Elmsdale, Nova Scotia

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Elmsdale is a small, unincorporated community in Nova Scotia, Canada. It sits on the boundary between East Hants and the Halifax Regional Municipality. The name comes from the many elm trees once found in the Intervale area. It was first settled by Tremoine, then by the Frasers and McDonalds from Pictou County. The Shubenacadie Canal and the Nova Scotia Railway helped Elmsdale grow, attracting many workers and their families. One early settler was William Read, who received land here in 1785. The first house was built around 1852 near the railway crossing, followed by more homes, a hotel and a boarding house for railway workers. The Elmsdale Presbyterian Church was built in 1860; its pastor, Rev. John Cameron, lived in a large nearby house that is now The Briarwood Bed and Breakfast. Elmsdale lies between Truro and Halifax, and the Shubenacadie River separates it from HRM. The East Hants Aquatic Centre, with pools, a waterslide, hot tub, climbing wall and splash parks, is located in Elmsdale. In 2021, 413 people lived in 167 of 179 private dwellings, a 14.7% increase from 2016, on a 2.99 square kilometer area, giving a population density of about 138 people per square kilometer.