Aylesford, Nova Scotia


Aylesford, since its formation, has always been a farming community. It is situated in western Kings County in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, Canada. The settlement was named after the fourth Earl of Aylesford, Heneage Finch, who was Lord Of The Bedchamber to George III from 1772-1777. The community is located between the North and South Mountains, and is roughly a 15 minute to Canadian Forces Base Greenwood, and a 10 minute drive to its closest neighbour, the Town Of Berwick. Aylesford is located on the Evangeline Trail scenic tourist route, which was named after the epic 1847 H.W. Longfellow poem entitled Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie.

History

Aylesford is one of the oldest surviving settlements in Kings County, originally settled by Ulster Scots during the early 1770s. Between 1772 and 1781, the population of Nova Scotia actually fell - from 19,000 to 12,000 - but by 1784, after the continued arrival of United Empire Loyalists during the American Revolution, the population had reached 32,000. A number of Loyalists, aka "The King’s Loyal Americans" put down roots in Aylesford and the surrounding area. Aylesford emerged as a major centre for packing, processing and exporting apples after the arrival of the Windsor and Annapolis Railway in 1869.

Economy

Aylesford's economy relies primarily on the local agricultural industry. It is a service centre for the surrounding agricultural district. An important crop is cranberries cultivated on the extensive peat bogs. Peat moss harvesting operations are also active.
Aylesford's largest tourist attraction, the Oaklawn Farm Zoo, was home to Rutledge, the heaviest living lion in captivity, as certified by Guinness World Records in 1997. Rutledge died in February 2009, three months short of his 18th birthday. The zoo also has a variety of other animals including tigers, dromedary camels, and a variety of monkeys. Other attractions in Aylesford include a public beach at Aylesford Lake, Crystal Falls hiking trail, and Clairemont Provincial park.
A farm called Dempsey's Corner has a fee-based self-pick service for fruits and vegetables. They also have a petting zoo and educate their visitors on the history of farming. Many other area farms provide a self-pick service offering strawberries, apples, pears, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches and other produce.

Notable residents