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Making History Every Day
March and April 2020, Volume 2, Issue 2
Oxford Historical Society, a 501 (c) 3 charitable organization
Twitchell Rowland Homestead Museum
P.O. Box 582, 60 Towner Lane, Oxford, CT 06478
FIBER FEST 2020! Saturday April 18 & Sunday April 19
The OHS Living History weekend is in its fifth year!
Visitors to the Twitchell Rowland Homestead will see
live animals, shearing and fiber craft demonstrations dur-
ing this free family friendly celebration.
Saturday meet spinners from around the area dem-
onstrating this ancient skill. A Spin-in will be held from1
to 3 pm inviting spinners from the area to spin together
in public. Fiona Fine will be in the homestead who will
guide adults and kids to try their hand at carding raw
wool and spinning yarn, jobs commonly done by the
very young and the very old for generations.
New this year members of the New England Lace
Guild will offer an opportunity to see up close the work
and skill of this long honored handcraft. Formed in 1982
by bobbin lacemakers who wished to interest others in
this beautiful historic handcraft, the group promotes to
the general public an interest in the study, history, collection and making of all varieties of lace.
Another group making its debut at the Oxford event is CT Woolcrafters, a community for fiber artists who love
to work with natural fibers. Members meet monthly at CH Booth Library in Newtown, CT. The group works to
promote fiber related crafts in Western CT and will have representation of spinners, weavers, felters and embroi-
derers.
Saturday there will be a visit from the UMass Dartmouth Textile Department.
Leila Orienter will be presenting crocheted lace featuring vintage patterns using quilting thread to make table
runners, place mats and coasters.
All weekend natural dying will be on show. Onions, acorns, rosemary and spinach are only a few of the natural
materials that can be used. For centuries leaves, roots, bark, berries, flowers and vegetables, lichen and insects
(Continues on page 2)
Rosie the Riveter
Saturday, March 7 • 1:30-3 pm
Oxford Public Library,
49 Great Oak Road
When the men were mobi-
lized for the war effort women
took on jobs they never ex-
pected and earned a new
nickname: Rosie the Riveter.
This program is presented by
Gretchen Caulfield of the CT
chapter of the American
Rosie the Riveter Association.
Tight Knit Group will join us at the Fiber Fest
Photo from 2019 Fiber Fest from
Facebook page of Diamond Bawlick
Twitchell-Rowland Homestead, 60 Towner Lane
Oxford; Sat. 10 am to 4 pm; Sun. noon to 4 pm
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have given colors to yarn and fab-
rics. Dawn Sotir of Coon Hollow
Farm in Oxford and Jody Bishel,
both well known in the valley for their
skill as crafters and talented fiber
artists, will be sharing their tips and
ideas.
Animals will be sheared at various
points in the two day event. Ron East
of AlpacaBoose Farm in Oxford will
be demonstrating on his animals and
the sheep of Patti Clark from Maple
View Farm in Orange.
Weaving will be on display using looms of a range of size and styles. The
historic Jensen Barn Loom dating back to the 1700s was re-assembled
and now fills a room of the Oxford Homestead. Smaller peg looms and pin
looms (think potholders 1950s) will be on display.. Holly Pryor of Easton’s
Blue Button Farm will demo a peg loom (dowels mounted in a board) that
can be used to create bags, rugs and scarves. Holly will have roving from
her pygora goats and Jacob sheep. Pygora goats are the product of an
intentional cross of pygmy goats (known for hardiness and playfulness)
with white angora goats (bred for docility and longer fleece). Holly’s Jacob
sheep are examples of sheep found in Britain since the 1600s which fea-
ture distinctive double horns (four) and piebald fleece (darker areas on the
white fleece). The piebald fleece produces interesting shading of the wool
as it is spun and used for crafting. Roving is thick, bulky, untwisted yarn
used for rustic projects.
Look for crafters Leslie Alexander of Oxford doing wet felting; Kathryn
Dygon maker of wool ornaments and 2-D fabric. On Sunday basket maker
Mardi Smith will share her wares and a tablet loom will be demonstrated by
Reggie Britton. Sunday is Knit & Crochet Day! Come to our Knit-In and
Crochet-In from 1-3 pm – bring your current project and pull up a chair.
We particularly want to thank the East family for their participation and
support of this unique local experience since its inception.
And crafters will be chatting and sharing- make new friends, learn new
skills, solve a craft question. Awesome needlework will be on show, some
items for sale.
Shearer Ron East gives sheep a pedicure prior to the
actual shearing. Hoof trimming is an essential part of
sheep care.
Mardi Smith, basketmaker, will display her craft on
Saunday,
Felted Ornament
by Kathryn Dygon
Embrace
Felted by Leslie Alexander
Handspun and booties
by Holly Pryor
Twitchell-Rowland Homestead, 60 Towner Lane Oxford;
Sat. April 18, 10 am to 4 pm; Sun. April 19, noon to 4 pm
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Making a Mark in History
George H. Prescott left his mark when he attended
Mr. Munn’s School – his carving into a beam in the
schoolhouse basement is dated 9/12/1850 and he
signed himself G.H.Prescott. George’s name is also
listed in the 1850 census for Oxford, CT – as a student
at the school originally on Oxford Rd and part of the
Beardsley family’s farm.
This carving and others will be viewable once the
Munn Schoolhouse restoration is completed. The new
basement was constructed at the Twitchell-Rowland
Homestead Museum campus before the centuries old
school building was transported down Rte 67 to Chris-
tian Street and then down Towner Lane.
The move on November 13, 2019 was documented
by local news media and can be seen on the Oxford
Historical Society website. Funding for the foundation,
building moving and stabilization came from area grant
funds from the Town of Oxford, the Valley Community
Foundation and the Matthies Foundation. Individual do-
nations came in all sizes from $1 to $2500.
Electricity will be incorporated subtly as the interior is
readied for the public. Efforts will be made to make the
restoration period accurate and community safe. While
targeting Oxford’s third grade classes to visit as part f
with their curriculum, the school will be available to all
ages once completed.
Much of the restoration is being done by Seymour
resident Eric Iott, a restoration carpenter with wide ex-
perience.
George and William Prescott, eight-year-old twins are
listed in the 1850 census among the 23 boys listed as
students, ages 6 to 16, at Mr. Munn’s School.
ION BANK COMMUNITY AWARDS
11
th
Annual campaign to support
community non-profits – voting is easy!
Vote for the Oxford Histori-
cal Society! Each vote gets
us $25. You must have an ion
Bank account and each voter
gets only one vote. Accounts
with multiple owners allow
each owner to vote, but own-
ers of multiple accounts are allowed only one vote. The
easiest way to vote is online at the ion Bank site. The
direct link is located at https://cap.ionbank.com/CAP/
Vote.aspx?ID=184. If you do not have computer ac-
cess, other options are available. See the ion Bank near
you or call 203-729-4442.
Honor an Educator
Inspired by
a gift of $2500 honoring the teachers who
educated the donor’s daughters to benefit the Munn
Schoolhouse Project, the notecards have become popu-
lar with local families.
The gift cards also may be purchased in the Town
Clerk’s Office or at The Twitchell-Rowland Homestead
Museum Open House (2-4 pm) on the first and third
Sundays of each month. For further information please
call 203 888-0230.
Mail donations to Oxford Historical Society, PO Box
582, Oxford, CT 06478. Make checks out to Oxford His-
torical Society, with “Munn Schoolhouse” in note field.
Mr. Munn’s Schoolhouse, circa 1850
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With Your Help and Support,
We Can Preserve Oxford’s
Historic Rural Heritage
•Follow us on facebook @oxfordhistoricalsociety
•Like our Facebook page to let foundations know the
Society has your support
•Join the Historical Society. Download a membership
at
http://www
.oxford-historical-society
.org/
membership.pdf
•visit the Homestead and learn more about our activi-
ties
•sign up for special tours & programs
Join with Us!
Come Visit Us!
HOMESTEAD OPEN HOUSE:
Sunday, Mar. 1, 2 - 4 pm
Sunday, Mar. 15, 2 - 4 pm
Sunday, April 5, 2 – 4 pm
Sunday, April 19, 2 – 4 pm
ON DISPLAY
: Fiber crafts items from across the years.
Hand made items have been a mainstay of homelife for
centuries. Some items are owned by Oxford Historical
Society members Louise Burr and Marilyn Stebar and
others are part of the OHS collections.
FREE Admission * Tours available
Twitchell-Rowland Homestead
60 Towner Lane, Oxford
You can help
Raise the roof! Clapboards! Windows! Doors! Roof Shingles! Purchase of materials that will finish the exterior of
the Munn Schoolhouse will be funded by the proceeds of this spring’s online giving campaigns.
Join others in the community from 7 a.m. April 21 through 7 p.m. April 22 to pledge and donate when prizes and
bonuses will maximize the impact of gifts.
GiveLocal sponsored by the Connecticut Community Foundation arranges for minimal fees and coordinates
extra incentives. Simply click
http
s://www
.givelocalccf.org/organizations/oxford-historical-society and your donation comes to OHS.
If you miss the first opportunity, you can take advantage of Give Greater. This online campaign runs from 8 a.m.
May 5 through 8 p.m. May 6. It also offers bonuses and prizes through its sponsor, Valley Community Foundation.
http
s://www
.thegreatgive.org/organizations/oxford-historical-society.
Oxford is fortunate to be one of a few towns that are served by multiple foundations.
Additional work is on the calendar and grant applications have been submitted to area funders to supplement
donations to the OHS online campaigns.
Keep up with repairs and improvements on the OHS Facebook page and website. To get a look in
person come visit the Twitchell-Rowland Homestead during regular Open Houses on the first and third
Sundays from 2-4 pm. Watch the progress and see your donation at work. Thanks for your support!