Curator Biographical Sketch

Shannon Prince, in period costume for historical portrayal.

Shannon is the Curator of the Buxton National Historic Site & Museum. She is also a Storyteller and participant in historical re-enactments which brings the history of Buxton and the Underground Railroad to life for many groups both here and further a-field. She is a descendant of the early fugitive families that came to Canada for freedom and opportunity. As such, she brings an insight and respect and a love for this chapter in our heritage.

For several years prior to the birth of their 4 children, Christopher, Justin, Melanie and Rebecca, Shannon was a radio dispatcher for the O.P.P.  She remained at home until the youngest began school, helping out on the farm the entire time.   For many years, she was an active member and officer of both the Merlin and the Kent County Home and School Association and was their representative at the County’s Board of Education.  After all of the children were in school, Shannon began a second career as a Home Care Worker for ComCare Health Services, caring for  the aged and physically disabled in many places across the municipality.  During that time, she attended St. Clair College in the evenings and graduated with a certificate in Social Welfare and in Health Care – Personal Support Worker II.  In 1999, she began her current role as Curator and has graduated with a certificate in Museum Studies through the Ontario Museums Association.

She is currently a member of the Ontario Museums Association, the steering committee and co-chair for the National Historic Sites Alliance for Ontario, the Ontario Trillium Fund Grant Review Team and the Board of Directors for the Capitol Theatre.  In the recent past she has been a Board member of the Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce; the Advisory Board for the Chatham-Kent Tourist Bureau; the African Canadian Heritage Network and Tourism Ontario’s Underground Railroad Alliance.   

She is involved in joint Underground Railroad projects with York University, Toronto, the Underground Railroad Freedom Centre in Cincinnati and with Millersville University and several historical organizations in Pennsylvania.

She still actively farms in Buxton with Bryan and their four children. When she is not at the museum or on the tractor, she can be found in the kitchen cooking. She also enjoys reading & playing baseball.

Shannon Prince with husband Bryan Prince (noted historian and author) in the SS #13 Buxton School.

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website created July 2008; updated December 2009; by Lori Gardner