TWO SYDENHAMS WITH SIMILAR HERITAGE

Old Sydenham at Dresden in "the day".

Sydenham River at Harrison Park, Owen Sound.

For a long time I thought that the Sydenham River that flows though my hometown of Dresden also connected with the City of Owen Sound in Grey County. It seemed logical to me because Owen Sound actually served as the last terminal on the Underground Railroad for escaped slaves who made their way across the Canada-U.S. border in the early 1800s.

It really wasn't until I moved to the Grey-Bruce area about 20 years ago that I finally realized that there are actually two Sydenham Rivers in Ontario. Did you ever stop to think about that. Quite frankly, I feel kind of stupid now when I realize that it took me 60 years to become aware of the geography and the rarity of rivers by the same name so relatively close to each other.

1) The Sydenham River at the base of the Bruce Peninsula flows north from a source near Williamsford, drops over the Niagara Escarpment at Inglis Falls and empties into Owen Sound harbour on Georgian Bay. It was named after Lord Sydenham, governor of Canada from 1839 to 1849.

2) The Sydenham River at Dresden flows west and south from near London, ON. emptying into Lake St. Clair just beyond Wallaceburg, as Dresden Virtual History Group members well know. At different times, by different people, the Sydenham River in Kent County has been called Jonquakamik, Ah-yan-yon-kege, or Big Bear Creek. One tributary off of the northern branch of the river is still referred to as Bear Creek. Again, the name Sydenham comes from Lord Sydenham.

It is also interesting to note that when escaped African-American slaves did not take advantage of Josiah Henson's Dawn Settlement "Institute" and safe haven on the bank of the southern Sydenham, many no doubt continued north to the end of the Underground Railroad at the Village of Sydenham (now Owen Sound) where they settled, found work and raised families, just as those who stopped at the settlement that would become Dresden.

In honour of these settlers, a commemorative cairn in Owen Sound's Harrison Park (see photo) was unveiled on July 31, 2004 at the annual Emancipation festival and picnic. The picnic has been held every year since 1862, always on the first weekend in August, marking the anniversary of the British Emancipation Act of August 1, 1834. It is believed to be the longest-running Emancipation event in North America.

The Town of Dresden and the City of Owen Sound have more in common than just two rivers by the same names.

Cairn in Owen Sound park commemorates early settlers.