History
The Village of Lawrencetown is situated in the Annapolis Valley on the Annapolis River half way between Halifax and Yarmouth. Its main distinction is its beautiful elms which, in the summer, form a natural shelter over Main Street. The oldest part of the village is the center of town. The residents are mainly descendents of New England planter families who came to Nova Scotia in 1760.
The village was first named Lunn's Mill after John Lunn who purchased the "mill lot" from Phillip Marchington in the 1760s. The lot was triangular in shape with the base on the bank of the Annapolis River. Beginning at the Island the base ran west along the river crossing the Lane and going as far as Phinney's Brook. Many important events took place on this mill lot. John Lunn operated a mill just west of the south end of the bridge over the Annapolis River which was probably a grist as well as a lumber mill. Water for the mill was conveyed from Phinney Brook by a mill race. The mill discharged its water into Phinney's Brook where a depression can be seen at the point where the brook bends to the northwest.
The village was named Lawrencetown in 1822 in honour of Lieutenant Governor Charles Lawrence who expelled the Acadians. An attempt was made in 1958 to change the name to Lawrence, but the residents did not favor this so the name Lawrencetown remains.
