Louis Comeau has collected thousands of historical artifacts on Kentville and he’s still adding to that collection today. Photo by ContributedArticle contentIn 1975, a database compiled by Louis Comeau listed 5,000 antiques and other artifacts he and his family had collected over the years.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThat was more than five decades ago, and the collection has swollen to about 13,000 artifacts today.Article contentArticle contentRemarkably, all of these items pertain solely to Kentville.Article contentLouis Comeau culled this collection and expanded it to include “anything Kentville” in 1975 after he inherited thousands of collectibles, antique and otherwise, from his father.Article contentArticle contentA dentist, Dr. Lin Comeau (1904-1975) had been a general collector. As Louis Comeau tells it, when his father got the collecting bug, he had filled their residence and outbuildings in Kentville with a conglomeration of collectibles.Article contentLin Comeau filled his house with furnishing that reflected its age. This was the Thompson property, built circa 1900, on Wickwire Hill, which Louis Comeau describes as a “two and a half storey Queen Ann revival.”Article contentWhen he collected, Lin Comeau had a wide range of interests, but he concentrated on historical items. This resulted in a collection that included everything from “hat pin holders to a horse drawn surrey.”Article contentArticle contentThat “anything Kentville” phrase means that today the collection includes more than 100 books and pamphlets, about 600 photographs dating from 1878, old calendars as far back as 1910, and a mind-boggling assortment of pins, badges, signs, maps, posters, medals, watches and newspapers.Article contentArticle contentI’ve only scratched the surface but no argument, this amounts to the largest collection of Kentville collectibles in existence today.Article contentThanks to Louis Comeau, a huge amount of Kentville artifacts have been kept out of the landfills.Article contentLouis Comeau admits he has an obsession. He’s modest about what he has put together on the town, but it is truly a remarkable achievement.Article content“Mr. Comeau definitely deserves credit for maintaining local history,” says the Kentville Historical Society president, Lynn Pulsifer.Article content“Louis is a passionate keeper of Kentville’s history. He’s always on the look-out for that ‘one more artifact.’ Over the years, he has meticulously entered his extensive collection into his own database, and to this day he still adds to this collection.”Article contentLouis Comeau’s passion for collecting has led to publishing a book, a pictorial history of Kentville. He’s currently working on an updated edition.Article contentArticle contentEd Coleman, who resides in Kentville, is a bi-weekly columnist who has a keen interest in history, particularly that of Kings and Hants counties.Article content
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING WITH ED COLEMAN: Comeaus Kentville history collection a remarkable achievement
