Kentville, Nova Scotia
Encyclopedia
Kentville is a town
in Kings County, Nova Scotia
. It is one of the main towns in the Annapolis Valley
, and it is the county seat of Kings County
. As of 2006, the town of Kentville had a population of 5,815 people.
which downstream from Kentville becomes a large tidal river. Kentville was the limit of navigation of sailing ships and more importantly was the most accessible crossing place on the river. The ford and later the bridge at Kentville made the settlement an important crossroads for settlements in the Annapolis Valley.
tides out of their farmland. These dykes created the ideal fertile soil that the Annapolis Valley
is known for. The Acadians were expelled from the area in the Bay of Fundy Campaign (1755)
by the British authorities because they would not swear allegiance to the British King. The area was then settled by New England Planters
. Settlement was expedited by the United Empire Loyalists
during the American Revolution
.
and father of Queen Victoria
), who visited the area in 1794. The village was at first relatively small and dwarfed by larger valley towns with better harbours such as Canning
and Wolfville. The crossroads location did attract early shopkeepers and several stagecoach inns. Kentville developed a reputation for rowdy drinking and horseraces in the early 19th century, earning the nickname "the Devil's half acre."
When the Windsor and Annapolis Railway
(later named Dominion Atlantic Railway
) established its headquarters in Kentville in 1868 and began shipping Annapolis Valley
apples to British markets, the community began to thrive. The railway not only employed a large number of people, up to a third of the town's population, but also attracted other industries such as mills, dairies, a large foundry, and a carriage works which even entered autombobile production. A branchline of the Dominion Atlantic, the Cornwallis Valley Railway
, was built north to Canning
and Kingsport
in 1889 furthering developing the apple industry and creating a suburban line for workers, shoppers and schoolchildren to commute to Kentville. The railway also attracted large institutional developments such as a large regional TB hospital, the Kentville Sanitorium, a federal agricultural research station and an army training base at Camp Aldershot
.
The town became a major travel centre highlighted by the large Cornwallis Inn built at the town's centre by the railway. The town boomed during World War I
and World War II
with heavy wartime railway traffic on the Dominion Atlantic and the training of thousands of troops at Camp Aldershot
. Many residents fought overseas in the local West Nova Scotia Regiment as well as other branches of service. A Royal Canadian Navy minesweeper HMCS Kentville
was named after the town and her crew often took leave in Kentville.
as a whole (7.1%) but slightly higher than the provincial average (3.0%). Kentville's own population however is closely integrated with adjacent communities of Coldbrook and New Minas making for a combined population of 14,613 and forming part of the fast-growing area of eastern Kings County with an overall population of 25,969. The median household income in 2005 for Kentville was $44,164, which is below the Nova Scotia provincial average of $46,605.
During the early part of the 20th century Kentville emerged as the business centre of Kings County
and despite the post-war loss of commerce to other valley communities, it remains the professional centre of the Annapolis Valley
. Kentville is home to numerous professional services such as lawyers offices, doctors, and investment firms. On the outskirts of the town is the Valley Regional Hospital, built in 1991. The town is also home to the Annapolis Valley Regional Industrial Park which employs numerous people in the area through a variety of different businesses.
Agriculture
, especially fruit crops such as apple
s, remain a prominent industry
in the Kentville area, and throughout the eastern part of the valley. Kentville is home to one of the largest agricultural research facilities in Nova Scotia founded in 1911, known to the locals as The Research Station. The site now employs over 200 people and sits on 473 acres (1.9 km²) of the land at the east end of the town.
Kentville shares its northern boundary along the Cornwallis River with Camp Aldershot
, a military training base founded in 1904. At its peak during World War II, the camp housed approximately 7000 soldiers. Kentville native Donald Ripley wrote a book chronicling Camp Aldershot and its effect on the town entitled On The Home Front. Today the camp functions as an army reserve training centre and is the headquarters of The West Nova Scotia Regiment
.
, founded in 1933 is held each May to celebrate the blossoming of local apple industry, one of the region's richest forms of agriculture. The festical is centred primarily in Kentville, with some events in other towns in the Annapolis Valley. The biggest event is the Grand Street Parade, lasting about 2 hours, and made up of floats from local businesses, and organizations and community groups, the parade is one of the largest in Canada. The annual fireworks display is also held on the same weekend, generally after the Coronation of Queen Annapolisa on Friday evening.
Kentville is also well known for its Pumpkin People, a series of displays of straw people with pumpkins for heads are set up throughout the town during the month of October, drawing thousands of visitors to the town to pose with and grab pictures of the unique, themed pumpkin displays.
Education in the area is serviced by Kings County Academy in Kentville, serving grades primary through eight, the local high school is Northeast Kings Education Centre, located 20–25 minutes away in Canning. There are also several post secondary institutions, the Kingstec campus of the Nova Scotia Community College
is located on the northern fringe of the town and Acadia University
http://www.acadiau.ca, is located in nearby Wolfville. The town operates a library and C@P
site. Kentville is also home to the Kings County Museum
, located in Kentville's old courthouse.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Kings County, Nova Scotia
Kings County, Nova Scotia
Kings County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.Kings County is located in central Nova Scotia on the shore of the Bay of Fundy with its northeastern part also forming the western shore of the Minas Basin....
. It is one of the main towns in the Annapolis Valley
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...
, and it is the county seat of Kings County
Kings County, Nova Scotia
Kings County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.Kings County is located in central Nova Scotia on the shore of the Bay of Fundy with its northeastern part also forming the western shore of the Minas Basin....
. As of 2006, the town of Kentville had a population of 5,815 people.
History
Kentville owed its location to the Cornwallis RiverCornwallis River
The Cornwallis River is a river in Nova Scotia, Canada.It has a meander length of approximately 48 km from its source on the North Mountain near Berwick to its mouth near Wolfville on the Minas Basin. The lower portion of the river is tidal and there are extensive tidal marshes in the lower...
which downstream from Kentville becomes a large tidal river. Kentville was the limit of navigation of sailing ships and more importantly was the most accessible crossing place on the river. The ford and later the bridge at Kentville made the settlement an important crossroads for settlements in the Annapolis Valley.
Acadian settlement
The area was first settled by Acadians, who built many dykes along the river to keep the high Bay of FundyBay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine...
tides out of their farmland. These dykes created the ideal fertile soil that the Annapolis Valley
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...
is known for. The Acadians were expelled from the area in the Bay of Fundy Campaign (1755)
Bay of Fundy Campaign (1755)
The Bay of Fundy Campaign occurred during the French and Indian War when the British ordered the Expulsion of the Acadians from Acadia after the Battle of Beausejour . The Campaign started at Chignecto and then quickly moved to Grand Pré, Rivière-aux-Canards, Pisiguit, Cobequid, and finally Port...
by the British authorities because they would not swear allegiance to the British King. The area was then settled by New England Planters
New England Planters
The New England Planters were settlers from the New England colonies who responded to invitations by the lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia, Charles Lawrence, to settle lands left vacant by the Bay of Fundy Campaign of the Acadian Expulsion...
. Settlement was expedited by the United Empire Loyalists
United Empire Loyalists
The name United Empire Loyalists is an honorific given after the fact to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War and prior to the Treaty of Paris...
during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
.
English settlement
The town was originally known as Horton's Corner, but was named Kentville in 1826 after Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent (brother of King George IIIGeorge III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
and father of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
), who visited the area in 1794. The village was at first relatively small and dwarfed by larger valley towns with better harbours such as Canning
Canning, Nova Scotia
Canning, Nova Scotia is a village in northeastern Kings County located at the crossroads of Route 221 and Route 358.-History:The area was originally settled by Acadians who were expelled in 1755 during the Acadian Expulsion...
and Wolfville. The crossroads location did attract early shopkeepers and several stagecoach inns. Kentville developed a reputation for rowdy drinking and horseraces in the early 19th century, earning the nickname "the Devil's half acre."
Growth
Windsor and Annapolis Railway
The Windsor and Annapolis Railway was a historic Canadian railway that operated in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley.The railway ran from Windsor to Annapolis Royal and leased connections to Nova Scotia's capital of Halifax...
(later named Dominion Atlantic Railway
Dominion Atlantic Railway
The Dominion Atlantic Railway was a historic Canadian railway which operated in the western part of Nova Scotia, primarily through an agricultural district known as the Annapolis Valley....
) established its headquarters in Kentville in 1868 and began shipping Annapolis Valley
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...
apples to British markets, the community began to thrive. The railway not only employed a large number of people, up to a third of the town's population, but also attracted other industries such as mills, dairies, a large foundry, and a carriage works which even entered autombobile production. A branchline of the Dominion Atlantic, the Cornwallis Valley Railway
Cornwallis Valley Railway
The Cornwallis Valley Railway was a historic Canadian railway in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley. It was built in 1889 and ran from Kentville to Kingsport serving the Cornwallis Township area of Kings County...
, was built north to Canning
Canning, Nova Scotia
Canning, Nova Scotia is a village in northeastern Kings County located at the crossroads of Route 221 and Route 358.-History:The area was originally settled by Acadians who were expelled in 1755 during the Acadian Expulsion...
and Kingsport
Kingsport, Nova Scotia
Kingsport, is a small seaside village located in Kings County, Nova Scotia on the shores of the Minas Basin.-Geography:Kingsport is located just northeast of the mouth of the Habitant River, on the west side of Minas Basin, a few miles east of Canning at the eastern end of Route 221. It is bordered...
in 1889 furthering developing the apple industry and creating a suburban line for workers, shoppers and schoolchildren to commute to Kentville. The railway also attracted large institutional developments such as a large regional TB hospital, the Kentville Sanitorium, a federal agricultural research station and an army training base at Camp Aldershot
LFAATC Aldershot
Land Force Atlantic Area Training Centre Aldershot is a training facility for Land Force Atlantic Area of the Canadian Army. It is located in Kings County, Nova Scotia....
.
The town became a major travel centre highlighted by the large Cornwallis Inn built at the town's centre by the railway. The town boomed during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with heavy wartime railway traffic on the Dominion Atlantic and the training of thousands of troops at Camp Aldershot
LFAATC Aldershot
Land Force Atlantic Area Training Centre Aldershot is a training facility for Land Force Atlantic Area of the Canadian Army. It is located in Kings County, Nova Scotia....
. Many residents fought overseas in the local West Nova Scotia Regiment as well as other branches of service. A Royal Canadian Navy minesweeper HMCS Kentville
HMCS Kentville (J312)
HMCS Kentville was a that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II.Built in the 1941-42 programme of RCN minesweeper production, she was commissioned on 10 October 1942 with pennant number J146....
was named after the town and her crew often took leave in Kentville.
Population
Kentville's 2006 population of 5,815 people reflects a modest population growth of 3.7% which has been lower than Kings CountyKings County, Nova Scotia
Kings County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.Kings County is located in central Nova Scotia on the shore of the Bay of Fundy with its northeastern part also forming the western shore of the Minas Basin....
as a whole (7.1%) but slightly higher than the provincial average (3.0%). Kentville's own population however is closely integrated with adjacent communities of Coldbrook and New Minas making for a combined population of 14,613 and forming part of the fast-growing area of eastern Kings County with an overall population of 25,969. The median household income in 2005 for Kentville was $44,164, which is below the Nova Scotia provincial average of $46,605.
Industries
Kings County, Nova Scotia
Kings County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.Kings County is located in central Nova Scotia on the shore of the Bay of Fundy with its northeastern part also forming the western shore of the Minas Basin....
and despite the post-war loss of commerce to other valley communities, it remains the professional centre of the Annapolis Valley
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...
. Kentville is home to numerous professional services such as lawyers offices, doctors, and investment firms. On the outskirts of the town is the Valley Regional Hospital, built in 1991. The town is also home to the Annapolis Valley Regional Industrial Park which employs numerous people in the area through a variety of different businesses.
Agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, especially fruit crops such as apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s, remain a prominent industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
in the Kentville area, and throughout the eastern part of the valley. Kentville is home to one of the largest agricultural research facilities in Nova Scotia founded in 1911, known to the locals as The Research Station. The site now employs over 200 people and sits on 473 acres (1.9 km²) of the land at the east end of the town.
Kentville shares its northern boundary along the Cornwallis River with Camp Aldershot
LFAATC Aldershot
Land Force Atlantic Area Training Centre Aldershot is a training facility for Land Force Atlantic Area of the Canadian Army. It is located in Kings County, Nova Scotia....
, a military training base founded in 1904. At its peak during World War II, the camp housed approximately 7000 soldiers. Kentville native Donald Ripley wrote a book chronicling Camp Aldershot and its effect on the town entitled On The Home Front. Today the camp functions as an army reserve training centre and is the headquarters of The West Nova Scotia Regiment
The West Nova Scotia Regiment
The West Nova Scotia Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces, twenty fourth in the order of precedence. It has seen active service in both the Great War and World War II...
.
Community events
The Apple Blossom FestivalAnnapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival
The Apple Blossom Festival is an annual agricultural and heritage celebration held in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley usually the last weekend of May....
, founded in 1933 is held each May to celebrate the blossoming of local apple industry, one of the region's richest forms of agriculture. The festical is centred primarily in Kentville, with some events in other towns in the Annapolis Valley. The biggest event is the Grand Street Parade, lasting about 2 hours, and made up of floats from local businesses, and organizations and community groups, the parade is one of the largest in Canada. The annual fireworks display is also held on the same weekend, generally after the Coronation of Queen Annapolisa on Friday evening.
Kentville is also well known for its Pumpkin People, a series of displays of straw people with pumpkins for heads are set up throughout the town during the month of October, drawing thousands of visitors to the town to pose with and grab pictures of the unique, themed pumpkin displays.
Emergency services
The town of Kentville is served by its own municipal police force, the Kentville Police Service, which is made up of up four patrol platoons that provide 24 hour police service to the town as well as an investigative branch and administrative personnel. The police service is housed in one central station located on River Steet. Fire services in the town are provided by the Kentville Volunteer Fire Department. The department has a paid staff including a full time Chief, Administrative Assistant, Custodian and a Master Emergency Vehicle Technician, as well as up to 70 volunteer members, and operates with 9 pieces of modern fire apparatus from one central station on Main Street. In addition to providing fire & emergency services to the residents of Kentville the department is responsible for responding to emergencies in a large area of Kings County and handles an average on 400 calls for service per year, the department provides a number of specialized services as well including Hazardous Materials response, high angle rescue, cold water rescue, medical first response & vehicle extrication. Emergency medical services as in all areas of Nova Scotia are provided by Emergency Health Services which operates a paramedic base in Kentville with a total of 4 ambulances.Climate
Famous residents
(From in or near Kentville, including the former Township of Cornwallis)- Composer Robert AitkenRobert Aitken (composer)Robert Morris Aitken, is a Canadian composer and flautist. He began his career as a teenager playing in a number of orchestras, notably becoming the youngest principal flautist in the history of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in 1958 at the age if 19. In 1971 he abandoned ensemble performance...
- Former NHLer Jerry ByersJerry ByersJerry William Byers was a former professional ice hockey forward. He was drafted in the first round, twelfth overall, by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft...
- Actor Peter DonatPeter DonatPeter Donat is a Canadian-American actor known for his roles in American television.-Early life:Donat was born Pierre Collingwood Donat in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada, the son of Marie and Philip Ernst Donat, a landscape gardener. His uncle was British actor Robert Donat...
- Inventor of kerosene Abraham Gesner
- Comedian Jay MaloneJay MaloneJay Malone is a Canadian comedian from Kentville, Nova Scotia.Malone began doing standup comedy in 1999 while studying at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. In the summer of 2000, just three credits shy of a degree, he moved to Toronto to pursue comedy full time...
- Linguist Silas Tertius RandSilas Tertius RandSilas Tertius Rand was a Canadian Baptist clergyman, missionary, ethnologist, linguist and translator. His work centred on the Mi'kmaq people of Maritime Canada and he was the first to record the legend of Glooscap.-Life:...
- Zoologist Austin L. RandAustin L. RandAustin Loomer Rand was a Canadian zoologist.He was born in Kentville, Nova Scotia in 1905 and grew up in nearby Wolfville, where he was mentored by the noted local ornithologist Robie W. Tufts...
- Boxer Bryan GibsonBryan GibsonBryan Gibson is a retired boxer from Canada, who represented his native country at the 1976 Summer Olympics. There he was defeated in the first round of the men's middleweight division by East Germany's Bernd Wittenburg...
- CFL All Canadian Bruce BeatonBruce BeatonBruce Beaton is a former professional Canadian football offensive lineman who played 13 seasons in the Canadian Football League for five different teams. He was named CFL All-Star three times and was a part of two Grey Cup championship teams with the Edmonton Eskimos...
- Blue Man GroupBlue Man GroupBlue Man Group is an organization founded by Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton. The organization produces theatrical shows and concerts featuring popular music, comedy and multimedia; recorded music and scores for film and television; television appearances for shows such as The Tonight...
member Scott Bishop http://www.blogto.com/arts/2005/08/interview_the_blueman_groups_scott_bishop/
Education
Nova Scotia Community College
The Nova Scotia Community College, commonly referred to as the NSCC, is a community college serving the province of Nova Scotia.The college delivers a diverse program of trades, technology, health, human services, applied arts, new media, business administration and adult education through a system...
is located on the northern fringe of the town and Acadia University
Acadia University
Acadia University is a predominantly undergraduate university located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada with some graduate programs at the master's level and one at the doctoral level...
http://www.acadiau.ca, is located in nearby Wolfville. The town operates a library and C@P
Nova Scotia C@P
Nova Scotia Community Access Program is a Government of Canada initiative, administered by Industry Canada, which aims to provide Nova Scotians with affordable public access to the Internet and the skills they need to use it effectively...
site. Kentville is also home to the Kings County Museum
Kings County Museum
The Kings County Museum is a museum located in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada exploring the history of Kings County, Nova Scotia. It is housed in the restored 1903 Kings County Courthouse. The Museum hosts a variety of permanent and changing displays about Kings County...
, located in Kentville's old courthouse.