Bothwell is a small community of 908 residents, located on the north eastern limits of Chatham-Kent. The town was founded during a nineteenth-century oil boom, and Bothwell residents are proud of "Boomtown's" long and colourful history. There are multiple sites of historical significance in and around Bothwell. Many old oil wells are still standing, and the Bothwell-Zone Oil Museum provides a detailed account of the oil boom of 1860. The Fairfield Museum & National Historic Site houses important artifacts from an early missionary settlement, and tells the story of the War of 1812.
Today, Bothwell has a thriving agricultural economy. Parks Blueberries, a "pick-your-own" blueberry farm and country store located just outside of Bothwell, is a popular spot for locals to shop and grab lunch. The Longwoods Flower Farm is another spot outside of Bothwell that provides beautiful, locally grown arrangements for the home or for gifts. During the winter months families from across Chatham-Kent gather at Sloan's Christmas Tree Village to pick out the perfect Christmas tree and enjoy rides and games. These and other local businesses, including Harold Marcus, Comptank Corp, and Bothwell Furniture, provide employment for locals. Bothwell is also home to small businesses including Bootlegger Distillery, Chatham-Kent's only producer of vodka and gin, and the Boothill General Store which provides convenient shopping.
The community is also home to an arena (which hosts events such as Roller Discos put on by the Bothwell Community Boosters), athletic fields, a skate-board park, and the Bothwell branch of the Chatham-Kent Public Library. Bothwell is an active and close-knit community, described by a local as "a community where if you see kids playing road hockey, you find another road to take." Driving through town, you will find several wooden sculptures, many made by local chainsaw artist, Mike Winia, owner of Mike's Wood Solutions Inc.
The local newspaper, Old Autos, is published twice monthly and has a subscription base of over 16,000. As the "bible" of old car enthusiasts, the paper covers shows and sales across North America. Every August Old Autos and the Optimist Club host the Bothwell Car Show which attracts thousands of car lovers.
Choose Bothwell. Choose Chatham-Kent.
