East Zorra-Tavistock, Ontario

East Zorra-Tavistock is a township in south-western Ontario, Canada. It is part of Oxford County. The township had a population of 7,350 in the Canada 2006 Census.

Government

The township is governed by a Mayor (Don McKay acclaimed at November 2006 election), a Deputy Mayor (Maureen Ralph), and Councillors over three geographic wards:

• Ward 1 (Tavistock village): 2 councillors elected
• Ward 2 (northern areas of township except Tavistock village): 1 councillor elected
• Ward 3 (southern areas of township): 2 councillors elected

Communities

The township includes the population centres of Braemar, Cassel, East Zorra, Hickson, Huntingford, Innerkip, Perry Mine, Perrys Lane, Strathallan, Tavistock, Tollgate, Willow Lake, and Woodstock Airport.

Hickson

Hickson is located at the intersection of Highway 59 and County Road 8, approximately 13 kilometres north of Woodstock and 10 kilometres south of Tavistock.

Hickson was founded in 1876 when the town of Strathallen was bypassed by the new Port Dover and Lake Huron Railway, which went in east of the anticipated location. A new village was created at the whistle-stop, and Strathallan slowly faded away as community members relocated, along with a few houses moved by the milk factory. The new village was named after Sir Joseph Hickson, the general manager of the Grand Trunk Railway, who never saw the village in his lifetime. Curiously, the Hickson Centennial was celebrated erroneously in 1978 on unreliable information.

Hickson...
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