Green Gables
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Green Gables is the fictional name given by author Lucy Maud Montgomery to a circa-19th century farm which was located in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
This farm was owned by the MacNeill family who were cousins of Montgomery whom she visited as a young girl. The name Green Gables is derived from the rich dark green paint of the gables on the farmhouse, those being the triangular sections of wall at the ends of the steeply pitched roof, occupying the space between the two slopes. The main exterior walls of the farmhouse are painted white.
Montgomery based her Anne of Green Gables series of books on the Green Gables farm, and drew romantic inspiration from the house, as well as the surrounding area, including the "Haunted Woods," "Lovers Lane," and "Balsam Hollow."
The international acclaim of Montgomery's novels made Cavendish into a popular tourist destination in the province during the 20th century. The establishment of Prince Edward Island National Park in the 1930s saw the park's boundaries encompass the Green Gables homestead, and the building is now owned by the Government of Canada. In keeping with the early 20th century philosophy of Canada's national parks being vehicles for tourism, as opposed to conservation, the farmland surrounding Green Gables house was developed into a golf course, designed by world-renowned architect Stanley Thompson.
In addition to being located within park boundaries, the Green Gables farmhouse is designated as a National Historic Site for its importance in Canadian literary history, and as such, is one of the most-visited historic sites in Canada. The farmhouse exterior has not changed remarkably over time, and its interior decor and artifacts depict the late Victorian Period in rural Prince Edward Island. Guided and self-guided tours may be taken of the house and surroundings with Parks Canada interpretive staff being available throughout the site. Visitors should also be aware that various rooms in the house have been named according to the Anne of Green Gables story.
A May 23, 1997 electrical fire caused some internal damage to part of the upstairs section of the farmhouse, which led to restoration of the affected rooms, as well as being the impetus for an extensive redevelopment of the property through the construction of barns and outbuildings to complement the house itself and to accommodate visitor interpretation facilities. As a result, part of the nearby Green Gables golf course was moved away from the vicinity of the homestead and the area has been returned to a more traditional landscape.
External links
- Parks Canada, Green Gables Heritage Place (http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/pe/greengables/default.asp)
- Government of Prince Edward Island, Virtual Green Gables (http://www.gov.pe.ca/greengables/index.php3)