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The Tile Yard
The location of this proposed project is located on the historic Dresden Tile Yard, owned by D. J. McCaughrin in 1946. Most of Essex, Kent, and Lambton counties surfaces were formerly covered by glacial Lakes Whittlesey and Warren. The lakes left silt and clay deposits as they gradually retreated, this clay was dug, mixed, crushed, sent through an auger, and cut before drying. This site’s first production occurred in 1907 with over 4 million tile in sizes ranging from 4-12 inches produced annually, after a fire in 1960 the plant was partially rebuilt. Geology Ontario has classified the 2 pits located within the tile yard as “shallow” and noted that clay was only able to be excavated 6-7 feet deep in the small area.
The Dawn Settlement
The Dawn Settlement, mentioned above, is one of the most important and cherished pieces of this towns history. As one of the last destinations of the Underground Railroad, in 1830 Reverend Josiah Henson settled here after escaping slavery. He among many other important abolitionists helped to create a safe community for those seeking refuge, a community that played a large part in the development of Dresden. Henson helped close to 200 people to freedom and became a Methodist preacher, making visits to the USA and UK helping to found the British American Institute, a vocational school for those residing at the Dawn Settlement.
Town Development
The development of Dresden began in 1846 by Daniel van Allen, a Chatham merchant who purchased the land from the area’s first settler Jared Lindsley (1825). Originally established as a lumber centre, in the 1860’s the area had an inrush of settlers to the newly cleared land. The operation of a steam sawmill and grist-mill located in the neighbouring Dawn Institute Settlement provided groundwork for economic growth. The navigation facilities by use of the Sydenham River, and the regions timber capital fostered industrial growth evolving into an agricultural service centre.
Human Rights
Dresden gained media attention in 1949 for civil rights activism fighting against racial discrimination. Hugh Burnett and other members of the Dresden’s Black community organized under the National Unity Association (NUA). Their goal was to pressure the town to ban racial discrimination, although their first attempt was unsuccessful, they continued to advocate. With perseverance, Ontario’s Premier Leslie Frost’s government instated the Fair Employment Practices Act (1951), and the Fair Accommodation Practices Act (1954). These Acts prohibited discrimination in employment, public services, and housing on the basis of race, religion, and ethnicity. This groups dedication ensured reluctant businesses got significant media coverage, contributing to the successful installation of human rights legislation in Canada.