Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History
The Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History (French: Musée Josiah Henson l'histoire des Afro-Canadiens) is an open-air museum in Dresden, Ontario, Canada, that documents the life of Josiah Henson, the history of slavery, and the Underground Railroad. The historic site is situated on the grounds of the former Dawn settlement established by Henson; a runaway slave, abolitionist, and minister. Through his autobiography, The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Narrated by Himself, he served as the inspiration for the title character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Musée Josiah Henson l'histoire des Afro-Canadiens | |
Visitor centre for Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History | |
| Established | 1964 |
|---|---|
| Location | 29251 Freedom Road, Dresden, Ontario, Canada |
| Coordinates | 42°35′00″N 82°11′50″W |
| Type | Open air museum |
| Site manager | Steven Cook |
| Owner | Ontario Heritage Trust |
| Website | www |
Ontario Heritage Act | |
| Official name | Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History |
| Designated | 6 April 2005 |
The 2-hectare (5-acre) historic site contains an interpretive centre, several historic buildings from the Dawn settlement, and two cemeteries; one of which holds Henson's gravesite. Informal tours of Henson's family home began in 1948, although the larger property was not converted into a museum until 1964, after several other related historical structures were moved onto the historic site. The museum, initially known as Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site, was privately owned until 1988, when it was sold to Kent County. Ownership of the property was later transferred to St. Clair Parkway Commission in 1995, before it was transferred to the Ontario Heritage Trust in 2005.