The layout of the town of Wawanesa was a direct response to the railway line to which it owes its existence. As with many such towns its Front Street parallels the tracks, with its main commercial street (Fourth Avenue) running perpendicular to it. In Wawanesa the residences appeared on either side of the commercial district in a typical fashion. Many fine homes were soon erected, many of which were finished in local brick and several of which still stand today. The memory of names such as Story, Mooney, and Jackson is evident in the reminiscence related to such dwellings.

It was predictable that Wawanesa would grow quickly and confidently in that that the vital rail link placed it at the centre of an already well-established agricultural base. There was no speculation or uncertainty about its importance as a service centre, however its role as home to a large international insurance company could not have been predicted.