Oxford Historical Society

501(c)3 | Oxford, Connecticut

Welcome to Oxford Historical Society

Students at Munn Schoolhouse
Students at Munn Schoolhouse

Fun @ the Munn

Fun @ the Munn – NEW! Join our all ages arts explorations drop in activities for pre-K through adults and seniors. Look for a selection of materials at each session and be sure to dress for mess: paint, paper, chalk, fiber (yarn and fabric, thread and buttons). Using basic skills, participants can try weaving on portable looms, sewing or knitting, your imagination is the key. We are open to suggestions.

Stop in at the Twitchell Rowland Museum for a tour of the Homestead and then investigate the newly opened Munn Schoolhouse to take part in the Fun at the Munn on first Sundays of each month. These free events run on June 1, July 6, August 3 and September 7, from 2-4 pm. While presented by Historical Society members, volunteers are welcome to help. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Fiber Fest Quilt
Fiber Fest Quilt

Fiber Fest Followup

With sheep signs around town leading the way, Oxford Historical Society’s annual Fiber Fest offered a peek into Oxford’s agricultural past on Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13. We warned the event is held rain or shine, but the cold and wet weather this year was a real test of our New England hardiness. While the poor weather meant no shearing of goats or sheep and only two brave vendors outside on Saturday, this unique free program attracted about 100 people each day to the grounds of the Twitchell-Rowland Homestead at 60 Towner Lane off Route 67 across from St. Thomas Roman Catholic Church.

The Homestead Museum was open for free tours, and for the first time, guests walked through the newly opened Munn School. Inside the cozy schoolhouse homemade baked goods were available and table looms offered opportunities to try a hand at weaving. A colorful quilt made to benefit the Fiber Fest by member Betsy Korn was eye catching with its bright colors and strip quilted squares.

Outside, hand-built stairs allowed access to the basement level of the one room schoolhouse where lights illuminated the initials, names and dates carved in the ceiling beams by the boys who attended the school in the 1850s.

On Sunday crafters and vendors included: Robin Ziegler’s handmade brooms, embellished gourd containers and splint baskets. New this year was local weaver Carol McElroy. June Bissonette brought alpaca yarn. Heather Martin offered stone jewelry and repeat vendor Kitti Deak shared her herbs and Elderberry products. Other regulars had clothing, knit hats and mittens, embroidered fabrics and crocheted items. The OHS website has photos from some of these vendors: oxford-historical-society.org.

Local crafters demonstrated using varied fibers for knitting, crocheting, weaving, spinning, crafting and more. The New England Lace Makers Guild members showed their centuries old skills as cobweb-like threads are knotted and twisted into astonishing products with the help of colorful bobbins.

Litchfield Hills Mobile Cafe food truck offered fried dough and hot drinks. All sales and donations from this event benefited the Oxford Historical Society. Thank you for our staunch supporters, you are ALL-WEATHER friends!

JIM SANFORD took home the colorful quilt made and donated by Betsy Korn!

Our Town’s History is Our Country’s History

Letters from relatives, a grandmother’s diary, photos and videos, and other material collected over the years provide vital and unique information about a life or the history of a family. These can be important to individuals. But they may also be important to our Oxford. Whether or not members of a local family attained a degree of fame, they have contributed to the heritage of a certain place and time.

The Oxford Historical Society collects archives of Oxford residents and organizations. The Society may agree to receive the actual documents and photos or the Society may borrow them to be copied and returned to the owners. When you donate or loan personal, family or organization papers to the Oxford Historical Society, they become a part of Oxford’s – and America’s – collective memory.

Persons with old photos or documents relating to the people of Oxford, are invited to call Historical Society historian Nancy Farnum (203-888-0230) to arrange a review of the material and determine how to preserve them for future generations.

Join the Oxford Historical Society now!

Join the Oxford Historical Society now!

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