From Uncle Tom’s Cabin to North Buxton, southern Ontario is an area of rich history waiting to be explored. The area is home to the African-Canadian Heritage Tour and the story of the ‘Underground Railroad’, and as such there are a number of historical sites including Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Fort Malden National Historic Site in Amherstburg, which are perfect for those interested in culture and history.
Discover the history behind the Underground Railroad: The largest anti-slavery freedom movement in North America, The Underground Railroad was a secret network of abolitionists who helped African American slaves in southern states of America escape to Canada. The movement freed 30,000-40,000 fugitives and led them to safety in Southern Ontario. The freed individuals then migrated to various regions of Ontario including one of the first stops on the Underground Railway, Elgin (North Buxton), which was once known as “Little Africa”. The Elgin community was established in 1848 and eventually saw more than 4,000 former slaves settle there. Today, there are only a few founding families left, however, a number of significant historical sites remain such as The Buxton National Historic Site and Museum. This museum contains artefacts of the original settlers and their descendants as well as other historical exhibits to promote public awareness and understanding, and is just a three hour drive from Toronto. Visitors can also learn more about the history of the area by visiting the small white church nearby, which served as a school.
Culture vultures can learn more about Southern Ontario’s history by visiting the John Freeman Walls Historic Site and Underground Railroad Museum in Lakeshore, just 25 minutes’ drive from Windsor, or three hours from Toronto. During the era of the Underground Railway, this historic site was one of several main terminals for fugitive slaves and was an important nexus for the slave community. Today, visitors can explore many of the original buildings as well as the Underground Railroad Museum, which forms part of the African-Canadian Heritage Tour in Southern Ontario and offers a fascinating insight into what life was like for both “station masters” (those who hid slaves) and “cargo” (escaped slaves).
Explore the history behind Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Uncle Tom’s Cabin Historic Site is an open-air museum and African American history centre near Dresden. This site commemorates the life of Reverend Josiah Henson – a former slave, author and abolitionist – who is recognised for his contributions to the abolition movement and his work in the Underground Railroad. Henson rose to international fame after Harriet Beecher Stowe acknowledged his memoir as a source for her anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Visitors to the site can learn about Upper Canada (now Ontario) and its slave trade history as well as exploring Henson’s house, the pulpit from the church where he preached and the Underground Railroad Freedom Gallery, which features the geographic journey and history of enslaved people in the United States.
Learn about the history of Amherstburg: A trip to Amherstburg offers visitors the chance to explore part of Ontario’s Black Heritage Trail as well as Canada’s early military history. Fort Malden National Historic Site was one of the most important strategic locations of the War of 1812, and was the location of the meeting between Major General Sir Isaac Brock and Shawnee Chief Tecumseh where they chose Fort Malden as their base of operations for the attack on Fort Detroit. Visitors can explore this historic site through a guided tour and experience what life was like at the fort by learning how to fire a musket, mortar or cannon, and tucking in to a traditional lunch in the Soldier’s Cookhouse. The nearby Amherstburg Freedom Museum and the Amherstburg Navy Yard National Historic Site of Canada are also worth a visit for those interested in the history of Canada.
For further information on Ontario, please visit www.ontariotravel.net/uk
