[1]Built in the 1830s, Montgomery’s Inn was surrounded by a large profitable farm, which provided food for the Montgomery family and visitors to their hotel. The Inn was closed in 1856 but the family and their tenants continued to farm the land until the 1940s.
[2-Fuel for the winter]
The architectural style is “late Georgia” or “Loyalist”. The Inn is built of rubble stone and was originally covered with pebble-dashed stucco, “coined” on the corners to give the appearance of cut stone.
[3-Historic Inn sign was rescued from the trash]
[4-Tom Montgomery's desk]
The Inn has been restored to the 1847 period, a remnant of colonial times and operates as a museum. Most of the period furnishings have been donated, though a few of the items once belonged to the Montgomery family. The furnishings reflect those of a conservative country innkeeper.
Inn staff offer guided tours of the Inn with highlights of the Montgomery family’s private sitting room
[5-Montgomery private sitting room]
[5B-Montgomery's Inn Bar]
[6-Dining room]
[7-Pantry served family and guests]
[8-Victorian meeting room on second floor]
[9- Beds at the Inn]
[10- Drying apples, dipped in lemon first, in the kitchen]
An open-hearth kitchen serves treats to visitors, the old-fashioned way. For a few hours each afternoon in the Tea Room pots of tea and light snacks are served for a modest price. A bookshop sells souvenirs and items related to the Inn, its period and neighbourhood.
[11-Garden behind Montgomery Inn]
A city resident who grew up near Montgomery’s Inn visited regularly and had an unusual experience when in the 7th grade. For a class assignment the students were asked to write a short story and the resident chose to write a story of a maid who worked at the inn, received a good grade and the teacher sent a copy to the Inn. The next time the resident visited the Inn, the tour guide to whom they were well acquainted was very excited and was shown into an archive room where some of Thomas Montgomery’s records were kept. These records had never been on display. The student’s essay had mirrored the life of a maid who had been employed there, even her name: May Evans.
Montgomery's Inn is located on 4709 Dundas Street West just east of Islington Avenue in Toronto.
Telephone: (416) 394-8113
Note: Prices do not include GST (5%).
Adults: $5.71
Seniors (65 +): $2.86
Youth (13-18 yrs.): $2.86
Children (12 and under): $1.90
Open Tuesday to Sunday 1pm to 5pm
All Mondays and Statutory Holidays (excluding: Valentines Day, Victoria Day and Canada Day when the museum is open for special menus in the tea room.)
Sources:
City of Toronto Museums http://www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/montgomery.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery's_Inn
http://www.pararesearchers.org/index.php?/20090205649/Psychic-Phenomenon/Montgomerys-Inn-Etobicoke.html
Photo Credits:
[6]-cameraphone, [10]-suzannelong CC=sa-flickr, [11] - PinkMoose CC=flickr.
Other photos by wikipedia
Travis Erwin from Amarillo, Texas is the founder of My Town Monday. For other locations to visit please go to Travis' site here.
