PEI Bottle Houses: A Testament to Human Ingenuity

The PEI Bottle Houses are a marvel of human ingenuity, showcasing the creativity and resourcefulness of their builder, Ron Ellis.

Ron Ellis built the houses using over 5,000 plastic bottles, which he collected from local communities and businesses.

The bottles were carefully cleaned and cut to fit together like a puzzle, creating the unique walls of the houses.

The Bottle Houses are a testament to the power of repurposing and recycling, reducing waste and conserving resources.

Ellis's innovative approach has inspired others to think outside the box and find creative solutions to environmental challenges.

The Bottle Houses of Prince Edward Island are a true marvel of creativity and resourcefulness. Édouard T. Arsenault began building these incredible structures in 1980, inspired by a postcard of a glass bottle castle in British Columbia.

He spent six months building the first glass house, which measures 20 ft x 14 ft and features three main sections. To create the unique patterns, Édouard cemented between 300-400 bottles per row, using approximately 12,000 bottles and 85 bags of cement.

The bottle houses are not just visually stunning, but also a testament to Édouard's dedication to upcycling and reducing waste. He sourced his bottles from the local community, including friends, relatives, and neighbors, and even preferred to keep special bottles for his personal collection.

The bottle houses have become a tourist landmark in the Cape Egmont community, and have been featured in "Ripley's Believe It or Not" and "1000 Places to See Before You Die". They truly are a work of art, and a must-see for anyone visiting Prince Edward Island.

Here are some key facts about the Bottle Houses:

Édouard Arsenault, the creator of the Bottle Houses, was a lobster fisherman and carpenter who lived on Prince Edward Island his entire life, except for his military service during World War II in Europe.

He was born and raised on the island, and his connection to the land and community inspired his unique creation. Arsenault married Rosina Leclerc, also a Prince Edward Island native, and they had four children together.

The family lived at the Cape-Egmont lighthouse, where the first two daughters were raised, until it was automated in 1957. After leaving the lighthouse, they moved to the current site of the Bottle Village, where two sons were born.

Arsenault began collecting bottles in 1979, after seeing a postcard of a bottle house in Vancouver, British Columbia, that his daughter Réjeanne brought to him. He collected bottles from local restaurants and bars, or received them from relatives and friends.

By 1980, at the age of 66, Arsenault started building the Bottle Houses, using over 25,000 bottles in the process. The buildings include a six-gabled house, a hexagonal-shaped tavern, and a chapel, all situated within a beautiful floral garden.

The difficult winters on Prince Edward Island took their toll on the buildings, and between 1992 and 1998, they were dismantled, re-founded, and rebuilt with the same bottles. Today, the Bottle Houses are open to the public from May 18 to October 4 each year.

Réjeanne Arsenault, Édouard's daughter, now manages the site, and visitors can explore the unique buildings and gardens for an adult fee of $8, with children and group rates also available.