On arriving in the parking area, visitors will notice the signed entrance to the Orwell Bay scenic lookoff and also to our admissions building and gift shop where you will receive a brochure in English, French or Japanese to guide you on your visit. Hours and Rates. Pl

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Your first stop will be the PEI Agricultural Heritage Museum. Here you will enjoy an exhibit on the history of European agriculture in PEI. Explore the many artifacts from the Provincial collection, hear the voices and experiences of real Islanders and we're sure you'll leave with a better understanding of the struggles our forefathers faced to do something we all take so much for granted - eat. Upon exiting this facility you will walk about 150 meters along an original Island red clay road to the Village itself where you will experience the following. Our staff are unformed and are easily identifiable, please feel free to engage them in a dialogue. As you enter the Village you will see on your left a cemetery that belonged to our historic Presbyterian Church. Please feel free to explore it, we only ask that you do so respectfully.

Following along the old roadway up the hill you arrive at the The Orwell School that first opened its door in 1895 and was used by the community until the rural schools in the area were consolidated in 1969. This school like over 500 others on the Island in the 1890's served students within walking distance from Grade 1 to 10. On average around 20 pupils attended this school and Mr. J.S. O'Neil was the first instructor. Most students only stayed in school long enough to complete the first 5 or 6 grades. Those completing Grade 10 wrote provincial examinations to become eligible to attend college in Charlottetown where they might study toward a degree or receive basic teachers training, often returning after one year to teach in a similar school. The teachers were hired by a community elected board of trustees and the modest salary ($150-$400 per year) was paid in part by the community. Some teachers were required to take part of their payment in cords of firewood if the community was unable to raise its supplement in cash. The course of studies prescribed by the Province included the basic subjects along with Latin, Greek and agriculture.

The Orwell Church was built in 1861 by the Scottish Presbyterians of the community. Until its construction people in the district attended St John's Presbyterian Church in nearby Belfast. Services as late as 1900 were conducted in English and in the Gaelic language. There was some controversy in the community when the building was extended in 1891 to accommodate a new platform and a pump organ. The traditional services had been conducted without musical accompaniment with members following the lead of the presentor in singing the psalms from the Bible. Some felt the organ would serve only to distract the congregation from the words of the psalms. In the 1920's the church became part of the United Church of Canada and was used until 1970 when churches in the area were consolidated and a new building erected at Vernon Bridge. The adjacent cemetery dates back to 1884 and is still used by members of the Orwell congregation.

The intersection is an actual intersection of two original Island roadways that were used until replaced by the more modern roadways we are familiar with today. The signpost indicates the direction of travel to nearby communities. This intersection is the reason for the name Orwell "Corner:

At the intersection is the Orwell Community Hall, built to replace the original on this location that was destroyed by fire in the 1950's. The hall is still used year round by the community for concerts, meetings, ceilidhs, card parties, community dinners and even the occasional wedding. Check out our events list for all of the great programs taking place this season. In the summer season it also functions as a tea room serving sweets, soups and sandwiches prepared on site.

Across the intersection is  D.E. Clarke's General Store. The Clarke family came to P.E.I. from Galway Ireland in 1856 and brothers Richard and Denis opened this general store in 1864. Although small by standards of the day its served to provide the local community with many of the necessities of life that they were unable to produce on the farm. As the community merchant, Mr Clarke also served as a local dealer in farm produce at a time when bartered accounts outnumbered cash settlements. The store operated until 1906. The store has many antique items that would have been available in the 1890s and guided tours are offered throughout the day.

Denis Clarke also had the contract for the postal service for the community and along with bringing in a modest commission, it brought customers to his store on a regular basis. The small post office behind the store was only set up on a temporary basis as the postal contract moved about the community with changes in government and the issue of government contracts.

The home attached to the store is furnished to the 1890's style. The handsome Kitchener Model cast iron wood stove in the kitchen provided warm for the household as well as many fine home cooked meals. The pantry adjacent was used for food storage and preparation. You will want to check out the "Baker's Delight" folding table and the less than automatic washing machine.

The transon lite hallway leads you to the parlour and dining room. These rooms traditionally housed the family's best furniture and accessories. In the parlour the Island made horse hair sofa and chairs, knick knacks, old photos, coal burning fireplace, pump organ, needlework, hair wreath, stuffed peacock and globe lamps bring a charm to this room that evokes many memories of days gone by. The dining room, used most often for formal entertainment of guests, features a woven Scottish carpet, hanging chandelier, buffet, coal fireplace, phonograph, library and many accent pieces.

Climbing the wooden hill brought many weary member of the house to the comfort of the feather ticked bed in one of the upstairs bedrooms. The cottage style furniture in the master bedroom is Island made, wood grained and stenciled. Indoor comforts were afforded by the commode chair, open heat vent in the floor, bathtub and commode stand with pitchers and basins. The second bedroom has been restored as a weaving room and features a string hettled 1820's loom, spinning wheels, scanning reels, blanket boxes, and matting frames.

The rooms above the store were also accessible by the back stairs and private entrance. Eliza Latrobe rented these rooms and operated a dress makers shop and showroom for over 20 years, making cloths for special occasions as well as everyday wear for many families in the community. In later years these upper rooms were rented out to the local school teacher.

Of increasing interest to many Orwell visitors are the lovely flower and vegetable gardens beside the store and house. Many of the flowers and herbs are typical of the period and visitors are able for purchase seeds from the storekeeper and try out some of these varieties when they return home.

The Blacksmith shop, the center of many activities at the turn-of-the century including shoeing horses and oxen, making small tools and implements, and repairing wagons and farm machinery. Older residents also tell of a time when the blacksmith served as the local dentist, animal trader, as well as building box sleighs in the winter time. The forge is still used on an occasional basis and items for sale in our gift shop are manufactured here. Many of the artifacts have been generously donated by Harold Jay, who also made replica hardware and weathervanes for some of the buildings on site.

E.D. Taylor's Shingle mill is located 50 meters past the Blacksmith shop along the same roadway. This reconstruction houses a 1915 Bruce Stewart milling machine with attached edger, used to make many of the shingles used in the initial restoration of the site. In winter black spruce, pine and hemlock were hauled from the woods and brought to the mill for making shingles. Some of our buildings still have their original hand made shingles, made using a froe and mall. The mill is still operated on special event days. The mill also houses a number of other woodworking artifacts including saws, lathes, and shingle packers.

The Farm Yard is always a popular area for visitors, especially children. In the barns and surrounding pasture land you will find chickens, sheep, pigs, goats and draft horses. Also the carriage shed and machine shed hold a great collection of early farm machinery, wagons, carts, tools and implements. The 1890's farm was largely a mixed operation with potatoes and grain produced as the main source of farm income. Dairy farming underwent a major boost in the later part of the century with the introduction of improved herds and the construction of butter and cheese factories across the Island. The one at Orwell Cove was one of the first to open its door. Although cash was a rare commodity on most small farms, there was usually no shortage of basic foods and often the extra produce could be traded directly for merchandise at the local general store. Our Belgian and Canadian draft horses are still used to undertake period farming demonstrations and give wagon rides.

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