Road to Avonlea

The series was loosely inspired by a cross-section of Lucy Maud Montgomery novels, primarily The Story Girl and The Golden Road, whose stories actually take place in the village of Blair Water rather than Avonlea.

To connect the show to Kevin Sullivan's earlier Anne of Green Gables films, several original characters were altered: Beverly was dropped, while Felix and Daniel were reworked as brothers of Felicity and Cecily King.

The show shares continuity with Sullivan's 1985 Anne of Green Gables film and its 1987 sequel, with actors Patricia Hamilton, Colleen Dewhurst, and Marilyn Lightstone reprising their roles as Rachel Lynde, Marilla Cuthbert, and Muriel Stacey respectively.

Several cast members had previously appeared in other roles within the Anne of Green Gables films, including Jackie Burroughs (Amelia Evans), Mag Ruffman (Alice Lawson), Cedric Smith (Reverend Allan), and David Fox (John Blythe).

Barbara Hamilton, who played gossip Eulalie Bugle, is the real-life sister of Patricia Hamilton and had herself played Marilla Cuthbert in the 1972 British miniseries Anne of Green Gables.

After actress Colleen Dewhurst died in 1991, her character Marilla Cuthbert's death was written into the season 3 finale, leaving Rachel Lynde to care for the orphaned Keith twins.

The Avonlea set was built in Uxbridge, Ontario, the town where Lucy Maud Montgomery herself lived and wrote for a decade, and its roads were painted red to mimic Prince Edward Island's iron-rich soil.

Filming regularly took place at the Westfield Heritage Centre in Flamborough, Ontario, and digital matte work was used to blend second-unit footage from Prince Edward Island with the Leaskdale set location.

The character Anne Shirley herself never physically appears in the series, though she is occasionally referenced in dialogue.

The series earned four Emmy Award wins from 16 nominations, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Dramatic Series for Christopher Lloyd and Outstanding Guest Actress for Dianne Wiest.