Resides in the original house of the Canadian heroine Laura Secord, Laura Secord Homestead is a historical museum that showcases the life, legacy, and bravery of Secord and provides a glimpse into the past. Laura Secord (1775-1868) was born in the colonial Province of Massachusetts Bay. In 1795, her family and other Loyalist refugees relocated to Queenston in Canada. There, she met and married James Secord and raised her seven children. During the War of 1812, in June 1813, the Americans occupied Fort George, Queenston, and the Niagara area. On June 21st, 1813, Secord overheard the American plan a surprise attack on the British troops at Beaver Dams. She left her homestead in Queenston for a 20 miles (32 km) walk to the British headquarters in Decew House, Thorold Township, to warn Lieutenant James FitzGibbon of the coming attack. Due to her intel, the British and their Mohawk allies were well prepared; they defeated the Americans and stopped them from entering Canada. Her bravery story only got recognized when she was 85 years old, in 1860, when the Prince of Wales visited Niagara Falls; he heard about her contribution to the victory in Beaver Dams and awarded her £100 for her service. She passed away at 93 years of age and was buried in the Drummondville Cemetery in Niagara Falls, next to her husband. In 1910, a monument that stands a 10-minute walk from the homestead was erected in her honor. She was named a ‘Person of National Historic Significance’ in 2003 and was honored with a statue at the Valiants Memorial in Ottawa (dedicated in 2006). The Laura Secord Candy Company restored the house and donated its original furniture in 1971. In 1998 they gifted it to Niagara Parks, and The Niagara Parks Commission has been managing it. A visit to the house with costumed interpreters will transport you back to the days that Laura, her husband, James, and their youngest child lived there (1803-1835). In addition to hearing about her life, you will hear about life in Canada during this era. Also at the museum are refreshments, ice cream, Laura Secord chocolates, and a selection of quality souvenirs. Special events such as desserts and crafts workshops take place occasionally. Do not miss the Laura Secord Walk that takes place annually in June. Read more...

A visit to the Bala’s Museum will take you back to Canada in the 1920s. The museum focuses on the famous Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery and her books but also showcases historical artifacts from the Muskoka region. The story behind the establishment of the museum started in 1990 when Linda and Jack Hutton honeymooned on Prince Eduard Island following Linda’s wish to visit the place where Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote Anne of Green Gables. There, they learned that Lucy Maud Montgomery spent her two-week holiday in Bala during the summer of 1922. Not only did Montgomery loved it, but she was also inspired to set there the only novel she set outside Prince Eduard Island, The Blue Castle in Muskoka. When they discovered that the Tree Lawn Tourist Home, where Montgomery ate her meals during her vacation, stands for sale, they bought it. After extensive restoration, on July 24th, 1992, the museum was opened. Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942) set almost all of her books at Prince Eduard Island, where she grew up and lived most of her life. Her first novel Anne of Green Gables (published in 1908), became an immediate bestseller and brought her worldwide fame. It was adapted to any possible media type and translated into more than 36 languages. During her lifetime, she became one of the most popular authors in the world and published 20 novels, 500 poems, 530 short stories, and 30 essays. Montgomery’s books have created a travel industry, bringing local and foreign tourists to follow her landmarks across Canada, visiting the sets of the books and other locations related to her in Prince Eduard Island and Ontario, such as this museum. The Bala’s Museum showcases vintage furniture from the 1920s, unique copies of Montgomery’s books from different editions and different languages, dioramas from the novel Anne of Green Gables, the world’s biggest Anne of Green Gables dollhouse, and personal items of Montgomery, including a silver tea set gifted for her 1911 wedding, her correspondence basket, and excerpts from her diary during her visit to Bala. Kids can explore the museum wearing costumes, play in Anne’s school room, enjoy Anne’s tea party with Diana, and host Anne of Green Gable’s birthday party. While at the museum, make sure not to miss a visit to the gift shop that carries a vast collection of Anne’s souvenirs and Montgomery’s books. Read more...

Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942) was a Canadian author who wrote the famous book Anne of Green Gables, inspired by the places and people from her life on Prince Eduard Island (PEI). Montgomery lived in PEI with her grandparents since she was nearly two years old until they passed away, and she married Ewen Macdonald, a Presbyterian minister, in 1911. Since she was a child, she wrote poems and short stories, publishing them in local newspapers and magazines. In 1908, she published her first novel, Anne of Green Gables, featuring the orphan Anne Shirley, adopted by the elderly siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert and come to live on their farm on PEI. The novel describes Anne’s life with the Cuthberts, within the community, in school, and with her friends. It became a phenomenal success and made Montgomery and Canada’s smallest province worldwide famous. Montgomery published 20 novels, 500 poems, 530 short stories, and 30 essays during her lifetime. In 1942, she passed away and was buried in Cavendish Cemetery. The Anne of Green Gables Museum resides in a historic farmhouse built in 1872 by the Author’s Aunt Annie and Uncle John Campbell. Montgomery wrote about her memories of this house and its surrounding in her novels, and the museum displays them. The collection includes Montgomery’s memorabilia, photographs, personal items, and artifacts that appeared in her books, such as Anne’s Enchanted Bookcase, Crazy Patchwork Quilt, and the Blue Chest from The Story Girl. Do not miss a visit to the Campbells Pond, which Montgomery referred to as the Lake of Shining Waters. Also in the museum is a large gift shop with many Anne’s related souvenirs and an option to enjoy a scenic ride with Matthew on Matthew’s Carriage Rides. The Inspiring World of L.M. Montgomery Literary Tour is a self-guided tour with 16 locations related to Montgomery on the island, including this museum. There are also stops at Montgomery Park, where her sculpture resides, the Confederation Centre of the Arts, where the Anne of Green Gables – The Musical is presented, the L.M. Montgomery Institute at the University of Prince Edward Island, and many more. Read more...

Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942) was a Canadian writer best known for her Anne of Green Gables novel series. Montgomery was born in Clifton, Prince Edward Island, and at 21 months old, she went to live with her grandparents in Cavendish. At nine, she began to write, and by 16, she had published her first poem. In the following decades, she regularly published short stories in various magazines and newspapers. In 1908, 34 years old Montgomery published her first novel, Anne of Green Gables, which became her most known work. Three years later, she married Ewen Macdonald, and the newlyweds moved to the town of Leaskdale, Ontario (today part of Uxbridge), where her husband served as the minister of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church. In the 15 years, she had lived in Leaskdale, Montgomery had three children and wrote 11 of her 22 novels, including the Rainbow Valley, the 7th book in the Anne of Green Gables series, that was inspired by her life and experiences in Leaskdale. Montgomery continued publishing 500 poems, 530 short stories, 30 essays, and 20 novels. The Leaskdale Manse, a two-story yellow brick house, was built in 1886 as the residence for the pastor of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church. In 1965, the house was designated as an Ontario Historic Site, and a plaque was placed outside. In 1992, the Township of Uxbridge purchased the property, and two years later, it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Since 2010, the Lucy Maud Montgomery Society of Ontario has been operating the site as a historic house museum, preserving and sharing Montgomery’s story, heritage, and achievements. The house was renovated and preserved; on display are original furnishings, artifacts, and letters from Montgomery’s time. The Leaskdale Manse hosts annual events such as historical tours, Summer Luncheon Teas, plays, and concerts. Across the street is the Historic Leaskdale Church, the former St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church. On display in the lower level are Montgomery’s journals, photographs, an exhibit about her life in Leaskdale, and miniature houses used for the production of the show Road to Avonlea. In the church garden stands a bronze statue of her, sitting on a bench. Read more...

In 2017, two of Nellie McClung’s homes were relocated to Manitou, Manitoba, and opened to the public. The Nellie McClung Heritage Site celebrates the life, achievements, and legacy of the legislator, social reformer, and women’s rights activist Nellie Letitia McClung in the same location she started her adult life. Nellie Letitia McClung (1873-1951) was 16 years old when she arrived in 1890 to work as a teacher at the Hazel school near Manitou and boarded with the Hasselfield family. Hazel Cottage is one of two houses on the Nellie McClung Heritage Site. Two years later, she started teaching at Manitou school and boarded with the family of a Methodist minister. The minister’s wife, Annie E. McClung, was a women’s suffrage supporter and the provincial president of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU); she inspired and influenced McClung to become an active member of the organization. In 1896, she married the family’s second son, Wesley, and they moved to the McClung House in 1899. In this house, they raised four of their five children; she wrote two of her 16 books and became a prominent leader in the Canadian suffrage movement and women’s right to vote. In 1911, the family moved to Winnipeg, and McClung continued her suffrage work. In 1916, following the campaign McClung led, Manitoba became the first province in Canada to grant women the vote. Her most famous achievement happened in 1929 when she, as one of the Famous Five, won the Person Case that qualified women as persons and allowed them to serve in the Canadian Senate. During the spring and summer, the Hazel Cottage and McClung House were renovated and restored to the time when McClung and her family lived there. On display are 19th-century artifacts and memorabilia related to McClung and her family and an exhibition of historic wedding gowns and dresses. Read more...

Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942) was a Canadian author best known for her Anne of Green Gables novel series. Montgomery was born in a rural one-and-one-half-story cottage in Clifton, Prince Edward Island. When she was 21 months old, her mother died, and her father sold the house and sent her to live with her maternal grandparents in nearby Cavendish. At nine, Montgomery started to write poetry, publishing her first poem at the age of 16, and by 23, her short stories were published regularly in various magazines and newspapers. In 1908, at 34, she published her first novel and her most known work, Anne of Green Gables, inspired by her childhood experiences on Prince Edward Island. The book’s success established her as a renowned author, and throughout her life, she published 500 poems, 530 short stories, 30 essays, and 20 novels, 9 of which are part of the Anne of Green Gables series. Her childhood house switched several ownerships over the years, and in 1964, the current owner, K.C. Irving, gifted it to the Province of Prince Edward Island. A year later, the L.M. Montgomery Act passed to preserve and operate the site. Today, Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Birthplace is a tourist attraction that celebrates her legacy and offers a glimpse into her life. The 19th-century house has retained most of its original architectural features and appliances, including an organ and a Franklin stove. A collection of Montgomery memorabilia is on display, including her personal scrapbooks containing copies of her poems and stories, original shoes, and a replica of her wedding dress. The gift shop offers numerous books written by and about her and other gifts and souvenirs related to her and her work. Read more...

A museum honoring Canada’s first nationally acclaimed female poet, Emily Pauline Johnson, is located in the original house she was born and raised. Her father, George Johnson, was a Mohawk leader and an official government interpreter and cultural negotiator, and her mother, Emily Howells, arrived in the Six Nations reserve to assist her older sister, who lived there with her Anglican missionary husband. They met and fell in love and got married to the displeasure of their families. George built this house in 1856 as a wedding gift to his wife. The family lived there till his death in 1884. Emily Pauline Johnson, also known by her Mohawk name Tekahionwake, was born in 1861 in this house. She was a sickly child, so she was homeschooled, did lots of independent reading, and started composing poems when she was ten years old. When her father died, they rented out Chiefswood, and she moved with her mother and sister to a house in Brantford. She wrote poetry, published them, and performed in amateur theatre productions to support her family financially. After a successful poetry reading night, she started to tour the country with theatrical performances showcasing her poetry, presenting her European and Indigenous heritage. Her popularity grew, and she performed with her solo show all over Canada, the US, and even visited England. She passed away of breast cancer in 1913 in Vancouver. Her burial site is at Stanley Park, Vancouver. Her sister, Evelyn Johnson, was a First Nations poet. She left the estate to the Six-Nation people of the Grand River Territory. In 1963 Chiefswood was opened as a museum. Over the years, it went through the restoration and preservation process to the days the Johnsons lived there. Also on view are personal items of Emily Pauline Johnson and her family, books, hand-writing letters. Read more...

Emily Carr House is a museum and a cultural center that celebrates the life and work of Emily Carr (1871-1945), a famous Canadian painter and writer. Carr’s passion for art started at a young age, but only after her parents passed away, at 19, did she start studying art professionally. First in San Francisco, then London, and a few years later in Paris. She traveled across Canada for sketching and painting trips to Aboriginal villages, getting inspired by their culture and tradition, painting the indigenous artifacts and the wild nature of Canada. Still, even though she traveled around Canada, her home base was always Victoria, in a house close to her childhood home, which she called House of All Sorts. Over the years, recognition of her work grew, and she exhibited in the US and Europe. After several heart attacks and a severe stroke in her mid-sixties, she stopped painting and focused on writing. She passed away on March 2nd, 1945. The Carr house was built in 1863 by Emily’s father, in the center of 19th-century Victoria. Emily was born and grew up there with her nine siblings. The house was extensively restored to the 1860s, the years that Carr lived there with her family during her uprising. Although the furniture is not original, a visit to the house will give the experience of English life in Victoria during that period and feature Carr’s writings from her books – The Book of Small and The House of All Sorts. On display are original artifacts like the family bible, her belongings, and art. The museum hosts special events like art and gardening workshops, rotating exhibits, and guided tours of the house and its surroundings. Read more...

When you visit the Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum (Musée Marguerite-Bourgeoys), it is like stepping back in time to 17th century Montreal, when it was called Ville-Marie. The museum in the historic chapel presents the fascinating life story of Marguerite Bourgeoys and the early settlers who founded the city of Montreal. Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700) was a French nun who accepted the request of Paul de Chomedey, the Governor of the French settlement at Montreal in New France and the founder of Montreal, Jeanne Mance, to establish a convent in Ville-Marie. She left France in 1653, sailing to the new world with about 100 men. Upon her arrival, she started her mission and founded the Congregation of Notre Dame. In 1657 she started building the city’s first permanent church – the Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours Chapel (in English – the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Counsel). A year later, she established the first public school in the city. She left for France to recruit teachers and wives for the colony and took care of them in their first years in New France. Besides growing the religious congregation, she established a boarding school for girls in Ville-Marie, a school for the poor in Quebec, and other schools in small villages. She died in Montreal on January 12th, 1700, and was declared a saint by the Catholic Church in 1982. The first female saint of Canada. The church was burned in 1754 and reconstructed in 1771. The permanent exhibit in the museum is about the life of Bourgeoys, including miniature scenes of her whole life. A guided tour will walk you into the archaeological site below the chapel and see an 18th-century stone vault. On the upper level, there are rotating exhibitions of local artists. And at last, the top of the chapel tower offers the highest views of Old Montreal. Visitors will enjoy the views of the Old Port, the clock tower, the round dome of Marche Bonsecours, and the St. Lawrence River. Read more...