Highway 59 (Ontario)
Encyclopedia
King's Highway 59, commonly referred to as Highway 59, was a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian
province of Ontario
. It connected Long Point Provincial Park
in Norfolk County
to the town of Shakespeare
in Perth County
, passing through the town of Woodstock
in Oxford County
en route.
Highway 59 was established in 1937 between Highway 3
and Highway 2
. During the early 1960s, several highways were renumbered, establishing the final alignment of the route. As part of the mass highway transfers performed during the late 1990s, Highway 59 was decommissioned entirely.
, Woodstock and Shakespeare.
In the south, the highway begins at the entrance to Long Point Provincial Park, an important bird sanctuary that serves as a migratory waypoint before and after birds cross Lake Erie
. Several National Wildlife Areas are also located along the surrounding shoreline. The highway passes through he community of Long Point, then curves northwest. It intersects Norfolk County Highway 24
, formerly Highway 24, midway between Long Point and the town of Langton. It encounters Highway 3
approximately 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) east of Tillsonburg in the community of Courtland where it turns east and travels concurrently
with it for 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the town of Delhi. At an intersection just west of that town, the route continues northwest to the community of Summerville, then curves north to pass through the town of Norwich. Five kilometres (3 mi) north of there, the route curves west and bisects the community of Burgessville. It then curves back to the north and travels straight towards Woodstock.
After crossing Highway 401, the route enters Woodstock, where it is known as Norwich Avenue, Dundas Street and Vansittart Avenue. Dundas Street was also formerly Highway 2, but it was transferred to the County of Oxford at the same time as Highway 59. North of Woodstock, Highway 59 proceeds due north through the communities of Perry Lane, Tollgate, Willow Lake, Huntingford, Strathallan and Hickson before eventually curving northeast near the Oxford–Perth boundary to pass through the town of Tavistock, turning north. Approximately 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north of Tavistock, the route ends in the town of Shakespeare at an intersection with Highway 7 and Highway 8. North of this intersection, the roadway continues as Perth County Road 107.
The route remained unchanged until the early 1960s, when several highways were renumbered. Highway 19 between Woodstock and Shakespeare was redesignated as Highway 59, while Highway 100 between Thamesford and St. Marys
was redesignated as Highway 19. In addition, Highway 59 was extended south from Courtland to Long Point Provincial Park, and a concurrency established along Highway 3 between Courtland and Delhi. These extensions nearly tripled the length of the highway to 120.1 kilometres (74.6 mi).
The route remained this way for nearly four decades. However, on January 1, 1998, as part of budget cutbacks, several highways were transferred to local jurisdiction. Highway 59 was transferred the counties of Norfolk, Oxford and Perth, decommissioning the route entirely.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. It connected Long Point Provincial Park
Long Point Provincial Park
Long Point Provincial Park is an Ontario provincial park on the northwest shore of Lake Erie near Port Rowan, Ontario, Canada.-Summary:The park is located on a sandy spit of land called Long Point that juts out into the lake...
in Norfolk County
Norfolk County, Ontario
Norfolk County is a rural city-status single-tier municipality on the north shore of Lake Erie in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Bloomsburg is a small town located in Norfolk County and is the hometown of David Slater. The county seat and largest community is Simcoe...
to the town of Shakespeare
Shakespeare, Ontario
Shakespeare is a village and designated place within the municipality of Perth East in Perth County, Ontario, Canada with a population of 750 in 2006. Shakespeare is located on the Highway 7/8, just east of Stratford and west of Kitchener.-History:Shakespeare was founded in 1832 by David Bell, and...
in Perth County
Perth County, Ontario
Perth County is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county seat is Stratford and is located in Southwestern Ontario, west of Toronto. It encompasses , 90% of which is classified as prime agricultural land...
, passing through the town of Woodstock
Woodstock, Ontario
Woodstock is a city and the county seat of Oxford County in Southern Ontario, Canada. Woodstock is located 128 km southwest of Toronto, north of Highway 401 along the historic Thames River...
in Oxford County
Oxford County, Ontario
Oxford County is a regional municipality and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the Southern portion of the province. The regional seat is in Woodstock...
en route.
Highway 59 was established in 1937 between Highway 3
Ontario Highway 3
King's Highway 3, commonly referred to as Highway 3 and historically as the Talbot Trail, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario which travels parallel to the shore of Lake Erie. It has three segments, the first of which runs from the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor...
and Highway 2
Ontario Highway 2
King's Highway 2, usually referred to simply as Highway 2 is a provincially maintained highway in Ontario. Once the primary east–west route across the southern end of the province, Highway 2 became mostly redundant in the 1960s following the completion of Highway 401, which more or less...
. During the early 1960s, several highways were renumbered, establishing the final alignment of the route. As part of the mass highway transfers performed during the late 1990s, Highway 59 was decommissioned entirely.
Route description
The route of Highway 59 followed what is now Norfolk Highway 59, Oxford County Road 59 and Perth County Road 107. The majority of this route travels through rural farmland, which dominates southwestern Ontario, although there are several notable towns encountered along the highway, including Courtland, Delhi, NorwichNorwich, Ontario
The Township of Norwich is a municipality located in Oxford County in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Preferred pronunciation of the town name is 'NOR-witch' , different from the city of Norwich, England, though its origin is more likely Norwich in Upper New York State, the area from which the...
, Woodstock and Shakespeare.
In the south, the highway begins at the entrance to Long Point Provincial Park, an important bird sanctuary that serves as a migratory waypoint before and after birds cross Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. Several National Wildlife Areas are also located along the surrounding shoreline. The highway passes through he community of Long Point, then curves northwest. It intersects Norfolk County Highway 24
Ontario Highway 24
Highway 24 is a highway in the Canadian province of Ontario which presently begins at Highway 3 in Simcoe, and ends at Highway 401, in Cambridge. Highway 24 runs in a north/south direction and has been in service since 1927...
, formerly Highway 24, midway between Long Point and the town of Langton. It encounters Highway 3
Ontario Highway 3
King's Highway 3, commonly referred to as Highway 3 and historically as the Talbot Trail, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario which travels parallel to the shore of Lake Erie. It has three segments, the first of which runs from the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor...
approximately 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) east of Tillsonburg in the community of Courtland where it turns east and travels concurrently
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with it for 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the town of Delhi. At an intersection just west of that town, the route continues northwest to the community of Summerville, then curves north to pass through the town of Norwich. Five kilometres (3 mi) north of there, the route curves west and bisects the community of Burgessville. It then curves back to the north and travels straight towards Woodstock.
After crossing Highway 401, the route enters Woodstock, where it is known as Norwich Avenue, Dundas Street and Vansittart Avenue. Dundas Street was also formerly Highway 2, but it was transferred to the County of Oxford at the same time as Highway 59. North of Woodstock, Highway 59 proceeds due north through the communities of Perry Lane, Tollgate, Willow Lake, Huntingford, Strathallan and Hickson before eventually curving northeast near the Oxford–Perth boundary to pass through the town of Tavistock, turning north. Approximately 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north of Tavistock, the route ends in the town of Shakespeare at an intersection with Highway 7 and Highway 8. North of this intersection, the roadway continues as Perth County Road 107.
History
Highway 59 was established in 1937 when the Department of Highways assumed the Delhi–Woodstock Road. This 41 kilometres (25.5 mi) road was designated on August 25.The route remained unchanged until the early 1960s, when several highways were renumbered. Highway 19 between Woodstock and Shakespeare was redesignated as Highway 59, while Highway 100 between Thamesford and St. Marys
St. Marys, Ontario
St. Marys is a town in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is located on the Thames River southwest of Stratford in Perth County, and surrounded by the Township of Perth South. The town is also known by its nickname, "The Stone Town", due to the abundance of limestone in the surrounding area, giving...
was redesignated as Highway 19. In addition, Highway 59 was extended south from Courtland to Long Point Provincial Park, and a concurrency established along Highway 3 between Courtland and Delhi. These extensions nearly tripled the length of the highway to 120.1 kilometres (74.6 mi).
The route remained this way for nearly four decades. However, on January 1, 1998, as part of budget cutbacks, several highways were transferred to local jurisdiction. Highway 59 was transferred the counties of Norfolk, Oxford and Perth, decommissioning the route entirely.