The forecast promised thunderstorms so it was obviously not a beach day. DIL (texting daughter-in-law) Stephanie from New York suggested we visit some old houses. “How about the Biddeford Parsonage Museum—amazing website, it’s got to be good! And the Yeo House at Green Park?” Sounds good. Prince County, here we come!
An hour later under clear skies we were picnicking at the site of the old Biddeford School where nineteen-year old L.M. Montgomery had her first job teaching forty students grades one to ten (schoolhouse gone, mosquitoes remain), while boarding at the nearby Biddeford Parsonage, a lovingly restored house that has been turned into a museum and features LMM’s bedroom (unheated, brrr), her lesson plans, and Rules for Teachers (double petticoats, no hair-dying, no canoodling with men, no more than 2” of ankle showing). Fun times!
The parsonage’s air-conditioning was very welcome, and our tour guide, a local girl heading to UNB to study engineering, treated us to anecdotes galore and even a ginger cookie. Every room was chock-a-block full of portraits, short-legged chairs, ancient stoves, eggbeaters, chamber pots, ladies’ gloves, you name it. Why did we never visit before?
Meanwhile outside, the skies had grown overcast. No matter, we were just down the road from Green Park and its treasures.
First the Green Park Shipbuilding Museum. When Europeans arrived on PEI environmentalism had not been invented. The Island was basically mowed to the ground to build grand sailing vessels out of old growth forests, after which these ships were filled with local lumber and shipped to England to be sold, lock stock and barrel. The variety of trees needed, number of ships built per year (amazing chart thanks to Boyd Beck), masts, ropes, knots, sails, anchors… mind-blowing.
Across the lawn was a blacksmith shop with an enthusiastic blacksmith who, among other things, makes iron hooks for the gift shop. As we chatted away about pulleys and anchors, the air suddenly changed from blistering hot to downright chilly. “You’d better move along,” said our burly craftsman, so we hurried into the Yeo House, home of the Island’s wealthiest shipbuilder, his wife, eight children, two maids and one man servant… an experience like stepping into a vortex as we moved through unlit halls and rooms that haven’t changed in over a century.
Highlights: climbing up to the cupola atop the three-story house (unique view of peaked roof); haunted objects (our son thought he saw a doll’s petticoat flutter); tiny monkey in a case; casket in living room; weird old safe; and oh yes, a “settle bed”: ask your tour guide to open it for you.
Hearts and minds overflowing we headed home to the Cove. A powerful bolt of lightning lit up the skies above Summerside and the lights went out. A fitting climax to an extraordinary day.
Thank goodness for summer visitors who introduce us to riches right under our noses! Let me suggest that when rain is in the forecast, you pack up a few sandwiches and head out to somewhere you’ve never been, some gem that’s been hiding in front of you all along.