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Beginning around the 1850s, well-to-do Americans started visiting Chester. The appeal of fresh air, good fishing and hunting, and a peaceful village away from the bustle and fast-paced life at home drew them to the village. Add to that a bay, claimed to be one of the best and safest sailing areas in Nova Scotia, and you have a recipe for a successful summer retreat. Some fell in love here, some were married here, and some even made Chester their permanent home. More than 150 years later, their presence and influence on Chester are still substantial. Some families are now into their fifth or sixth generation as summer residents.
What follows are some brief accounts, some in their own words, of the people who came, why they came, and why many kept coming back. Over time the summer residents from the United.States and beyond have developed a unique relationship with Chester. Many local residents became adopted family members, working for the same family year after year. Sometimes they visited with the families in the United States and a close contact was maintained. Excitement would build as the time for the arrival of the summer families drew closer, houses were opened, boats were painted and launched repairs with made where needed. This partnership with local Chesterites has resulted in many valuable civic and social benefits. Chester would not be the unique community it is today without them.
