The Macphail Homestead Trail

"The farm was acquired from the Fletchers. The north and south branches of the Orwell River joined within the area, flowed in a deep wooded ravine, passed through the adjoining property, and met the tide where it was crossed by a bridge. Upon this stream were three mills. Heavy timber grew upon either bank. The stream now runs upon gravel and rock, through grassy meadows where mill-ponds once were, through gorges where with an unerring instinct the early settlers built their three dams, through the woods where trees have grown to immense size, protected by the high banks which prevent their removal. There also, as a neighbors observed, is all the accommodation a sea-trout could require." Sir Andrew Macphail, from The Master's Wife

Sir Andrew Macphail Homestead.

The Sir Andrew Macphail Homestead offers a rich blend of natural and cultural history, blending the past and the present into an exciting place to visit. John Andrew Macphail was born on this farm in 1864 and memories and traces from those times still grace this area. With a sharp intellect, he rose to be McGill University's first professor of the history of medicine and also became an accomplished essayist, editor, social critic, doctor, applied scientist and soldier. On New Year's Day in 1918, he became Sir Andrew Macphail, knighted by King George V in recognition of his military and literary contributions to the empire. His best known work is The Master's Wife, a rich account of his parents and the times in which he lived.

Aerial view of Macphail homestead in 1935.

Aerial view of Macphail homestead in 2000.

The Homestead was a working farm (aerial photos), with fields of grains and hay and the barns filled with horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, ducks and geese. Yet "The Master's Wife", Andrew's mother Catherine, still found time to pursue her interest in nature. She loved growing things and from every journey would bring home new plants - the shrub roses that still run wild, other flowering shrubs and vines. Large trees surround the house, including lindens, English oak, white spruce, apple, Norway maple and sugar maple. Some younger trees bordering this area are butternuts planted in 1980, their drooping, compound leaves adding a touch of the exotic. Keep your eyes open for birds and mammals that you might see around your own home. Springtime often brings nesting pairs of downy and hairy woodpeckers, chipping sparrows and red-eyed vireos to this area. Cedar waxwings eat the flowers from the apple trees in the old orchard while red squirrels commonly scold visitors from the treetops, especially during the fall acorn season.

Nature Centre.

The large barn is being converted into a natural history centre, a special place where adults and children alike can learn about the richness of Prince Edward Island nature. It will include displays of flora and fauna, with teaching facilities and a library.

Next: Native Plant Garden Trail