Historic Montgomery house gets a new life thanks to Lucy Maud descendant

When is a house not just a home? When it's a former museum andthe historicresidence of the grandfather of one of this country's most beloved writers.

The LucyMaud Montgomery Heritage Museum in Park Corner, P.E.I.,is being transformed into an inn.

The housewasknown asInglesidein some of LucyMaud'sstories, and was the model for Anne and Gilbert's home on Prince Edward Island in theAnneseries of novels.

Paul Montgomery, who shares his storied ancestor's name(first cousin, twice removed), bought the place from his father, Robert, who had run ita museum for a number of years.

Now, renovations are underway, with Montgomerytrying to keep the historic aspects of the house as intact as possible, though he does plan to add all of the mod-cons, including more washrooms, air conditioning and, of course, internet access.

"We're trying to do as much as we can to restore the house to its original form," he said.

Poetry books, letter found in the walls

Sometimes, a renovation can turn up a surprise or two and that's certainly true in the case of the MontgomeryInn, where all manner of treasures have been uncovered within its walls, havingfallen through from the attic.

There are books with brittle, yellowed pages, old pottery,the lidoff of a woodenchest and some old bottles.

There is also a letter of appointment to the Canadian senate, sentto Donald Montgomery, one of the Island'sfirst senators and grandfather of LucyMaud, who stayed at the housewhen she visited him.

The new ownerplansto put much of it on display when he opens the inn.

"Itwas kind of neat. You know, you open up a wall and you see something in there ...and you have absolutely no idea," Montgomery said.

He hopes to have the Montgomery Innready for visitors by August.