours Sincerely, Lucy Maud Montgomery Exhibition
Cavendish Post Office, Cavendish Beach, Prince Edward Island

Location:
The Cavendish Post Office
8555 Cavendish Rd, Cavendish, PE C0A 1M0, Canada.

Map of The Green Gables Post Office/The Cavendish Post Office by OpenStreetMap

Image credits:
Photographs by World of Anne Shirley.
Map copyright OpenStreetMap.

References:
Epperly, Elizabeth R. Writing in the Kitchen: An Animation. The Anne of Green Gables Manuscript. Retrieved from: https://annemanuscript.ca/stories/macneill-kitchen-animation-writing-the-opening-pages-of-the-manuscript-3/

Hamilton, Kathleen and Frei, Sibyl. Finding Anne on Prince Edward Island. Ragweed Press. 1998.

Yours Sincerely, Lucy Maud Montgomery. Canadian Museum of History. Retrieved from: https://www.historymuseum.ca/exhibitions/lucymaudmontgomery/


Created July 17, 2007. Last updated August 7, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Cavendish United Church

Cavendish United Church in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, screencapture from Google Street View

L.M. Montgomery was an active member of the Cavendish Presbyterian Church, located a short walk away from her home in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.

The church was built in 1902 to replace an older church that Montgomery and her family attended, which was located next to the Cavendish Cemetery. L.M. Montgomery's uncle donated the land for the new church. Later, in 1925, the church became the Cavendish United Church.

During the years between 1902 and 1911, L.M. Montgomery served as the choir director and organist and taught Sunday school at the Cavendish Presbyterian Church. L.M. Montgomery met her future husband Ewen MacDonald through the church. He was its minister from 1903 to 1906. In 1911, L.M. Montgomery got married and left Prince Edward Island to move to Ontario.

After her death in 1942, L.M. Montgomery's funeral was held in this church. In 1974, the church dedicated a memorial stained glass window to L.M. Montgomery in honor of her 100th birthday.

The Cavendish United Church is located next door to the Cavendish Post Office (aka The Green Gables Post Office). There's a pretty path from the church and Cavendish Post Office that leads to the Site of L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish Home.

Pathway leading to the Site of L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish Home in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

World of Anne Shirley's Anne of Green Gables Travel Guide Banner

Location:
Cavendish United Church
8543 Cavendish Rd, North Rustico, PE C0A 1X0, Canada.

Map of the Cavendish United Church by OpenStreetMap

Image credits:
Screencapture of the Cavendish United Church from Google Street View.
Photograph of pathway by World of Anne Shirley.
Map copyright OpenStreetMap.

References:
Collins, Carolyn Strom. Discovering L. M. Montgomery and ‘Anne’ in Cavendish. The Anne of Green Gables Manuscript. Retrieved from: https://annemanuscript.ca/stories/discovering-l-m-montgomery-and-anne-in-cavendish/

Hamilton, Kathleen and Frei, Sibyl. Finding Anne on Prince Edward Island. Ragweed Press. 1998.


Created July 17, 2007. Last updated August 7, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Dalvay-by-the-Sea

Dalvay-by-the-Sea in Dalvay, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

Dalvay-by-the-Sea is a breaktaking National Historic Site perched on the north shore of Prince Edward Island, Canada, within the scenic Prince Edward Island National Park.

This stunning summer retreat was built by Alexander MacDonald, a wealthy industrialist from Cincinnati, Ohio. Enchanted by the island's charm during a family vacation in 1895, MacDonald purchased 120 acres of land along the north shore and constructed this elegant summer home. He named it “Dalvay-by-the-Sea,” in homage to his childhood home in Scotland. The building is a striking example of Queen Anne Revival architecture, with its elegant dormers, bay windows, and gables, offering sweeping views of the ocean and Dalvay Lake.

Following MacDonald’s death, Dalvay-by-the-Sea changed hands several times. The property is now owned and maintained by Parks Canada. Today, it operates as a seasonal hotel and restaurant, open from May through October. Whether you choose to stay in one of the charming rooms or cottages, indulge in a delicious meal, or reserve a spot for high tea on select dates, Dalvay offers a quintessential island experience.

For fans of Sullivan Entertainment’s Anne of Green Gables miniseries, Dalvay-by-the-Sea is instantly recognizable as the iconic White Sands Hotel. This is where Anne Shirley, portrayed by Megan Follows, captivated her audience with a passionate recital of “The Highwayman” (though the interior scenes were filmed at the McLean House in North York, Ontario). In the sequel, Anne of Avonlea, Dalvay-by-the-Sea serves as the picturesque backdrop as Anne chases her windblown manuscript across the dunes. The hotel also plays a prominent role in Sullivan Entertainment’s Road to Avonlea television series, where it becomes Felix King’s workplace and Hetty King’s co-proprietor venture.

Dalvay-by-the-Sea is not only a place of historic and cinematic significance but also a serene haven of beauty. Spend some time soaking in the stunning landscape from an Adirondack chair in the front yard, savoring the peaceful views that make this location so unforgettable.

View of Dalvay Lake from Dalvay-by-the-Sea in Dalvay, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

A short stroll from the hotel leads you to Dalvay Beach, a rich stretch of red sand where the rhythm of the waves and the pristine beauty of the shoreline create a perfect escape.

Dalvay Beach, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

The drive along the north shore near the hotel is a visual delight, with lush grasses swaying in the breeze and picturesque dunes rolling toward the horizon.

North Shore grasses, Prince Edward Island, Canada, photograph copyright World of Anne Shirley

World of Anne Shirley's Anne of Green Gables Travel Guide Banner

Official Website:
Dalvay by the Sea

Location:
Dalvay-by-the-Sea
16 Cottage Crescent, Dalvay, PE, C0A 1P0, Canada.

Map of Dalvay-by-the-Sea by OpenStreetMap

Image credits:
Photographs by World of Anne Shirley.
Map copyright OpenStreetMap.

References:
Read More about Dalvay’s History. Dalvay by the Sea. Retrieved from: https://www.dalvaybythesea.com/history

Dalvay-by-the-Sea National Historic Site. Parks Canada. Retrieved from: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/pe/dalvay

Introducing The "Real" White Sands Hotel - Dalvay By The Sea. Anne of Green Gables. Sullivan Entertainment. Retrieved from: https://www.anneofgreengables.com/blog/introducing-the-real-white-sands-hotel-dalvay-by-the-sea

Pacheco, Adriana. 10 Anne of Green Gables Famous Filming Locations. Anne of Green Gables. Sullivan Entertainment. Retrieved from: https://www.anneofgreengables.com/blog/10-anne-of-green-gables-famous-filming-locations


Created July 17, 2007. Last updated August 8, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com