Discovering a gem at the North Buxton Museum

Cultural Ramblings – By Glen Turner

I’ve always considered Museums to be part of that large group of institutions we call “Cultural” ones. Most people do, too.

I didn’t often go to see what they had to offer, though. From now on, they (museums) are going to play a larger part in my life!

I had the opportunity to visit a local Museum last week. I was impressed. More than impressed; I was floored.

Oh, I’d been there before, but hadn’t really had the impact of the place set in, I guess. Going to the Buxton Settlement Museum (in North Buxton) changed all that for me.

Did it ever.

You see, I was always kind of a cynic about local history, in a way. Having lived in Europe, and having travelled extensively there on several other occasions, I’ve tended to look at local history as…..well….too….modern? I mean, how could something from 150 years ago here compare to walking the walls of a castle in Wales, built in 900 A.D.?

Or how could a battle fought less than 200 years ago here compare with walking through the Roman ruins in Bath in England? Or with the Roman ruins in Spain? Or compare seeing a German castle from the year 1100 A.D., perched high on a mountain?

The Buxton Museum changed my mind last week.

The curator, Shannon Prince, and her staff and group of many volunteers have done an amazing job of collecting artifacts, organizing displays and preparing information about the settlement of that part of this Municipality by former slaves from the US… and this began in 1849, long before the American Civil War and the eventual “Emancipation Proclamation” of 1863, when slavery in the US ended.

Facts that might surprise you (and remember, blacks were considered inferior and incapable of learning complex material:

• The schools they established in the Buxton area were so good that many white families sent their kids there, instead of sending them to local ‘white’ schools.

• They built a tramway from the settlement all the way out to Lake Erie to take their excess produce, potash (from their own factory) and lumber, to be shipped all over.

• Their schools produced graduates who went on to be Doctors, Lawyers and professionals all over North America.

Just a few simple details to digest, but this was all before the start of the American Civil War!

And the Americans considered them to be so inferior as to be unable to be educated.

This was the most successful settlement of its type, and the Museum is a focus of an incredible story, one which is not well-known locally.

Start out by checking out this website.

www.buxtonmuseum.com

Then go and see it yourself.

If you’re not astounded by the story, and by the Museum, I’ll be very surprised.