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AVONDALE UNITED CHURCH
60 Harvey Street, Tillsonburg, ON Avondale United Church is a Tillsonburg Heritage Site designated as the oldest church building in Tillsonburg. Built in 1886, by the Presbyterians on land donated by the Tillson family, this structure is actually the second church building to have been located on this site. The "Old Pres", as the first church structure became known, was a white frame building with a central spire, typical of those built in the 1850's. to make way for the new church in 1885, the original building was moved across the street. It would be moved, yet again some years later, to the corner of Brock St. and Harvey, where it was used as a meeting hall until it was destroyed by fire. The architect for the new church was William Grigg and the building contractor was Edwin Delevan Tillson. The corner stone was add on June 6, 1886 and six months later the new church was dedicated. A sizeable gift of $3,000 from John Scott, a member of the congregation, paid the building's debt. In recognition, the church was named "Avondale" after Mr. Scott's native parish in Lanarkshire, Scotland. The most outstanding feature of this church is its pipe organ, which was installed in 1890. With the union of the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian churches in 1924, Avondale would vote in favour of the union, officially becoming "Avondale United Church".
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