The Amherstburg Freedom Museum will be receiving a facelift thanks to a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Local MPP Taras Nayshak and Chair of the Essex, Kent, Lambton Grant Review Team Dan Allen were on hand to celebrate the Ontario 150 Grant.
A $45,000 infusion of cash was given replace the roof of the Nazrey African Methodist Episcopal Church and to fix the museums ageing courtyard.
The site at 277 King St. was an important stop on the underground railroad and has been in operation as a museum since 1975.
Curator Mary-Katherine Whelan says the work on the church has already been complete, and the redesign of the courtyard is under way.
"We did replace the roof of the Nazrey African Methodist Episcopal Church. The courtyard surrounding the church is currently under renovation. The project includes expanding and improving the courtyard. Right now the walkway is a bit uneven, so we're addressing any walking or maintenance concerns and just minor redesigns," says Whelan.
She says the site is an important reminder of the great things that were done for escaping slaves in the area.
"It's a significant property as it was a terminal end point for the underground railroad, one of many in Canada, and it is a National Historic Site of Canada," Whelan says.
She told AM800 News grants are important to maintain a museum that doesn't rely on money from the town.
"So we are a non-profit, we're not a municipally run museum. This [grant money] is really important to keeping that history of the underground railroad alive so we're able to preserve these sites, experience the history and learn about how integral this area was during the height of the underground railroad," she says.
Whelan says work should be completed on the courtyard in the coming months.