uncle tom's cabin

A true gem in Dresden, so much history in one place and thanks to the knowledgeable staff we had a wonderful time. The perfect place to bring family when visiting, we will be back!

This is out of the way but if you are a history buff it is well worth the effort. Those managing the site are very knowledgeable and helpful and the country side is beautiful. If you are in the area don't miss it.

this is definitely a great attraction for those who love hands on! there was so much to see and touch. The visitors center had items to purchase, people to ask questions of, a very well done short movie on the history of Josiah Henson, as well as a graveyard across the street. It was a little out of the way, but very easy to get to.

I'm so glad we stopped here 'on a whim'. This is a great little museum with thought provoking displays, a variety of ways of presenting the historical information about the amazing "New Dawn" settlement that was established here by former slaves (one of whom, Josiah Henson, was the inspiration for Harriet Beacher Stowe's novel). The staff person working at the museum was very helpful and friendly. Highly recommended.

For a small fee you can see Rev. Josiah Henson's quest for freedom via the underground railroad. It was his story that inspired "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe. The inside part is small but well done.and before you go through you get a short video depicting the struggles of Josiah and others to punch their ticket to freedom. The outside is also good and has several buildings to investigate. We were welcomed by a very knowledgeable young lady who talked to us after the video and answered our questions. It's not a huge attraction but one that will answer some questions for those interested in the underground railroad.

Was staying in Chatham, (From Australia) and having just learned about the Underground Railroad, I wanted to visit a museum relating to it - I think the North Buxton museum was closed, so that led me to decide to visit the Uncle Tom's cabin site .... but I expected it to be only about the links with the novel ... so was pleasantly surprised to find it focused more on the amazing man, Josiah Henson, and the Underground Railroad too. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit, the short movie, and the displays and information. Loved the beautiful, little church. I was lucky, in that I was there on the day before the site closed for the season, so I nearly missed out. The very pleasant, handsome man who greeted me and explained the layout, is a real asset to the place. So glad I went. Well worth the small entrance fee.

I'm happy to see the site has continued to change in the many years I've visited. I remember back in the late 1980s how everything was in a bad state of disrepair, and then the St. Clair Parkway from my area took over ownership. They built a new interpretive centre in 1995 which is fabulous, and restored all three of the historic buildings so they have been preserved for future generations to appreciate. About 5 years ago they completely redid the gallery space and made the site more all-encompassing--not just telling Josiah Henson's story, but putting the whole slavery movement into context. It's really interesting. We were told last week on a group visit that a new audio tour will be available this spring, so virtually everyone can have a personal guided tour. It's a fantastic site to learn about the Black contributions to Ontario's rich culture. I hope to take in some other sites in the area this summer.

This is the homestead of Josiah Henson, who was the inspiration for The Stowe novel of the same name. There is a rich heritage of underground railroad sites in Chatham, and this is certainly one you would not want to miss.The Address is 29251 Uncle Toms Road, Dresden, ontario

Was staying in Chatham, (From Australia) and having just learned about the Underground Railroad, I wanted to visit a museum relating to it - I think the North Buxton museum was closed, so that led me to decide to visit the Uncle Tom's cabin site .... but I expected it to be only about the links with the novel ... so was pleasantly surprised to find it focused more on the amazing man, Josiah Henson, and the Underground Railroad too. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit, the short movie, and the displays and information. Loved the beautiful, little church. I was lucky, in that I was there on the day before the site closed for the season, so I nearly missed out. The very pleasant, handsome man who greeted me and explained the layout, is a real asset to the place. So glad I went. Well worth the small entrance fee.

My last visit before this one was about 30 years ago. I'm not sure anything has changed. It is a fascinating and important piece of history but the display seems so stagnant. The historic buildings don't feel authentic - they feel like reproductions. The saw mill in the yard is rusting away. The young man on staff was very helpful and friendly. I wanted to like it a lot more than I did. Please bring more life to the story. Tell us how he helped people get to Canada, not just that he did. Please make our history come to life. Tell us why "Uncle Tom became a term of disparagement. Tell us more about the book and what its effect was on the situation. The graveyard needs more explanation. And what about the graves across the road? Please expand on the story.

This museum is top notch. I had wanted to go for quite a while, ever since I heard that Josiah Henson was the inspiration for the Stowe novel, and once I told my 96yo mom, she wanted to go as well. We weren't disappointed. It was a long drive for mom from Burlington, so we stayed overnight in Chatham (disappointment), but we were thrilled with the museum and it was well worth the trip. What a courageous man he was, and a visionary. You don't have to be African-American/Canadian to appreciate this place!

This an interesting part of Canadian history. Josiah Henson, a former slave, settled here with his family. He managed to escape and helped others to escape using the Underground Railroad.There is a very good movie and display plus several buildings on the grounds. Josiah Henson's experience influenced Harriet Beecher Stowe in writing Uncle Tom's Cabin. He had a vision to improve the lives of former slaves by establishing a school and workshops. He was a remarkable man. We found the staff to be friendly and helpful.

This historic site in Dresden, Ontario is a tribute to Josiah Hensen, a former slave who was the inspiration for Harriet Beacher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin". There is a wonderful museum with lots of interesting information and historical items that can be viewed chronologically. And there are old buildings (including "the cabin") and a fascinating movie to watch. It is well worth the visit. Unfortunately the woman who runs the place (but acts like she owns the place) was rude and unpleasant. She treated us (two adults) like children, interrupting us and basically telling us not to speak unless spoken to. She totally ruined the experience. But if you're thinking of going, you should -- you might luck out and get a different staff person there.

Der Roman "Onkel Toms Hütte" beruht auf wahren Begebenheiten. Die Geschichte von Ref. Josiah Henson war die Basis für den Roman von Harriet Beecher Stowe. Den Leidensweg der Sklaven, die Fluchtwege nach Kanada und das Leben der ehemaligen Sklaven in Freiheit wird in diesem Museum eindruckvoll dargestellt. Ein Video (ca.20 Minuten) erzählt die Geschichte von Josiah Hensen. Wer auch nur einigermaßen in der Nähe von Dresden/Ontario ist, sollte unbedingt einen Abstecher machen. Das Personal ist sehr freundlich und hilfsbereit. Im Shop kann man Andenken und auch Bücher kaufen.