The Leftwich family first visited Prince Edward Island on a summer holiday in 1996 touring the Atlantic Provinces. After falling in love with the old-world charm, peaceful rural settings, and quaint communities, they decided to make the Island the family's summer retreat from the South Florida summertime heat. The family began construction in fall 1998 of the cottage, which was completed in the spring of 1999. During that summer, the family planted an 18-tree apple and cherry orchard. Upon returning from his summer at Oxford, our son, Charles, began designing what would become the center of our estate. From his interest in architecture and research of classical design, he completed the design for the 13-room Georgian-style manor that same year. With the assistance of a local architect, the final plans were completed in late fall for construction to commence. Under the master craftsmanship of Murray Hill and the Island's Laningan family, construction proceeded throughout the winter and was completed in late fall of 2000. Throughout this time, the family made frequent trips to the Island ensuring no detail was overlooked. In addition, the family had begun the task of acquiring Island-made and English antiques dating from as early as 1780 to furnish the manor. After one year, the house was completed in summer 2001 at which time the family hosted a celebration on the 4th of July to express our thanks to everyone who made our dream become a reality."