Leaskdale in Durham Region, Ontario — Central Canada
Lucy Maud Montgomery
In this house the author of “Anne of Green Gables” lived for fifteen years, and here wrote eleven of her twenty-two novels, including “Anne of the Island” (1915) and “Anne’s House of Dreams” (1916). Born in 1874 at Clifton, Prince Edward Island, she was educated at Charlottetown and Halifax. From 1898 to 1911 she lived at Cavendish, P.E.I. and there began her career as a novelist. In 1911 she married the Rev. Ewan Macdonald, a Presbyterian minister, and came with him to Leaskdale. They moved in 1926 to Norval, and nine years later to Toronto, where she died in 1942. Mrs. Macdonald was awarded the O. B. E. by King George V in 1935.
Erected by Archaeological and Historic Sites Board of Ontario.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Women. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Ontario Heritage Foundation series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1911.
Location. 44° 12.185′ N, 79° 9.632′ W. Marker is in Leaskdale, Ontario, in Durham Region. Marker is on Durham Regional
Road 1 just north of Leaskdale Road, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located directly in front of the Montgomery house, inside the white picket fence, on the right side of the front gate. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11909 Durham Regional Road 1, Leaskdale ON L0C 1C0, Canada. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 3 other markers are within 19 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Leaskdale Manse / Le Presbytère de Leaskdale (here, next to this marker); Robert Holmes 1861-1930 (approx. 19.1 kilometers away); Cannington World War I Memorial (approx. 19.2 kilometers away).
More about this marker. Both sides of this marker have the same inscription.
Also see . . . The Leaskdale Years.
L.M. Montgomery came as the bride of Ewan Macdonald, the minister of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Leaskdale, in 1911. She was already famous, having published Anne of Green Gables three years before. The village was agog, and welcomed her with enthusiasm. Of the manse she writes in her journal: “[the manse] is quite prettily situated. It is not an ideal house by any means, but it will do, and it is certainly much more comfortable and convenient than my old home. My greatest disappointment in connection with it is that it has no bathroom or toilet...” Maud and Ewan’s sons, Chester and Stuart, were born in Leaskdale, in the upstairs master bedroom.(Submitted on June 9, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 20, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 7, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 452 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 9, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.