Patty's Place

"It's the dearest place I ever saw. It gives me one of my old, delightful funny aches. It's dearer and quainter than even Miss Lavendar's stone house."

—Anne Shirley, upon seeing Patty's Place for the first time^[src]

Patty's Place was the little house in Kingsport, Nova Scotia, where Anne Shirley, Priscilla Grant, Stella Maynard and Philippa Gordon lived for three years during their studies at Redmond College.

History[]

Patty's Place was originally owned by Aaron Spofford, after whom Spofford Avenue was named. When he died, he left the house in his will to his sister, Patty, who lived in the house with her niece Maria. The Spofford family had apparently lived in the area for decades and had resisted letting the property be sold and redeveloped.

When Maria came up with the idea to travel to Europe with Patty for the next three or so years, they decided to rent the house out. After rejecting all the potential tenants as unsuitable, Anne Shirley and Priscilla Grant, who had previously seen the house with Philippa Gordon, hoped to rent it instead of boarding at 38 St. John's Street again for the upcoming year. Though Anne and Priscilla admitted they couldn't match the price that Patty demanded, Patty still agreed to rent the house to the girls for the price they could afford to pay as she decided the girls were able to appreciate and care for the house. Anne, Priscilla, Philippa, and Stella Maynard resided at Patty's Place under the supervision of Stella's Aunt Jamesina until they concluded their studies at Redmond College.

Physical appearance[]

"Just on the crest, where Spofford Avenue petered out into a plain road, was a little white frame house with groups of pines on either side of it, stretching their arms protectingly over its low roof. It was covered with red and gold vines, through which its green-shuttered windows peeped. Before it was a tiny garden, surrounded by a low stone wall. October though it was, the garden was still very sweet with dear, old-fashioned, unworldly flowers and shrubs—sweet may, southern-wood, lemon verbena, alyssum, petunias, marigolds and chrysanthemums. A tiny brick wall, in herring-bone pattern, led from the gate to the front porch. The whole place might have been transplanted from some remote country village ..."

—Anne of the Island^[src]

As one of the few older houses in the area, Patty's Place was a small white frame house with green-shuttered windows, described as having the feel of a house transported from a remote country village, yet able to make its nearest neighbour, a large fancy house owned by a tobacco king, "look exceedingly crude and showy and ill-bred by contrast."

Surrounded by pines and covered in red and gold vines, the house had a tiny garden in front, surrounded by a low stone wall. In October, the garden still had "dear, old-fashioned, unworldly flowers and shrubs" in blossom, including sweet may, southern-wood, lemon verbena, alyssum, petunias, marigolds, and chrysanthemums. A small brick wall set with a herring-bone pattern led from the gate to the front porch, and apple orchard was located in the back yard.

Etymology[]

"Would you believe it? All the people who came here to rent the house wanted to know if they couldn't take the name off the gate during their occupation of it. I told them roundly that the name went with the house. This has been Patty's Place ever since my brother Aaron left it to me in his will, and Patty's Place it shall remain until I die and Maria dies. After that happens the next possessor can call it any fool name he likes."

—Patty Spofford^[src]

Patty's Place was named after its owner, Miss Patty Spofford.

Gallery[]

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Appearances[]

Book appearances

Anne of the Island
Anne of Windy Poplars (mentioned only)

TV series appearances

Anne of Avonlea (1975)