Kentville

Coordinates: 45°04′39″N 64°29′45″W / 45.07750°N 64.49583°W / 45.07750; -64.49583
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Kentville
Town
The iconic Cornwallis Inn, now Main Street Station, in Downtown Kentville.
B4N
Area code
902
  • 300, 365 ,670 ,678, 679, 680, 681, 690, 691, 692 ,698
Dwellings3,090
Median Income*$44,164 CDN
Websitekentville.ca
  • Median household income, 2005 (all households)

Kentville is an incorporated town in

census agglomeration
is 26,929.

History

Kentville owes its location to the Cornwallis River which, downstream from Kentville, becomes a large tidal river at the Minas Basin. The riverbank at the current location of Kentville provided an easy fording point. The Mi'kmaq name for the location was "Penooek".[3] The ford and later the bridge in Kentville made the area an important crossroads for other settlements in the Annapolis Valley. Kentville also marked the limit of navigation of sailing ships.

Acadian settlement

The area was first settled by

United Empire Loyalists during the American Revolution
.

English settlement

The town was originally known as Horton's Corner, but was named Kentville in 1826 after

Victoria), who resided in Nova Scotia from 1794 to 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.[4]
Kentville developed a reputation for rowdy drinking and horse races in the early 19th century, earning the nickname "The Devil's Half Acre." Celebrated local musician, Chase Ross, later released an album entitled "Devil's Half Acre" to critical acclaim in the early years of the new millennium.

Growth

Windsor and Annapolis Railway locomotive Gabriel in Kentville, c. 1870

When the

Camp Aldershot.[5]

Aberdeen Street, Kentville as passenger train arrives, c. 1910

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

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.

Post war challenges

Kentville faced serious challenges after World War II. The dominant apple industry suffered severe declines due to the loss of its British export market. The nearby military training base at

Heritage Canada Foundation.[7]

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
19011,731—    
19112,304+33.1%
19212,717+17.9%
19313,033+11.6%
19413,928+29.5%
19514,240+7.9%
19564,937+16.4%
19614,612−6.6%
19814,974+7.8%
19865,208+4.7%
19915,506+5.7%
19965,551+0.8%
20015,610+1.1%
20065,815+3.7%
20116,094+4.8%
20166,271+2.9%
20216,630+5.7%
[8] [9][10]

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Kentville had a population of 6,630 living in 2,956 of its 3,090 total private dwellings, a change of 5.7% from its 2016 population of 6,271. With a land area of 17.08 km2 (6.59 sq mi), it had a population density of 388.2/km2 (1,005.4/sq mi) in 2021.[11]

Industries

Valley Regional Hospital

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.

The Research Station
. The site now employs over 200 people and sits on 473 acres (1.91 km2) of the land at the east end of the town.

Kentville shares its northern boundary along the Cornwallis River with

The West Nova Scotia Regiment
.

Electric utility (sold 1997)

Kentville until 1997-8 was one of seven Nova Scotia towns (along with Riverport, Berwick, Canso, Antigonish, Lunenburg and Mahone Bay) to own its own electricity distribution utility within town limits – the Kentville Electric Commission. When the other six joined into the Municipal Electric Utilities of Nova Scotia in January 1998,[1] Kentville instead sold its utility to Nova Scotia Power, a privately owned generator and distributor whose service area covered the rest of the province.

Community events

The Apple Blossom Festival, founded in 1933 is held each May to celebrate the blossoming of local apple industry, one of the region's richest forms of agriculture.

Kentville is also well known for its Pumpkin People Festival Archived 27 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine.

Other Annual Festivals and Events hosted in Kentville: Devil's Half Acre Motorcycle Rally Open Street Chalk Art Festival Archived 27 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine Kentville Multicultural Festival Archived 27 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine (currently the largest Multicultural Festival in NS) Kentville Harvest Festival KBC's Great Big Country Fair

Climate

Kentville experiences a humid continental climate (Dfb). The highest temperature ever recorded in Kentville was 37.8 °C (100 °F) on 12 August 1944.[13] The coldest temperature ever recorded was −31.1 °C (−24 °F) on 1 February 1920.[13] Kentville's USDA Hardiness zone is 6a.[14]

Climate data for
Kentville CDA, 1981–2010 normals,[a]
extremes 1913–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high humidex 18.1 17.3 25.7 27.0 34.0 40.0 42.0 42.0 38.0 32.0 26.0 18.5 42.0
Record high °C (°F) 18.1
(64.6) 		17.3
(63.1) 		25.7
(78.3) 		30.1
(86.2) 		32.5
(90.5) 		35.0
(95.0) 		36.1
(97.0) 		37.8
(100.0) 		33.8
(92.8) 		28.3
(82.9) 		23.7
(74.7) 		18.5
(65.3) 		37.8
(100.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −1.2
(29.8) 		−0.4
(31.3) 		3.5
(38.3) 		9.7
(49.5) 		16.5
(61.7) 		21.8
(71.2) 		25.2
(77.4) 		24.7
(76.5) 		20.2
(68.4) 		13.7
(56.7) 		7.9
(46.2) 		2.1
(35.8) 		12.0
(53.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) −5.3
(22.5) 		−4.7
(23.5) 		−0.8
(30.6) 		5.2
(41.4) 		11.1
(52.0) 		16.3
(61.3) 		19.8
(67.6) 		19.3
(66.7) 		15.2
(59.4) 		9.4
(48.9) 		4.3
(39.7) 		−1.5
(29.3) 		7.4
(45.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −9.4
(15.1) 		−8.9
(16.0) 		−5.0
(23.0) 		0.6
(33.1) 		5.7
(42.3) 		10.7
(51.3) 		14.2
(57.6) 		13.9
(57.0) 		10.2
(50.4) 		4.9
(40.8) 		0.7
(33.3) 		−5.2
(22.6) 		2.7
(36.9)
Record low °C (°F) −30.6
(−23.1) 		−31.1
(−24.0) 		−27.8
(−18.0) 		−15.0
(5.0) 		−6.7
(19.9) 		−1.7
(28.9) 		2.8
(37.0) 		2.2
(36.0) 		−3.3
(26.1) 		−8.3
(17.1) 		−16.1
(3.0) 		−25.6
(−14.1) 		−31.1
(−24.0)
Record low wind chill −35 −35 −28 −17 −6 −3 2.8 2.2 −2 −6 −20 −30 −35
Average precipitation mm (inches) 116.1
(4.57) 		101.3
(3.99) 		109.8
(4.32) 		92.7
(3.65) 		102.1
(4.02) 		81.6
(3.21) 		84.0
(3.31) 		76.7
(3.02) 		84.4
(3.32) 		89.0
(3.50) 		121.5
(4.78) 		122.0
(4.80) 		1,181.2
(46.50)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 50.8
(2.00) 		46.3
(1.82) 		67.1
(2.64) 		73.8
(2.91) 		97.3
(3.83) 		81.6
(3.21) 		84.0
(3.31) 		76.7
(3.02) 		84.4
(3.32) 		89.0
(3.50) 		108.9
(4.29) 		70.9
(2.79) 		930.8
(36.65)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 71.4
(28.1) 		59.2
(23.3) 		45.2
(17.8) 		17.2
(6.8) 		4.0
(1.6) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		12.9
(5.1) 		53.1
(20.9) 		263.0
(103.5)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 17.5 14.8 13.6 13.9 14.1 12.6 11.7 10.9 11.0 13.6 15.7 17.2 166.6
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 6.9 5.5 7.8 12.1 14.0 12.6 11.7 10.9 11.0 13.6 13.9 9.0 129.0
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 13.1 11.6 8.3 3.6 0.31 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.9 10.7 50.5
Average dew point °C (°F) −5.6
(21.9) 		−7.1
(19.2) 		−4.7
(23.5) 		−2.6
(27.3) 		3.6
(38.5) 		10.9
(51.6) 		15.5
(59.9) 		13.2
(55.8) 		10.2
(50.4) 		5.7
(42.3) 		2.4
(36.3) 		−0.6
(30.9) 		3.4
(38.1)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 77.8 101.6 133.0 156.5 198.9 214.0 234.8 225.9 178.4 141.3 78.6 65.0 1,805.7
Percent possible sunshine 27.3 34.6 36.0 38.7 43.2 45.9 49.7 51.8 47.3 41.5 27.3 23.7 38.9
Source:
Environment Canada[13][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]

[23][24][25]

Famous residents

(From in or near Kentville, including the former Township of Cornwallis)

Education

The Museum on Webster Street, Kentville.

Education in the area is serviced by

C@P site. Kentville is also home to the Kings County Museum
, located in Kentville's old courthouse. Other nearby elementary schools include the Aldershot Elementary School, and the Glooscap Elementary School.

Recreation

Kentville also boasts a number of high quality recreational facilities. The Kentville Arena (now 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 Memorial Park (considered to be one of the best baseball parks in Canada east of Montreal) is home to the Kentville Wildcats, a senior baseball team, who have won several NSSBL championships and one Canadian championship. Kentville swimming pool is home to the Kentville Marlins Swim Team.

Sister city

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Temperature normals are averaged from Kentville CDA for the period 1981–1996 and Kentville CDA CS for the period 1996–2007.

References

  1. ^ a b "Statistics Canada. 2022. (table). Census Profile. 2021 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2021001". Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Statistics Canada. 2022. (table). Census Profile. 2021 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2021001". Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  3. ^ C. Bruce Fergusson, "Kentville", Place-Names and Places of Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Archives (1967), p. 326.
  4. ^ Louis V. Comeau, Historic Kentville Halifax: Nimbus Publishing (2003) p. 83
  5. ^ a b "Kentville", Dominion Atlantic Railway Digital Preservation Initiative
  6. ^ Louis V. Comeau, Historic Kentville Halifax: Nimbus Publishing (2003) p. ix
  7. ^ Heritage Canada Foundation 2008 Worst List Archived May 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Census 1956-1961 Archived August 22, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "2001 Census of Canada Nova Scotia Perspective" (PDF). Nova Scotia Department of Finance Statistics Division. 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 5, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  10. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census - Kentville, Town [Census subdivision], Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia [Province]". 8 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Nova Scotia". Statistics Canada. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  12. ^ Ripley, Donald: "On the Home Front: Wartime Life in Camp Aldershot and Kentville, N. S." Halifax: Nimbus, 1991 "Federation of Nova Scotian Heritage | News". Archived from the original on 11 March 2005. Retrieved 27 June 2006.
  13. ^
    Environment Canada
    . 31 October 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  14. ^ "Nova Scotia Interactive Plant Hardiness Zone Map". plantmaps.com. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  15. Environment Canada. Retrieved 27 June 2015.[permanent dead link
    ]
  16. Environment Canada
    . 31 October 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  17. Environment Canada
    . 31 October 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  18. Environment Canada
    . 31 October 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  19. Environment Canada
    . 31 October 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  20. Environment Canada
    . 31 October 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  21. Environment Canada. Archived from the original
    on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  22. ^ "Dew Point - Monthly data for Kentville, NS". weatherstats.ca. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  23. ^ "Snow on Ground - Monthly Data for Kentville, NS". weatherstats.ca. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  24. ^ "Relative Humidity - Monthly Data for Kentville, NS". weatherstats.ca. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  25. ^ "November 2022". Canadian Climate Data.
    Environment Canada
    . 31 October 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  26. ^ "Interview: The Blueman Group's Scott Bishop". blogTO.
  27. ^ Duke, Laura Churchill. "Kentville twins with Italian town Castel di Sangro | The Register/Advertiser". www.kingscountynews.ca. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  28. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Kentville and Castel di Sangro Twinning – Official video, retrieved 8 September 2019
  • The Devil's Half Acre: A Look at Kentville's Past Mable Nichols, Kentville Centennial Committee, 1968.
  • Historic Kentville Louis V. Comeau, Nimbus, 2003.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kentville, Nova Scotia.
New International Encyclopedia article "Kentville
".
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kentville&oldid=1209601997"