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.