Dresden, Ontario

Dresden is an agricultural community in southwestern Ontario, Canada, part of the municipality of Chatham-Kent. Dresden is best known as the home of Josiah Henson, the former U.S. slave whose life story was the inspiration for the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. It has been, therefore, characterized as the "Terminus of the Underground Railroad", although many escaped slaves were known to gather, at least to worship, as far south and east as what is today Chatham, Ontario. The Henson homestead is a historic site located near what is today the town of Dresden, and is owned and operated by the Ontario Heritage Trust. Dresden is located on the Sydenham River. The community is named after Dresden, Germany. The major crops in the area are wheat, soybeans, corn and tomatoes.