| Elmsdale, Nova Scotia | |
|---|---|
| — Community — | |
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Elmsdale, Nova Scotia
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Nova Scotia |
| Municipality | Hants County |
| Elevation | 0-74 m (-243 ft) |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Total | 2,672 |
| Time zone | AST (UTC-4) |
| • Summer (DST) | ADT (UTC-3) |
| Canadian Postal Code | B2S 3K5 |
| Area code(s) | 902 |
| Telephone Exchange | 883 |
| NTS Map | 011F12 |
| GNBC Code | CAPVL |
Elmsdale is an unincorporated Canadian community located on the boundary of Hants and Halifax counties in Nova Scotia.
Specifically, the community is divided by the Shubenacadie River, with the eastern half being in the Halifax Regional Municipality and the western half being in the Municipality of the District of East Hants. In 2006 its population was 2,672[1].
Elmsdale owes its early growth to the construction of the Shubenacadie Canal and the Nova Scotia Railway. Demand for workers on these projects, brought many new families into the area. One of the earliest was William Read who was granted 200 acres (0.81 km2) of land in 1785 at the confluence of the Nine Mile River and the Shubenacadie River.
In 1852 Alexander Fraser built the first house in what is now in the village proper, about 100 yards (91 m) from the railway crossing. In the next six years more houses were constructed near the crossing, including a hotel and a boarding house for railway workers.
The Elmsdale Presbyterian Church was completed in 1862. Its pastor, Rev. John Cameron and family came from Nine Mile River to live in the large residence he had built on the crest of a gentle slope overlooking the village. This house is still in existence and is currently The Briarwood Bed and Breakfast.
The River that Missed the Boat by Barbara Grantmyre, Halifax: Petheric Press, 1975 ISBN 0-919380-17-4