Broadway, Tillsonburg, in the 1940s

By Duane Duff, 2014 - Guest Contributor

Broadway, the main street in Tillsonburg, Ontario, was known as one of the widest main streets in the province. Even with vehicles on both sides angle-parked, there was plenty of room for two lanes of traffic in-between. In the 1940s, I frequently walked on the sidewalk on either side of the street. Here, I recall some of the businesses along the downtown area of this street. I remember the approximate location of most of the places that I mention, but there are numerous places that I have forgotten.

View of Broadway in Tillsonburg, circa 1940s [COA123 2-110]

We used to enter the town via #3 highway from the southwest. After the highway descended via Forge Hill into the valley by the Otter Creek to the right, it passed the town golf course, Borden's milk factory, and Dee Johnson's garage on the left. A CNR spur line ran from the factory, across the highway, and through the east side of the town until it reached the branch line on the northeast of the downtown. Across from the milk factory was a swing foot bridge over the creek.

Postcard featuring No. 3 Highway running along Otter Creek [J. Gruszka PC 0512, OxHS collection]

Borden Milk Condensory, Tillsonburg, Ontario [J. Gruszka PC 0462, OxHS collection]

Golf and country club, Tillsonburg, Ontario [J. Gruszka PC 0493, OxHS collection]

  
The highway wound up out of the valley until it reached the level, becoming Broadway. At the top of the rise on the right was Ostrander's Funeral Home. Just beyond that was a street to the east that was a shortcut to Highway #3 east of the traffic light. A little beyond this street was Stauffer Motors, a Ford dealership. Beyond that was the single traffic light in town, hanging above the centre of the intersection. The highway turned east at an obtuse angle at this point. It met Highway #19 coming down Broadway from the north. It, too, turned east. From the stoplight to a point just beyond the bridge over the Otter Creek, they were the same road. Then #3 continued to the east and #19 continued south. 

South of the traffic light on the west side of Broadway were the Royal Hotel and the Oxford Theatre. I occasionally attended Saturday afternoon matinées at the Oxford. Now, I shall mention some of the businesses on the west side of Broadway north of the traffic light. There was a hardware store, either Pow or Card. I believe that only one of these was on the west side and the other on the east side.

The Gettas Restaurant, the most prominent in town, was located a few doors from the corner. The family also had a branch in Aylmer. Inside, there was a row of tables down each side. On each side of a table was a bench and a high wall with a hook for hats and coats. At one end of the room was a juke box that played a song on payment demand. There was a minimum charge of fifteen cents for service in a booth. It was possible to purchase a meal for thirty cents.

Beyond this restaurant was Maddocks' Book Store, which was run by two ladies. It was here that students from Brownsville Continuation School purchased their school books and supplies. For a reason which I forget, I preferred to buy mine at a book store in St. Thomas.

Somewhere along the street there was a barber's pole beside the entrance to a stairs. At the top of the stairs was Joe Fardella's barber shop. This was back in the days when, after a haircut, the person in the chair would be asked if he wanted his hair wet or dry. If the reply were wet, Joe would take a big bottle of hair lotion and shake it onto the client's head, massage it in, and comb the hair. I had my hair cut there at least once.

Back on the street and moving north, there was the Northway, later Heath, department store and the post office. The latter building was of the typical design of the day – red brick and a tower with clock above the entrance. Then there was the Strand Theatre, probably the favourite one in town as it usually showed the most popular movies. I attended there numerous times. It was here that I saw my first movie, which was entitled “Fly by Night,” a 1942 production. My younger brother Robin was with me on that Saturday night.

Close by the theatre was the Chainway 5-10-15-cent store. It was similar to the Metropolitan Store, but probably a little smaller and a little less popular. The last building that I can recall on the west side was the Imperial Hotel, a three-storey yellowish building. Then Broadway narrowed as it crossed the CNR via the overhead bridge. A driver had to be careful not to drive too fast over it because of its steepness. The station was just west of the bridge.

Now, I shall mention some of the businesses on the east side of Broadway to the north from the traffic light. Right on the northeast corner was the Metropolitan Store, a popular 5-10-15-cent store. I can recall the wooden floors. Above the store were apartments. During the 1950s, the store burned as a result of a restaurant kitchen fire. I could see the smoke from the fire from our home in Corinth, a few miles to the west. The store was rebuilt in a more modern style.

Aerial view of Tillsonburg fire, 1 August 1957 [COA Photograph Collection 693ph]

There was a ladies' hair salon in the back of a store, but I do not recall what store. I remember being there when my mother obtained a permanent when I was a little boy. Also along this side was a CNR telegraph office. There were a Royal Bank and a Canadian Bank of Commerce. At the time, tellers were situated in cages behind the counter. They made entries into customers' passbooks in pen and ink and added and subtracted numbers in their heads. There was Lashbrook Jewelry in this area of Broadway. When I played for Corinth in 1947 in the Tillsonburg Softball League at the fairground, Lashbrook had a team also. They had a very good pitcher whose last name was Peden. The Capitol Theatre was located in this block. I did not watch many movies there. I remember it best for westerns. At the end of the block of stores was Harris Men's Clothing Store.

Set back a bit from the street was a large red brick house where Dr. Alexander and Dr. McLeod had their offices. I was in Dr. McLeod's office several times. Then, set back further was the town hall, a red brick building. In the next block was a long shoe factory. Beyond the overhead bridge was a residential area.

One spot off Broadway that I shall mention was located east of the stoplight where the shortcut and Highway #s 3 and 19 come to a point. Two water fountains were located on the sidewalk here. One contained regular water and the other contained sulphur water. It would come as a surprise if a person would take a sip of the sulphur water when not expecting it.

These are a few places that I remember along Broadway. Much has changed along that street in the past seventy years.

Duane's Biography:

Duane was born in 1930 in nearby Corinth. He received his pre-college education at Corinth, Brownsville, and Aylmer; his Normal School at Winnipeg (graduated 1951); and his Bachelor of Education at University of Alberta. He has taught school in three provinces (Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta) and one U.S. state (Missouri). He has lived in five provinces (Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia), three U.S. states (Missouri, Texas, and Washington state), and two Mexican states (Nuevo León and Chiapas). After age 75, he interviewed for over 250 mini-biographies and wrote many more essays of the past where he has lived. One of his books is available in the Oxford County Public Library system and four in the Elgin system.

In celebration of Tillsonburg's 150th anniversary, the Oxford County Archives has a new online exhibit celebrating the history of business and industry in Tillsonburg around the time of its incorporation in 1872. Visit the virtual exhibit for more information.