The community can be accessed by Highway 416, also known as the Veterans Memorial Highway, which was completed in 1999, and from Leeds and Grenville Road 43 (formerly Highway 43).
Kemptville is the largest community in North Grenville, with about 69% of North Grenville's population.[1] Three elementary schools are located in the town — Holy Cross Catholic School, Kemptville Public School and South Branch Elementary School — two high schools — North Grenville District High School and St. Michael Catholic High School — three parks, and two hotels. The residential area is generally located in the south and east parts of the community. The main streets are Rideau, Prescott, Clothier and Van Buren streets. A creek named Kemptville Creek divides Kemptville in the southeast, where the least part of Kemptville is found. The creek begins southwest of Kemptville and empties 4 km (2.5 mi) NE into the Rideau River. Much of Kemptville is forested, especially east and north of the community. Farmland covers the rest of the area, especially the west and the southern part of the community, with some exceptions. There are some homes lying next to the farmland.
Map of the town of Kemptville
History
Kemptville's Prescott Street
The small town of Kemptville began to emerge from the forest in the township of Oxford when Lyman Clothier, a resident of New England, bought 100 acres (40 ha) of land in Concession 3 of Oxford-on-Rideau Township from a John Byce in 1819 for C£75. Mr. Clothier began construction of a saw mill with the assistance of his four sons, and they built two dwellings in what is now Kemptville. This mill was extremely important for the settling of the community, as in order to construct a crude dwelling, lumber was required - and so, the mill began to facilitate the construction of dwellings for settlers all over Oxford Township.
The Clothiers placed some grinding stones in the lower part of their saw mill. As a result of this, rather than taking their grain to a site on the Saint Lawrence River, which would be a daunting hike in the best of conditions, or grinding the grain in an extremely ineffective and crude fashion, the settlers could now take it to this grist mill. After this was established, a blacksmith's shop was established, run also by the Clothiers. A schoolhouse was established in 1823, which served the surrounding communities for many years. The first physician arrived in the community the year after the school was established.
The small village was expanding quickly and the residents of the region were beginning to think about officially giving a dignified name to the location in which they lived. Initially, the community was known as "Clothier's Mill". So, during a public meeting at this time, the name "Kemptville" was suggested, to honour Sir James Kempt, the Governor of Upper Canada in 1829, who was said to have camped on the banks of the Rideau River near the settlement. The name was adopted in 1829 and the first map with the name "Kemptville" was produced in 1830.[2] The post office was established in 1831.[3]
1855 - Kemptville Fire Department is formed; Kemptville's first paper The Progressionis hits the streets
1857 - Kemptville becomes incorporated
1861 - Population of Kemptville is 1059
1869 - Sellecks Mill is built as an egg factory; the New Methodist Church is built
1870 - First library is formed
1872 - The Great Fire which destroys most of downtown Kemptville
1874 - The Kemptville Academy is built as the central school; the town hall is built; a hose tower is built to help combat fire in town
1879 - Memorial Church of Kemptville is built
1881 - First steam engine is purchased for the Fire Department
1885 - Bakery is built on 115 Clothier Street East
1888 - Holy Cross Church designed by Joseph Connolly is built; the district High School is built; The Salvation Army comes to Kemptville; electricity comes to Kemptville via a mill which lights the Oddfellows hall for a fair
The Kemptville area is served by a number of radio stations out of the Ottawa-Gatineau areas, including Brockville. Kemptville is served by one local radio station.
CKVV-FM 97.5; Kemptville's first local FM radio station launched in 2012.
Newspapers
The Kemptville Advance, a Torstar newspaper, is published every Thursday. The North Grenville Times, a locally-owned community newspaper, is delivered every Wednesday.
