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Broadway
Tillsonburg, ON boasts of the widest main streets for a small town in Ontario. One hundred feet wide, Broadway was surveyed and laid as early as 1830, a short five years after the community was founded by George Tillson. George Tillson, after whom the community has been appropriately named, was not only responsible for mapping out the streets of the downtown, but he was also instrumental in connecting Tillsonburg to the rest of the world. The construction of the Plank & Gravel Road (Hwy. 19), from Ingersoll to Pt. Burwell and the re-routing of the Talbot Trail (Hwy. 3) from Alymer to Courtland through Tillsonburg. Legend has it that his purpose in designing the town's main street 100' wide was to enable a team of oxen to make a complete "U" turn. Any street 100' wide at this time, would definitely qualify as a "broad way", therefore explaining its name. Although this explanation appears logical and is possibly true, it must also be mentioned that George Tillson was an American, having lived in Massachusetts and New York State much of his life. As such, his desire to name the main street Broadway can easily be explained by the fact that many cities and towns throughout the U.S. bear a main thoroughfare called Broadway. It may also be assumed, that George had a grand vision for his community, possibly necessitation a wide main street for future growth, hence his decision to make it 100' wide. Regardless of the reason, Tillsonburg still enjoys and boasts the benefits of George Tillson's greatest legacy, his road system.
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