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.
History 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.
Demographics In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Ayer's Cliff had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
+Home language (2006)2006 Statistics Canada Community Profile: Ayer's Cliff, Quebec Language Population Pct (%) English only 610 58.37% French only 410 39.23% Both English and French 25 2.39% +Home language (2011)2011 Statistics Canada Community Profile: Ayer's Cliff, Quebec Language Population Pct (%) English only 475 44.39% French only 575 53.74% Both English and French 15 1.40% +Home language (2016)2016 Statistics Canada Community Profile: Ayer's Cliff, Quebec Language Population Pct (%) English only 417 37.70% French only 644 58.23% Both English and French 45 4.07% +Home language (2021)2021 Statistics Canada Community Profile: Ayer's Cliff, Quebec Language Population Pct (%) English only 415 35.2% French only 705 59.7% Both English and French 55 4.7%
Notable people 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.
See also Ayer's Cliff Fair List of anglophone communities in Quebec List of village municipalities in Quebec Tomifobia River Wulftec International
References