Green Gables (Prince Edward Island) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Green Gables Heritage Place |
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Green Gables in 2025
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| Location | 8619 Cavendish Road, Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada |
| Area | 220 square metres (2,400 sq ft) |
| Built | 1830s–1870s |
| Governing body | Parks Canada |
| Type | Federal Heritage Building |
| Designated | 10 July 1985 |
Green Gables Heritage Place is a famous farm from the 1800s. It is located in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada. This special place is known as the home of Anne Shirley. She is the main character in the Anne of Green Gables books by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
The Canadian government recognizes Green Gables as a Federal Historic Building. It is part of the L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site of Canada. This larger historic site is found within Prince Edward Island National Park.
The MacNeil family, who were relatives of author Lucy Maud Montgomery, first built the farm in the 1830s. People became very interested in Green Gables after Montgomery's books became popular. The Canadian government bought the property in 1936. At first, it showed what farm life was like in the 1800s. Later, in the 1970s, the building was changed to look like the Green Gables from the Anne of Green Gables novels. Since 1985, Green Gables has been a museum. It celebrates Lucy Maud Montgomery and her beloved stories.
The Story of Green Gables
Green Gables was first owned by the MacNeil family. They were relatives of Lucy Maud Montgomery. She wrote the famous book Anne of Green Gables. The family built the main house in the 1830s. They added more parts to it in the 1870s. Another addition in 1921 gave the building its current L-shape.
In 1908, Montgomery published Anne of Green Gables. In the book, Green Gables is the home of the main character, Anne Shirley. More and more people became interested in the real house after the book came out. A movie based on the books was also released in 1934.
In the 1930s, Green Gables was empty. The government of Canada bought the property in 1936. This was part of a bigger plan to create Prince Edward Island National Park. In 1938, there were ideas to turn Green Gables into a clubhouse for a nearby golf course. However, people did not like this idea, so the plans were stopped.
Lucy Maud Montgomery passed away in 1942. Her body was brought from Ontario to Prince Edward Island. A funeral ceremony was held at Green Gables. Montgomery is buried in the Cavendish cemetery, which is next to the Green Gables property.
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In the 1950s, the house was filled with furniture from that time period. It was used as a historic house museum. In the 1970s, the building was updated again. It was made to look even more like the Green Gables from Montgomery's books. The building also had another expansion during this time. In 1985, Parks Canada decided to make the house look exactly as it was in the novels. They did a lot of restoration work.
On July 10, 1985, Green Gables was officially named a Federal Heritage Building. This was because it showed 19th-century architecture. It was also important to the world of books and literature. The larger area, including the remains of Montgomery's own home, became the L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site of Canada in 2004.
In 2017, the government announced a plan to spend CA$9.5 million. This money was for restoring the Green Gables building. It also paid for building a new visitor center. On August 29, 2019, the new visitor center opened to the public. It is located north of the Green Gables farm. Hisako, Princess Takamado from Japan attended the grand opening. On December 1, 2020, Green Gables received a special award. It was the Japanese Foreign Minister's commendation. This award recognized their work in helping Canada and Japan understand each other better.
Exploring the Property
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Green Gables is located within the L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site of Canada. This is a large area that also includes the ruins of Montgomery's childhood home. There are also green spaces that inspired parts of her novels. You can find several walking trails here, like Haunted Woods, Lovers' Lane, and Balsam Hollow. The entire property became a National Historic Site of Canada on October 12, 2004. It is all part of Prince Edward Island National Park.
The National Historic Site has two main parts. One part is where Montgomery's own home used to be. It has the remains of her house and other farm buildings from the late 1800s. Green Gables is located to the west of Montgomery's home. The land around Green Gables also has a historic schoolhouse, other farm buildings, and more trails.
In 2019, a new visitor center opened north of Green Gables. It has exhibits about Montgomery and her books, especially Anne of Green Gables. Root Architecture designed the center. It includes spaces for exhibits, a gift shop, and offices. The center is built around a courtyard. It uses timber framing and panels throughout its design.
The Green Gables House
The Green Gables house is a 1.5-story building shaped like an "L". It is covered in white-painted shingles. The only other main color on the outside is green. This green is seen on the roof and the window shutters. The green roof and shutters were added shortly after the government bought the house in 1936. They wanted to make the building look more "suitable" for visitors.
The house has six windows on its two floors, each with shutters. The building is about 220 square meters (2,400 square feet) in size. Inside, it has five bedrooms, a dining room, a sewing room, and a parlor. Most of the house is made of wood. However, the chimneys are made of brick.
See also
In Spanish: Green Gables para niños
