Ayer's_Cliff,_Quebec
Ayer's Cliff
Village municipality in Quebec, Canada
Ayer's Cliff (2021 population 1,180) is a village municipality in the Memphrémagog Regional County Municipality in the Estrie region of Quebec. It is located just north of the Canada–United States border, on Lake Massawippi, near the mouth of the Tomifobia River.
Ayer's Cliff | |
|---|---|
Location within Memphrémagog RCM. | |
| Coordinates: 45°10′N 72°03′W[1] | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Quebec |
| Region | Estrie |
| RCM | Memphrémagog |
| Settled | 1815 |
| Constituted | February 4, 1909 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Simon Roy |
| • Federal riding | Compton—Stanstead |
| • Prov. riding | Orford |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.50 km2 (2.12 sq mi) |
| • Land | 5.53 km2 (2.14 sq mi) |
| There is an apparent contradiction between two authoritative sources | |
| Population (2021)[4] | |
| • Total | 1,197 |
| • Density | 213.3/km2 (552/sq mi) |
| • Pop 2016-2021 |  10% |
| • Dwellings | 643 |
| Demonym | Ayer's Cliffer |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Postal code(s) | |
| Area code | 819 |
| Highways |  R-141  R-208 |
| Census profile | [4] |
| MAMROT info | 45035[2] |
| Toponymie info | 142204[1] |
| Website | www |
In the early 1910s and 1920s a number of wealthy Americans built summer estates in Ayer's Cliff. These included the railroad mogul Charles Keller Beekman, Chicago attorney David Leavitt Hough, Charles W. Parker, and George Fuller Parker, a close friend of President Grover Cleveland.
Ayer's Cliff still maintains a large anglophone population, with roots going back to the late 18th century. Today, Ayer's Cliff and the surrounding region are home to a combination of seasonal and year-round residents. The village is the site of Ripplecove Inn, a world-renowned luxury resort featured on CTV Travel's Most Romantic Hideaways.
The annual Ayer's Cliff Fair has been a popular gathering place for Eastern Townshippers since 1845. It is a multi-day event that includes animal shows, rides, attractions and entertainment for all.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Ayer's Cliff had a population of 1,180 living in 531 of its 643 total private dwellings, a change of 10% from its 2016 population of 1,073. With a land area of 5.53 km2 (2.14 sq mi), it had a population density of 213.4/km2 (552.7/sq mi) in 2021.[5]
| Language | Population | Pct (%) |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 610 | 58.37% |
| French only | 410 | 39.23% |
| Both English and French | 25 | 2.39% |
| Language | Population | Pct (%) |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 475 | 44.39% |
| French only | 575 | 53.74% |
| Both English and French | 15 | 1.40% |
| Language | Population | Pct (%) |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 417 | 37.70% |
| French only | 644 | 58.23% |
| Both English and French | 45 | 4.07% |
| Language | Population | Pct (%) |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 415 | 35.2% |
| French only | 705 | 59.7% |
| Both English and French | 55 | 4.7% |
- During the 1930s, multi-millionaire sportsman Foxhall P. Keene maintained a seasonal residence in Ayer's Cliff where he died in 1941.
- American novelist and essayist Upton Sinclair also spent time in Ayer's Cliff in the 1930s.
- "Banque de noms de lieux du Québec: Reference number 142204". toponymie.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec.
- "Répertoire des municipalités: Geographic code 45035". www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation.
- "Ayer's Cliff (Code 24450112) Census Profile". 2011 census. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada.
- "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Quebec". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved August 28, 2022.