Nestled in the beautiful Annapolis Valley between the North and South Mountains, this picturesque village, located on the banks of the Annapolis River, was settled in 1760 by New England planter families. Originally named Lunn’s Mill, after John Lunn, who purchased a mill lot in 1760, was in 1822, renamed Lawrencetown in honour of Lieutenant Governor Charles Lawrence.
Although Lawrencetown is primarily a rural farming community, it is located exactly halfway between the urban centers of Halifax and Yarmouth (105 miles), allowing our residents the advantages of having easy access to the commercial opportunities of cities, yet also retaining the wonderful privileges of country life here at home.
Since 1927, we have been the home of the Annapolis Valley Exhibition, a premier event that attracts visitors and participants from all over the Maritimes. This week long event puts the emphasis on agriculture and the farming community, but also incorporates first class entertainment and artistic displays. The exhibition is held the 3rd week of August, and is a definite “must see” on your summer events schedule.
The Village, with approximately 600 year round residents, is a community of Firsts. We are the only municipality in Canada whose boundaries form a perfect circle. We are also proud to be the home of the world-renowned Nova Scotia Community College’s Centre of Geographic Sciences, which specializes in the fields of study of Geomatics, Engineering and Surveying. In 1958, the original school was established and specialized in the training of Surveyors. This was the first of its kind in Canada. However, in order to meet with the growing demands for this field of study, the existing structure was jointly financed and constructed by the Provincial and Federal governments and was officially opened in 1975.
In 2010, Lawrencetown was voted from across Canada into the top 5 selections of the Kraft Hockeyville contest. Most recently, in 2011, we have become the first community in Canada to be recognized by the Canadian Wildlife Federation as a Certified Backyard Habitat.
The Village offers services such as schools, recreational facilities, a fire department, restaurants, general store, bakery, gas station, post office, pharmacy, brewery. vineyard, and a prestigious library just to name a few.
Donated by Joan Steadman and Dave Hope, this is a picture of the original Lawrencetown Village Commissioners and Clerk-Treasurer Circa 1954. Pictured are Commissioners Frank Hope, Edwin Elliott, Allister Whitman, Courtney Taylor, John Stultz and clerk-treasurer Lantz Allen. The picture will be available for viewing at the Dr. Frank W. Morse Library.
