Kentville, Nova Scotia
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| Part of a series about Communities in Nova Scotia |
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| Nova Scotia Towns & Villages | ||
| Kentville | ||
| magna e parva | ||
| Community Statistics | ||
| Area | 17.35 km² | |
| Population | 5,815 | |
| Population_Density | 323.3 /km²* | |
| Average_Earnings | 25,905 + | |
| Latitude | 45° 4′39″ N | |
| Longitude | 64° 29′ 45″ W | |
| Elevation | 31 Meters | |
| Founded | Beginning of the 17th century | |
| Government | ||
| Mayor | David L. Corkum | |
| Governing Body | Kentville Town Council | |
| Date Incorporated | May 1, 1886 | |
| Other Information | ||
| Website | http://www.town.kentville.ns.ca/ | |
| Time zone | AST | |
| Postal Code | B4N | |
| Telephone Exchange | 902 - 365 ,670 ,678, 679, 680, 681, 690, 691, 692 ,698 | |
| Footnotes | ||
| * According to StatCan Census Year 2006 | ||
| + Average Household Income | ||
Kentville (2006 population 5,815) is located 103 km from Halifax is the most populous and fastest growing town in all of the Annapolis Valley. Kentville is located in Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada, and together with outlying localities such as the village of New Minas and town of Wolfville, over 30,000 people live in the area.
Kentville is one of the main towns in the beautiful Annapolis Valley, and it is the county seat of Kings County.
The area was first settled by Acadians, who built many dykes to keep the high Bay of Fundy 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 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.
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 III and father of Queen Victoria), who visited the area in 1794.
When the Windsor to Annapolis railway (later named Dominion Atlantic) established its headquarters in Kentville in 1868 and began shipping Annapolis Valley apples to British markets, the community began to thrive.
During the early part of the 20th century Kentville began to thrive as the business centre of Kings County and today is 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 apples, is 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 Centre. The site now employs over 200 people and sits on 473 acres of the land at the east end of the town.
To the north of Kentville lies MTC 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 the state of World War 2 Camp Aldershot and Kentville, entitled "On The Home Front"[1] Today the Camp has a much smaller role but its still home to the West Nova Scotia Regiment, which is made up primarily of reservist soldiers.
The Apple Blossom Festival, founded in 1933 is held each May to celebrate the blossoming of local apple orchards. It is centred primarily in Kentville, with events occurring in several other communities in the Annapolis Valley. The biggest event is the Grand Street Parade, lasting about 2 hours, and comprised of floats from local businesses, and organizations and community groups. The annual fireworks display is sponsored by one of the region's largest employers, the Michelin tire company, which has a large plant in nearby Waterville employing near to 1000 people [2].
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 15 minutes away in Canning. There are also several post secondary institutions, the Kingstec campus of the Nova Scotia Community College is located on the north fringe of town and Acadia University[3], is located in nearby Wolfville.
Kentville also boasts a number of high quality recreational facilities. The Kentville Centennial Arena is thought to have hosted the first ever summer ice hockey school. The town also houses a large indoor soccer arena and numerous other outdoor baseball and soccer fields, and playgrounds for local children. Kentville is home to the Kentville Wildcats, a senior baseball team, who have won several NSSBL championships.
[edit] Sister City
The town of Kentville has a sister city named Camrose in Alberta.
[edit] External links
- Town of Kentville Official Site
- Photographs of the Kentville War Memorial monument
- Photographs of the Kentville Veterans Memorial Park
- Photographs of the Kentville Veterans Memorial Bench and Sundial
- Kings County Museum
