I went to a Victorian Era village in Canada! // Black Creek Pioneer Village Tour 

I first watched the Anne of Green Gables series when I was stationed in Germany as a young infantry lieutenant. I had watched every other video in our post library and was so desperate I checked it out with low expectations... turned out to be one of my best choices ever. I was watching it when my roommate - another infantry lieutenant - came in and started making fun of me for watching a "chick flick". I bet him $20 (a significant amount of money for a young officer in the early 1990's) that if he watched an hour he would enjoy it. An hour later he paid me $20 dollars and we binge watched the whole series. I wound up buying the entire book series and reading them which led to me reengaging with Dickens, Austen, Trollop, and a host of other classics I had passed up in high school and university.

How cool!! Would love to see videos on AoGG, Little Women, etc. Nobody on YT does classic literature and history like Ellie! ❤

If you're ever up for it, I think it would be interesting if you covered some of the Anne series for your historical literature videos. Gilbert and Anne have such a sweet love story.

As a Canadian, having grown up in Toronto, I can assure you that whilst Black Creek Pioneer Village and MacKenzie House are excellent examples of Pioneer life in southern Ontario, they do not represent life in a rural community in PEI at all. I'm glad that you enjoyed your Canadian visit and hope that one day you'll have an opportunity to visit Anne's fictional home and Village in the truly breathtaking landscape of Prince Edward Island. On another historical note, at that point in time, the Dominion of Canada, while a young country in its own right, was part of the British Empire. Our national anthem at the time of Anne of Green Gables wad God Save The King and our flag was the Union Jack, the flag of Great Britain. O Canada did not become our official national anthem until June 1980. The opera singer should have known that! I'm sad that our historic sites are not making visitors aware of true Canadian history. Anyway, your tour was interesting.

First, I'm so happy to see you visiting BCPV where I used to work! (Look at my avatar picture, that's me spinning in First House). I loved revisiting all of the buildings that I used to work in. However, I'm surprised that you didn't focus on the Anne of Green Gables connection, because many of the scenes from the 1985 series was filmed here (and across Southern Ontario). The Tinsmith Shop was where Matthew went to buy the dress with puffed sleeves for Anne (only the outside, inside was shot elsewhere), the side of Burwick House (where they Clydesdales are kept) are where Matthew and the doctor ran into Diana's House when her sister was sick (there's a big wheel by the door), and most of the winter scenes of Marilla going off to Charlottetown, and then later with Matthew and Anne in the carriage coming back from the Barry's, were filmed along those long fences around the village (basically, all the winter scenes were filmed here). Watch the series again and you'll recognize Black Creek! In fact, most of the original series was filmed in Southern Ontario, not PEI. We used to carry a lot of Anne of Green Gables goods in our gift shop because of that connection.

This gives me goosebumps and a flood of memories. Kindred spirits as Anne would say? I was raised cleaning LM's birthplace in the summer. I think it was in New London (just checked Wikipedia where they say Clifton, but Clifton has long since been renamed New London, PEI, well before my time). My Aunt Fanny and Uncle George McLeod were the proprietors. You should get to Cavendish!! I think the Island MacLeod's and Montgomery's are related like most families. She's very likely my Great Aunt Maud (the "greats" were having babies when she had her three, although Hugh died quickly after birth and Eileen barely made it to age 3 before she died). :( Lucy Maud (LM) was like Jane Austen in getting past age 35 without finding mutual love,. Cavendish has always been out of the way big time. She studied literature for a year at Dalhousie in Halifax which is close to what I did (I'm from Charlottetown and went to Acadia University in Nova Scotia) but she made the fateful decision to quit a short teaching career to take care of her grandma back in Cavendish (the middle of nowhere). Within a week from now the good weather on the Island will be over till next June. Then all eligible young bachelors will be off to Dalhousie, Saint Mary's or Acadia...or at least Prince of Wales college in Charlottetown. At age 22 as a teacher she had a fling with a great looking guy Hermann Laird who's mother ran the boarding house she stayed at when she taught in Bedeque (we're still talking PEI here). He was cheating on another gf when he'd slip into LMs room and they'd neck and do things short of intercourse. But her friends and family convinced her he was lower class and got her to move back to Cavendish creating a tragic story similar to "Persuasion" or "Wuthering Heights." Hermann died of the flu a year later in 1897 (she strangely wrote that this meant he was her's forever as no other woman would be in his embrace). It wasn't until many years later when she was 31 that she met the preacher Ewen McDonald while she played the organ at the church. She wasn't attracted to him but he was better than others to her and the position as pastor's wife was coveted in those times. They waited five years til grandma died before she married him at age 36 to have children with someone. Somehow the children did NOT become her life and happiness like one has done with me. My life is happy and complete because of a child. But not Maud. Instead of enjoying her first born being 3 like me during the Ukraine war that kicked us out of Kherson itself, she obsessed about the Great War holding only to British propaganda about it. Canada had no business getting involved in WW1 yet she let hatred for the German "Huns" consume her instead of enjoying her kids. We got the little one out across the battlefield of Kherson, took him to the Greek Riviera and gave him a happy life going forward. But very tragically her mid forties husband got mentally ill when the war ended. She had 25 depressing years ahead of her. Again, no joy in her own children. She died at 67 in a Toronto house she called Journey's End. What isn't discussed is that she did return to "Abegweit" (the Island) in the summer before she shuffled off her mortal coil. My father's mother, Marion Drake MacCannell, had her for tea and boy that was a major occasion for a 4 year old, my dad. I guess the Macleod connection was strong. I should find out more why she was so close to my family that she took tea in Charlottetown with my grandmother the summer before she died and why Uncle George Macleod apparently owned her birthplace.

Classical Canadian Cottagecore with our Resident Austenite? Such fun! 👏🏽

I love how bothered you were by the bugs. My reading of 19th century accounts of life in Canada are full of the torment that bugs caused.

the house where lucy maud montgomery lived while writing anne of the island and anne's house of dreams is a museum about an hour and a half drive from toronto, and she spent her last ten years and died in a house in toronto (though she hated it there, and it's a private residence)

So many charming looking objects around in these houses. Aww a goat, how cute! 💖💖💖

Holy cow, what vibes to the best Anne series w Megan Follows. I'll have to put it on my bucket list.

What a sweet video. If you ever do get the chance to go to PEI, I highly recommend it. It's enchantingly beautiful. I was lucky enough to go when it was only accessible by ferry. This did have the effect of making me miss your Jane Austen content. It was how I discovered your channel. And you were so insightful in those videos. The village looks very charming. Not unlike some of our historic sites in New England such as Plymouth Plantation, Canterbury Shaker Village, Strawbery Banke, or Old Sturbridge Village. Historically preserved sites, (and those re-created with authenticity), can really show us how far we've come. We can't go back to living that way, but we can relearn some lessons about a "simple life" that we've forgotten in our fast paced modern society.

Very pretty village. That blouse is also pretty. Good to see you're staying well hydrated in the heat with that big water bottle. I'm sure that little backpack was helpful to keep you from having to hold your bag all day. "Why are you such chill chickens?" "Because we're safe from Colonel Sanders here." (yes, I realize that's a baaaaaad joke, but I'm not feeling sheepish about using it)

how terrifically charming

Happy Friday, Ellie!😊😊😊😊😊😎☀💙💙💙💙💙💙🌷💖💖💖💖💖💖🎇👍. This place is so awesome! Farmhouses, beautiful wagons, making a horse inside the shop, turkeys, chickens (so cute😍), and the houses are so....beautiful!😊💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙😍👍

Totally charming, Ellie, as charming as Maudie Montgomery's writing itself. Reminds me of your good old Jane Austen projects. You're really at your best with these quasi-historical themes, though I know you have other issues and interests going on. Your points about Native American representation were very effective. I haven't read Ms Wilder, but I wonder if the 'dead Indian' quote came from one of her characters' mouths rather than the author herself. I like your use of 3rd person for this narrative. And may I say you're looking great. All power to you, young lady..

Wow. Just called my Mom and she gave me an earful of memories of LM! She said she liked my grandmother because she wasn't as boring as the other PEI ladies! Remember, this person was very critical of people and got bored of them easily. She was no saint. Just read her ascerbic journal. :) The Island culture of visitations from the pastor's wife...oh how dull that could be, but she filled the role well. She put the Island on the map. Actually, it was on a trip to Scotland that LM said something about God punishing pastors wives especially

Take a bow Ellie! That was a wonderful little fairytale video! I’m glad you had fun on your visit!

I wish I had known you were going to Canada! Not that you know me or anything. I just know all the spots lol. Did you know you can visit Lucy Maud Montgomery's home outside of Toronto? If you came on July 1 you just missed the Indigenous Arts Festival at Historic Fort York, another historical landmark site. The festival has a Pow-Wow. There is also Crawford Lake outside of Toronto, another historical village, that has recreated long houses. So glad you enjoyed your time here though.

I hope to see more of AoGG on your channel. It is my go-to series since it has all of my favourite tropes - coming of age, found family, academics,warm friendships, hate to friends to lovers romance, lovely and interesting neighbours aaaannddd the cottagecore vibes. Also let's be honest at the end of the day , we all need a Gilbert Blythe.

Too bad you did not get a chance to visit Green Gables in P.E.I. You are young and will have plenty of opportunities to go there. I am 70 years old. I immigrated to Canada with my parents when I was 3 years old. I have lived in Toronto almost all my life and have never ventured any further east than New Brunswick. Last summer I accompanied my daughter who participated in that year’s national archery tournament near Charlottetown. We had a wonderful time and of course we had to visit Green Gables. It was a tourist trap inside a national park and I kinda expected it to be less than expectations but hey, how can we travel all the way to P.E.I and not visit Green Gables. So, we paid the exorbitant entrance fees (one to get into the park and another to access the Green Gables house), and bought a few souvenirs. You are not missing much. Black Creek Pioneer Village would give you the same vibes. Glad that you are enjoying your trip here.

Thank you for this wonderful tour!! I love historical places with knowledgable docents. Re the lost housing of the Native Americans, I think that far up north the Native Americans migrated with the seasons and carried portable housing with them or took advantage of living in caves. As to what the teepees were made of, my guess is animal hides and I don't know if people today would want to kill animals just to make a more accurate replica. I must say, you're getting quite good with your background music and the way you cut between us seeing your reactions with shots of your face and body and shots of the artifacts and settings of the museum. You seem to be enjoying your worldly explorations!! I know I do.😊😊😊

reminds me of Carillon Brewing here in Dayton They brew beer and cook food like they did in the 1800s

You should totally check out PEI and the rest of the Maritimes (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick)!! There’s tons of old museums and villages there!! And the next time you’re in Toronto, head to the Six Nations longhouses too!! Much love from the GTA!! 💕💕

Love this! I still read the Anne books whenever I'm feeling down. This video gave me the same vibe 🥰

One thing the Little House series for obvious reasons does not mention is that her mom's family was preset during a massacre by native Americans. Hence she could not have been objective. My family who was mostly wiped out at Jamestown was likely not culturally sensitive. That is why stories like the first Thanksgiving and Squanto, Father Desmet and about the Lady in Blue (Mary of Agreda Spain) are so important to expand our knowledge.

“I’m eternally scared to touch anything.” - Me walking in a park yesterday.

I also want to say that, from Toronto, the closest restored Native village is at Crawford Lake. If you want a bigger experience, you need to go to the Huronia sites near Midland.

I love BCPV so much and I’m so glad you went here ❤❤

We also have Upper Canada Village in Ontario, closer to Ottawa. Same situation as BlackCreek, but now I'm curious if they've added indigenous features as well. I've always wanted to visit again, wearing a long flowy dress!! 👗👒 😊

Very nice. Lang Pioneer Village is also a fun trip ☺️

I visited Green Gables when I was 15, and the main thing I remember was the litter of kittens in the barn.

You can walk past LM's old home in Toronto (Swansea) near Jane and Bloor. I've read all of the Anne books.

I love places like this!!!!!

Really sorry you weren’t able to go to PEI. I hope someday you will be, green gables is really pretty, and theres also a whole little cottage hotel cluster thing(?) that looks like the house sort of.

Aww, Ellie, that's so nice! I grew up in Toronto, and Black Creek Pioneer Village was one of those nice places that I remember from childhood. Nice to see how the place is doing today. And I grew up with the Kevin Sullivan "Anne of Green Gables" miniseries, as well as its spinoff "Road to Avonlea". I like the original novel very much, I can sympathize with Anne as, like her, I had some trouble socializing when I started school.

I have recently seen the word “settlers” used in reference to people from Europe who established communities in what are now the United States and Canada. That seems reasonable to me, and could refer to anyone who moves from one place to another and settles there, as people of various ethnicities have done all over the world, throughout human history.

I fully approve of more Anne content! I'd love some of your breakdowns on those books!

That place is so cool! I love visiting historical sites

I was fortunate to take a trip to PEI with my family in the early 90s. It was a bit too touristy but I did get to see Montgomery's Cavendish home and grave. We enjoyed Charlottetown the most and would recommend staying there if you ever go. For indulging old timey fantasies in the US I recommend Conner Prairie in Indiana. It's very similar to this village in Toronto. Happy travels!

Your right about the issues surrounding the First Nations in Canada. We have a lot of work to do regarding reconciliation. Still we have made some progress, this month September we will be having our first statutory acknowledgement of Truth and reconciliation day. Canada Day is Canada’s Birthday a celebration of our birth as a country. The slight on our national anthem wasn’t cool.

I love the works of L.M. Montgomery and I hope I can visit PEI one day as well.

I never clicked on a video faster!!!

15:16 OMG typography and journalism? Such fun! 👏🏽

Going to a historical village? So fascinating. Have you been to Colonial Williamsburg?

So fun! 😊

I love seeing places like this. You are even more fruity about bugs than I am & that's saying something. lol I'm very proud of my NA heritage & in several cities/areas here in WA there are more actual places to see for that lifestyle, modern or traditional, usually both. I technically live on NA land but the actual occupied Rez & center are very close. Also a very good medical center! It's amazing the difference in lifestyle of the two closest. The other is kind of a sad place & I would not want to live there.

Well, you didn't seem too tempted to worry the sheep at least... :-)

This was such a fun vlog! 👏🏽

There used to be (maybe still is?) an indigenous tourist attraction in Ontario called St Marie Among the Huron, like a pioneer village but all teepees, and indigenous tools, etc. I went in the 90s when I was 12ish. I don't think it was too far from Toronto. I didn't appreciate it at the time, but really should make a point of going again. 😊

LM Montgomery lived in Toronto, but I don't remember where.i love her Pat of Silver Bush series.😊

Nice vlog! 😊 Did you put the Niagara Falls one offline?

Canadian content!! ❤ 🇨🇦 🍁

They should give you a cameo on Murdoch Mysteries

4:06 Reminds me of ‘That’s My Momma’ from ‘Tom and Jerry’.

Well this is super charming.

Do you know if it was normal for (poor) young ladies to have aunts be housekeepers for them? In Anne of the Island, the aunt of a roommate lives in "Patty's Place" with Anne and her college roommates and keeps house. Why can't the girls clean up after themselves and cook their own food? They seem capable enough. Or was having an aunt live with girls a way for girls to have a matronly chaperone so the girls stayed respectable? (P.S. I know the book says the only daughter of the aunt got married and the aunt was lonesome, so she moved in with her niece and that is the reason she became their house keeper.)

“That’s super interesting.” - Me throughout the video.

Idk in these past few years and especially after watching ‘Past Lives’ (you might like it), I want to visit Canada.

Clydesdale Horses reminds me of Philippe from ‘Beauty and The Beast’.

I think our ancestors must have been made of sterner stuff. They knew that life was hard and full of loss. We tend to think we can have anything, that we can fix anything. We tend to think of people from the past as being just like us, just without phones or cars or whatever. I think they must have had a much more grim outlook (not without joy, of course).

10:51 “Liesl, who are you dancing with?”

Im curious how her videos are fairing now that she's moved on from proper austen topics to "influencer." I'd love a video about this. Is it profitable to run the gamut?

Carrots. If I remember correctly, Anne of Green Gables is Edwardian rather Victorian.

17:30 You’re having an Elle Woods Moment.

Netflix cancelling Anne with an E remains a travesty

I mean Why...like really ...why would you end my vlog vacation watching you...I enjoyed 🎉 Please come back soon...at least eye trip to places from India😂

But who will chastise you like Marilla? And who is your bosom buddy?

First

3:49 They ‘ducked’ them in, you mean?

You are so Beautiful, this video really shows how beautiful you are.

Fun Fact: I pulled on a goat’s beard once.

4:02 Not the best sentence for me to hear. Entomophobia Girlies, where you at?