Wolfville, NS, Town, pop 3658 (2001c), 3833 (1996c), 3475 (1991c), area 6.45 km2, inc 1893, is located on MINAS BASIN, 75 km NW of Halifax. Once part of the Acadian district of Les Mines (Minas), the site was known as Mtaban ("mud-cat-fish catching-ground") to the Micmac, and Mud Creek and Upper Horton to the Connecticut emigrants who settled Horton Township after the deportation of the ACADIANS. The route of the Halifax-Annapolis Road and the natural harbour encouraged settlement at this site. The name was changed to Wolfville in 1830, in honour of Judge Elisha DeWolf, one of 3 DeWolf second cousins who were among the original grantees in 1761.
With the decline of shipbuilding E of the harbour, Wolfville became a New England-style university town. Established as a BAPTIST academy (1828) and college (1838), ACADIA U (1891) is now nondenominational but closely associated with the Maritime United Baptist Convention. With 40 main buildings and more than 3200 full-time students (1985-86), it is the main local employer and the cultural, political and recreational centre for the town and its agricultural surroundings. Founded in 1765-66 and reorganized solely as a Baptist church in 1778, Wolfville United Baptist Church has the oldest continuing Baptist congregation in Canada. The easy pace of life in the town has attracted numerous senior citizens and a small counterculture colony. Many descendants of the original New England settlers remain.