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ABOUT THIS HISTORIC SITE
Mission
As an important Canadian historic site, Uncle Tom's Cabin
will provide visitors with known facts and education on the life of
fugitive slaves in the Dresden area. Focusing on the life of Josiah
Henson, the site will demonstrate the growth in black people or any race
through determination and perseverance.
Vision
Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site will be a living site
representative of the Dawn Settlement.
Tours and interpretive programs will allow our visitors to learn new, ever-changing facts on the
life and accomplishments of Josiah Henson.
The Museum Complex
Uncle Tom’s Cabin Historic Site sits on 5 acres that
were part of the original 200 acres of land purchased in 1841 to establish
the Dawn Settlement.
The site includes:
The Josiah Henson Interpretive Centre which houses a collection of 19th century
artifacts and rare books pertinent to the abolitionist era as well as other information
regarding the Reverend Josiah Henson. Included are a rare early edition of Josiah's
autobiography and a signed portrait of Queen Victoria presented to him in 1877.
The North Star Theatre
which provides the venue for a video presentation.
The Underground Railroad Freedom Gallery
provides
extensive information on the history of enslaved people in the United
States and the flight north to freedom, as well as the life and times of
Josiah Henson.
The Gift Shop offers a wide selection of African
art and souvenirs, as well as an extensive selection of
books.
The Harris House is
one of the oldest structures in the
area where fugitive slaves sought refuge.
The Smokehouse housed in the trunk of a
sycamore tree, was once used for curing and preserving meat.
The Sawmill represents one of the
methods used to clear the land. Profits went to support the
British American Institute.
The Josiah Henson
House is the dwelling
where Josiah Henson and his wife Nancy lived during the latter part
of his life. The home was restored to the period circa 1850 in
1993-94.
The Pioneer
Church, which dates back to 1850,
contains the organ from the
original church where Reverend Henson preached
in Dresden, Ontario. His pulpit and his church’s sign
can be found in the Underground Railroad Freedom Gallery.
The Henson Family Cemetery
is located adjacent to the church. The Josiah Henson
memorial stone and National Historic Plaque are located
here. Across the road is the British American Institute
burial ground where many gravestones of the settlement
have been preserved.
Museum History
 The Henson house
has been moved approximately three times, always on original
Dawn Settlement property. An area farmer, William
Chapple, first used it as a museum in the 1940's. The house was moved to the existing five-acre location in 1964
by J.D. Thomson to establish the "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
Museum.
Kent County purchased the site buildings and artifacts in 1984.
The
county operated the site as a museum until 1991. In the following year, ownership of
Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site was transferred from Kent County to the St. Clair Parkway
Commission. At that time, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Recreation agreed to
fund the redevelopment of the site and provided the Commission with $1.2 million for that
purpose. |
