Montgomery family home reopens as 4-star inn

Another tourist attraction with strong ties to Lucy Maud Montgomery has opened in Park Corner.

It's the Montgomery Inn at Ingleside, which after a year of hard work and renovations has become a four-star historic inn.

It's the original home of Senator Donald Montgomery, the grandfather of Lucy Maud, and also, one of the first four senators appointed when P.E.I. joined Confederation in 1873.

The home was built in the1870s,has been in the family ever since, and is now the property of the senator's great-great-grandson, Paul Montgomery, who explained to Angela Walker of CBC Mainstreet how he was related to the famous author.

"Lucy Maud Montgomery would be my first cousin, twice removed," said Paul Montgomery. "My grandfather would be her first cousin."

It's not just a family home though; there are many direct connections to the Anne books, and others.

"It was the inspiration for Lucy Maud for the Ingleside series of books," said Montgomery. "For any Lucy Maud fans, they would know that Ingleside is the place where Anne and Gilbert get married, and when Anne leaves Green Gables, they reside in Ingleside."

Lucy Maud was here

Lucy Maud Montgomery was a regular visitor to the house, and some of the furnishings even show up in her books, such as a 1700s grandfather clock, and bookcase.

"The pulpit stone, which was written about in The Story Girl, that is on the property as well," said Paul Montgomery. "It's documented where Lucy Maud, when she was a little girl, would stand on the ledge of the pulpit stone, in behind, and would preach to her friends."

The househas been an inn before, as Paul Montgomery's grandmother ran it as a tourist home in the 70's and 80's, and his father continuing in the '80s and '90s.

But since then, it's been in disrepair, and needed a lot of work to get back to its former glory.

Paul Montgomery called the restoration a labour of love, and family pride, wanting to pay tribute to all the Montgomery family, including the senator.

There's a tribute display to him, including the original letter of appointment to the Senate from Sir John A. MacDonald.

Family pleased

The remaining Montgomery family members are pleased to see the old home open again.

"Two weeks ago we had an open house, and we had about 150 people through, it was pretty special," said Paul. "One of them was my aunt, who had just turned 90, and she had been born in that room. And to see her go upstairs and to stand in the house, and in the room where she was born, it certainly brought a tear to the eye."

You can see more about the restoration on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MontgomeryInnAtIngleside/?fref=ts.

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