Oxford Historical Society

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 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!