Road map Chatham and Wallaceburg city surrounding area (Ontario, Canada)

Sandwiched between the shores of Lake Huron and Lake Erie lies  the Thames River valley, a fertile wedge of land dotted with  picturesque towns and villages and fruit and vegetable markets. The  region has a curious, polyglot history and captures the true spirit of  agricultural innovation. Much of the former County of Kent, including  the city of Chatham and the towns of Blenheim, Bothwell, Dresden,  Ridgetown, Thamesville, Tilbury, Wallaceburg, and Wheatley, was  amalgamated into the new city of Chatham-Kent on January 1, 1998.       

Chatham [D3-D4] The heart of the Chatham-Kent region, this  city has a winning mix of history and family attractions. The Chatham  Cultural Centre houses the Thames Art Gallery and the Chatham-Kent  Museum, which counts an Egyptian mummy and an 1870 steam fire engine  among its exhibits. The Chatham Railroad Museum displays local railroad  artifacts in a restored 1955 Canadian National baggage car. Kids  meanwhile will love Wild Zone Adventures, an indoor amusement park  featuring a roller coaster, mini-golf, and laser tag.       

Dresden [B4] Dresden was a terminus of the mid-1800s  Underground Railroad bringing fugitive slaves into Canada, and is home  to the Rev. Josiah Henson's 1841 British American Institute, a  vocational school for escaped slaves. The school, the model for Harriet  Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, is now a museum. Dresden also offers  summer harness racing at the Dresden Raceway.       

Moraviantown [Вб] The Fairfield Museum commemorates Moravian  missionaries and Delaware Indians who came from Ohio and founded Old  Fairfield Village in 1792. The Moravians, who claim to belong to the  world's oldest Protestant Church, were persecuted and scattered  throughout Europe, before emigrating to the New World as missionaries in  the 1700s. Old Fairfield was destroyed in the Battle of the Thames in  1813.       

Ridgetown [D6] Home to the Ridgetown College of Agricultural  Technology, part of the University of Guelph, Ridgetown is also worth a  stop for the Ridge House Museum, which features artifacts in an 1875  restored middle-class Victorian home.       

Rondeau Provincial Park [E6] Ontario's second oldest park is a  prime location for bird-ing. Some 334 species of birds have been  observed while 134 have nested in the park. The park's interpretation  center sets out the natural and human history of Rondeau through  displays and live exhibits.       

Thamesville [B5] The Battle of the Thames was a defeat for  British and Canadian forces as they retreated up the Thames River from  the invading American army. Shawnee Native war chief Tecumseh was killed  in the battle after the British had broken and fled. Markers and a  gravel road 6.5 km east of Thamesville identify the site.      

Wallaceburg [B2] The scenic Sydenham River flows through  Wallaceburg, providing visiting boaters full facilities at public docks.  The Wallaceburg and District Museum affords a look at both a strong  farming and an industrial community. II Walpole Island embraces 6,900  hectares of the richest and most diverse wetlands in all of the Great  Lakes, offering excellent bass and pickerel fishing, as well as duck  hunting in the fall. The island is a First Nations Reserve, home to over  2,000 Ojibwa, Potawatomi, and Ottawa. Walpole Island Heritage Centre  provides historical, archaeological, and environmental displays and a  resource library with over 5,000 items.       

ATTRACTIONS      

CHATHAM      

Chatham Cultural Centre Chatham-Kent Museum J ft J Doll Museum Wild Zone Adventures Chatham Golf and Fun Centre      

DRESDEN      

Uncle Tom's Cabin      

Historic Site Dresden Raceway      

MORAVIANTOWN      

Fairfield Museum      

RIDGETOWN      

Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology Ridge House Museum      

THAMESVILLE      

Battle of the Thames Memorial Site      

WALLACEBURG       

Wallaceburg and District Museum Walpole Island Heritage Centre