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Kentville

Kentville
Town
Centretown Kentville
Centretown Kentville
Official seal of Kentville
Seal
Motto: "Magna E Parva"
Kentville is located in Nova Scotia
Kentville
Kentville
Location of Kentville, Nova Scotia
Coordinates: 45°04′39″N 64°29′45″W / 45.07750°N 64.49583°W / 45.07750; -64.49583Coordinates: 45°04′39″N 64°29′45″W / 45.07750°N 64.49583°W / 45.07750; -64.49583
Country  Canada
Province  Nova Scotia
County Kings County
Incorporated May 1, 1886
Electoral Districts     
Federal

Kings-Hants
Provincial Kings North
Government
 • Type Town Council
 • Mayor Sandra Snow
 • MLA John Lohr (PC)
 • MP Scott Brison (L)
Area
 • Land 17.35 km2 (6.70 sq mi)
 • Urban 33.37 km2 (12.88 sq mi)
 • Metro 609.76 km2 (235.43 sq mi)
Elevation 31 m (102 ft)
Population (2011)
 • Town 6,094
 • Density 351.2/km2 (910/sq mi)
 • Urban 14,234
 • Urban density 426.6/km2 (1,105/sq mi)
 • Metro 26,359
 • Metro density 43.2/km2 (112/sq mi)
 • Change (2006-11) Increase4.8
 • Census Ranking 606th of 5,008
Time zone AST (UTC-4)
 • Summer (DST) ADT (UTC-3)
Postal code(s) B4N
Area code(s)
Dwellings 2,662
Median Income* $44,164 CDN
Website kentville.ca
  • Median household income, 2005 (all households)

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 2011, the town's population was 6,094. Its census agglomeration, which is the majority of the county, is 26,359.

Kentville owes its location to the Cornwallis River 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.

The area was first settled by Acadians, who built many dykes along the river 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 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.

The town was originally known as Horton's Corner, but was named Kentville in 1826 after Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent (son of King George III and father of Queen Victoria), who resided in Nova Scotia from 1794-1800. 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. Small schooners were able to land cargos in the "Klondyke" neighhourhood by the Cornwallis River which marked the height of navigation. Kentville developed a reputation for rowdy drinking and horseraces in the early 19th century, earning the nickname "the Devil's half acre."


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