On the back porch is a hand operated water pump, possibly original to the house. If it is original this could be considered a historic water pump, given where it is and who it is associated with. If I remember correctly we tried pumping it, but got no positive results.
The little house was built in approximately 1874 by Senator Donald Montgomery (1807-1893) of Park Corner for his son Hugh John Montgomery and his wife Clara Woolner Macneill, parents of Lucy Maud. Lucy Maud was born in the house on November 30th, 1874. When Lucy Maud was only 21 months of age her mother died of tuberculosis and the girl was taken to Cavendish, about 18 kilometres east, to live with her grandparents. She lived there until her marriage to Rev. Ewan Macdonald, in Park Corner, on July 5, 1911.
The house, once in private hands, was transferred to the provincial government to be operated as a tourist attraction as part of the 1964 Centennial celebrations. In 1965 the
L.M. Montgomery Act was passed "to provide for the administration, operation and maintenance of the birthplace of Lucy Maud Montgomery". A volunteer foundation continues to operate the site. Refurnished in period pieces, the museum holds a great many artefacts and bits of memorabilia which were part of the day to day life of Lucy Maud through her lifetime.
The Birthplace of the esteemed authoress, Lucy Maud Montgomery, is situated on the picturesque village of "Clifton", New London, PE on Route 6, overlooking the beautiful New London Harbour and the sand dunes of which she was to write so much about in later years. LM Montgomery was the authoress of the famous ANNE books, best known of which is Anne of Green Gables. Other books written by this famous authoress include "Pat of Silver Bush", "The Story Girl", "Rainbow Valley", and "The Emily Series".
Lucy Maud, daughter of Hugh John Montgomery and Clara Woolner Macneill, was born in the house on November 30th, 1874. Owing to her mother's illness, she was taken as a young child to her maternal grandparents to the Macneill Homestead in Cavendish. There she was brought up and lived until her marriage to the Rev. Ewan Macdonald, in Park Corner, on July 5, 1911.
As you walk through the rooms of the Birthplace, you will thrill to the realization that it was in this house that Lucy Maud first saw the light of day. Visit the old fashioned bedroom where she was born.
View a replica of Lucy Maud Montgomery's wedding dress and accessories. On display are scrapbooks depicting LM Montgomery's personal life as a student at Prince of Wales College and her years as a writer and teacher. You can purchase books written by and about Lucy Laud Montgomery. Licensed giftware is also available during your visit to this historic location.
Period furniture such as a Franklin Stove, the organ belonging to her Montgomery relatives, and many other artifacts are also on display throughout the home.
The Birthplace had been owned by K.C.Irving of Saint John, New Brunswick. Mr. Irving who very generously deeded it back to the Province of Prince Edward Island in 1964.
From the Lucy Maud Montgomery Birthplace Museum