Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History facts for kids
| Musée Josiah Henson l'histoire des Afro-Canadiens | |
Visitor centre for Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History
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| Established | 1964 |
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| Location | 29251 Freedom Road, Dresden, Ontario, Canada |
| Type | Open air museum |
| Owner | Ontario Heritage Trust |
| Official name: Josiah Henson Museum of African-Candian History | |
| Designated: | 6 April 2005 |
The Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History is an open-air museum in Dresden, Ontario, Canada. It tells the story of Josiah Henson, a brave man who escaped slavery. The museum also shares the history of slavery and the Underground Railroad. This historic site is on the land where Josiah Henson started the Dawn settlement. He was a former slave, a leader against slavery, and a minister. His life story, told in his autobiography, inspired the main character in Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe.
The museum covers about 5 acres (2 hectares) of land. It has a visitor centre, old buildings from the Dawn settlement, and two cemeteries. One cemetery is where Josiah Henson is buried. People started visiting Henson's family home in 1948. The larger property became a museum in 1964. Other historical buildings were moved to the site then. The museum was first called Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site. It was privately owned until 1988. Then, Kent County bought it. Later, the Ontario Heritage Trust took over in 2005. In 2022, the museum changed its name to the Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History. This new name honors Henson and avoids an old, hurtful nickname.
Contents
Josiah Henson and the Dawn Settlement
Josiah Henson's Journey to Freedom
The museum's story begins with Josiah Henson. He was a Methodist preacher and a former slave. Henson bravely escaped to Canada on October 28, 1830. Even after finding freedom, he returned to the United States many times. He helped other enslaved people escape to Canada. He was a "conductor" on the Underground Railroad. It is believed that Henson personally led 118 enslaved people to freedom. Henson also led a Black Canadian Militia unit. He supported the government during the Rebellions of 1837–1838.
Starting the Dawn Settlement
The Dawn settlement was created in 1841. This was a few years after the rebellion. Henson bought 200 acres (81 hectares) of land. It was meant to be a safe place for former slaves from the United States. He also bought another 200 acres next to the community. Later, he sold 100 acres (40 hectares) back to the settlement. The settlers grew crops and harvested eastern black walnut wood. They exported this wood to the United Kingdom and the United States.
In 1842, Henson helped start the British-American Institute in Dawn. This school taught settlers useful job skills. A sawmill was also built in the settlement. The wood products from this mill won Henson a medal at the Great Exhibition in London.
Inspiring Uncle Tom's Cabin
In 1849, Henson published his autobiography. It was called The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Narrated by Himself. This book got a lot of attention from people who wanted to end slavery. His life story later inspired the main character, Uncle Tom, in Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin.
When Uncle Tom's Cabin first came out, some people in America who supported slavery said it was made up. Stowe responded by writing another book, A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin. In this second book, she showed her sources. She said she was inspired by the "published memoirs of the venerable Josiah Henson."
Life and Decline of Dawn
At its busiest, about 500 settlers lived in Dawn. However, many settlers started returning to the United States. This happened after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862. During the American Civil War, Henson supported families in Dawn. Their male members had gone back to the U.S. to fight.
The settlement began to decline after the British-American Institute closed in 1868. The remaining settlers moved to other communities in Ontario. But Henson stayed in Dawn. He passed away in 1883 and was buried near his home. Henson's funeral was one of Dresden's largest. Businesses closed, and a 2-mile (3.2 km) procession went to his gravesite. After Henson's death, his wife sold the homestead and moved to Michigan.
Museum History and Development
Caring for the Site
After Henson's wife sold the home, the building was left empty. In the 1920s, the house became a special place for Black Freemasons. Henson had joined the Masons late in his life. In 1930, members of the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE) started looking after the gravesites. The Dresden & District Horticultural Society helped them the next year. In May 1933, the horticultural society officially took over caring for the gravesite.
Becoming a Historic Site
William Chapple owned the land around the Henson home. He saw the house as a possible tourist spot. He opened it to the public in 1948. Chapple wrote a book, The Story of Uncle Tom, to promote the building. He also gave tours. Visitors would leave donations in a pot outside the house. Chapple later sold his property to Jack Thomson.
During Thomson's ownership, the Henson homestead was moved twice. It was turned from its original direction. Thomson later opened the entire property as a museum in 1964. Soon after, Thomson found Barbara Carter, a descendant of Henson. She became the museum's curator. Carter helped the museum focus on more than just Henson's life. It also began to include the history of slavery and the Underground Railroad in its exhibits.
In 1984, Kent County bought the property. They ran the museum until 1995. Then, the St. Clair Parkway Commission took over. A C$1.2 million restoration happened that year. Buildings were restored to their older look, and a visitor centre was built. In 1999, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada placed a plaque near Henson's grave. It recognized him as a "Canadian of National Historic Significance."
In 2005, the Ontario Heritage Trust became the owner. This is an agency of Ontario's Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. In the same year, three historic buildings on the property were named heritage buildings. This was done under the provincial Ontario Heritage Act.
Museum Grounds and Buildings
The museum is in southwest Dresden, near the Sydenham River. It is an open-air museum on 5 acres (2 hectares) of land. This land was once part of the Dawn settlement's British-American Institute.
Visitor Centre and Exhibits
The property has a visitor centre built in 1994. It includes the North Star Theatre, the Underground Railroad Freedom Gallery, and a gift shop. The theatre usually shows a video about Henson's life. The gallery displays items related to the Dawn settlement, Henson's life, and the Underground Railroad. The museum's collection includes an early copy of Henson's autobiography.
Cemeteries
Two cemeteries are on the historic site. One is for the British-American Institute, and the other is the Henson family cemetery. Only 21 headstones are in the Henson family cemetery. However, it is believed that more than 300 graves are there. A memorial monument for Henson is near his grave. It has a Masonic symbol and a crown. The crown shows his visit with Queen Victoria.
Historic Structures
Besides the visitor centre and gravesites, the property has several historic buildings. Three of these are recognized by the Ontario Heritage Act. There is also a sawmill and a smokehouse.
The Henson Family Home
The Henson family home is a good example of 19th-century vernacular architecture. This means it was built using local styles and materials. It is a two-story building made of wood, covered with clapboard. It was built from local materials like red oak. The building was moved several times, but always within the original Dawn settlement area. Its first location is now open farmland.
It is hard to know the exact age of the Henson home. Estimates range from the early 1840s to the mid-1870s. More recent studies suggest it was built around 1850. In 1995, the building was restored to look like it did in the 1850s. A fireplace that was not original was removed. The building's original front porch was rebuilt on the south side. During this restoration, the inner beams were made stronger, and the outside clapboards were replaced.
The Harris House
The Harris House is another historic two-story building on the property. It is also covered in clapboard. Built in 1890, the Harris House was originally in another part of Dresden. After its first owners left, it was used to store grain on a nearby farm. It was moved to the museum property in 1964 to help with museum operations.
The Harris House is a typical style of building for Black refugees arriving in Canada then. It is 5 by 5 meters (16 by 16 feet) and made from local materials. It has no fancy decorations like other buildings from that time. It only has two rooms: one downstairs for daily activities and one upstairs for sleeping. The Harris House was also designed to keep people warm in winter. It was built taller than usual to help heat from the fireplace rise and warm the whole house.
The Pioneer Church
The third historic building is the Pioneer Church. It is a one-room, single-story building with a Carpenter Gothic style. This style was common for churches in rural Ontario back then. The Pioneer Church dates back to the 1850s. However, it was not built by the Dawn settlers. It was originally located 70 kilometers (43 miles) away in Wheatley, Ontario. It served as an Anglican and Presbyterian church.
The Pioneer Church was moved to the museum in the 1960s. It was chosen because it looked very much like the original church built in the Dawn settlement. The original Dawn church was used for many things besides church services. It was destroyed in a fire in the early 1900s. But two items from the original church were saved. These are the oak pulpit and the organ, which are now in the Pioneer Church.
Affiliations
The museum works with several educational and museum groups in Canada. These include the Canadian Museums Association, the Canadian Heritage Information Network, and the Virtual Museum of Canada.
See also
- Buxton National Historic Site and Museum
- Chatham Vigilance Committee
- John Freeman Walls Historic Site
- List of museums in Ontario
- Queen's Bush
