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The Founding of Bothwell, 1855

Photo by Alan L Brown - August, 2004

Plaque Location

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent
In Bothwell, on the northeast corner of
Main Street and Elm Street

Coordinates: N 42 37.855 W 81 52.244

Plaque Text

In 1851 George Brown, founder of the Toronto Globe and one of Canada's Fathers of Confederation, purchased about 1620 ha in this vicinity. The Great Western Railway ran through his property in 1855 and that year a station and a post office were opened. He had the town plot of Bothwell surveyed and by 1857 Brown and others had established several industries. The new community prospered until affected by the general depression of 1857-58 but revived by 1861 when a local oil boom developed. Brown was thus able to sell his holdings in 1865-66 for well over $250,000. Bothwell became a town in 1866 with some 3,500 inhabitants. By 1868, however, the oil industry had faltered and only in recent years has the community resumed its growth.

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