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 Twitchell-Rowland Homestead
60 Towner Lane, Oxford Oxford Historical Society's History Education Center & Museum
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Coming in November:
Connecticut's Indigenous Peoples:
What Archaeology, History and Oral Traditions
Teach Us About Their Communities and Cultures.
PowerPoint Book Talk presented by Author Lucianne Lavin.
Director of Research and Collections at the Institute for American Indian Studies
Winner of 2014 Connecticut Leage of History Organizations Award of Merit.
Sunday, November 9, 2:30 p.m. St. Peter's Church.
Presented through the sponsorship
of the Connecticut Communty Foundation
2014 Peach Festival Honored Home-town Heroes:
Military Servicemen and Women of Oxford
The
Oxford Historical Society held their annual Peach Festival on
Saturday, August 23, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church
Fellowship Hall. We enjoyed record attendance at this year's event.
The
displays incluced photos of Oxford's military servicemen and women.
The photos on display are now available for viewing on Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/dorothydebissch/hometown-heroes-oxford-military-men-and-wmen/
A special feature of the Peach Festival was the display of a series of letters written by Oxford Civil War
Soldier, Albert Kimberly, to his wife during the months before his
death in Louisiana. These letters were transcribed by
Ashley Sanders, recent Oxford High School graduate and honor student. To see a video featuring the Kimberly letters, to to
http://youtu.be/O0R4q5gb2k8
The
Peach Festival featured home-made peach shortcake, fresh local peaches,
and Rich Farm peaches and cream ice cream. Thanks to all who
attended and all who helped make the event possible.
Vintage Vehicle Show at Homestead - June 1st
Photos from the event are located Here:
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Driveway Paving Project Advances
Thanks for your support! Members and friends of the Oxford
Historical Society have donated over $7,200 towards the paving of the
Homestead driveway and parking area. The Society participated in
the online donation programs sponsored by the Connecticut Community
Foundation and the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.
Both these foundations have supported the Historical Society in our
years-long effort to save the 1750's farmhouse and to prepare it for
serving as Oxford's first museum, as well as a history education
center. These online donations bring us closer to our goal of a paved
driveway that will provide safe parking and access to the building
regardless of the weather. Thank you for your interest and support. We expect the paving to be completed this fall.
| Oxford Historical Society earns Gold Seal from GuideStar Exchange
The Oxford Historical Society, Inc. has received the
GuideStar Exchange Gold participation level, a leading symbol of transparency
and accountability provided by GuideStar USA, Inc., the premier source of
nonprofit information. This level demonstrates the Society's deep commitment to
nonprofit transparency and accountability.
The Society has worked diligently to fulfill our
mission. We have a commitment in being
transparent about our efforts to encourage historic preservation and
appreciation in Oxford. As a GuideStar
Exchange participant, we use their platform to share a wealth of up-to-date
information about our work to our supporters and GuideStar's immense online
audience of nonprofits, grantmakers, individual donors, and the media.
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Museum Hours:
First and Third Sundays of each month
2 - 4 p.m. Adeline Gray, Oxford's famous parachutist makes history. See her story here
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"Oxford History Remembered"
New Book Available
The
Society's newest book, Oxford History Remembered, is now available. The book includes tales from
Oxford's early history, the contributions of Oxford residents in times
of war, as well as more recent stories, such as the establishment of
the Oxford Land Trust. The book includes a history of the 6-year
effort of the Oxford Historical Society to preserve the Homestead.
Area History Links:
(search the 1798 Oxford CT Tax roll.)
Oxford Honored by
Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation
The
people of Oxford and the Oxford Historical Society were honored for our work in preserving the Homestead, and designated with a
Connecticut Trust Preservation Award. The award was presented in Hartford
at the State Capitol on April 4, 2012. The following is from their Connecticut
Trust website:
"Built in 1755,
this house has a long connection with prominent local families and is
listed on the State Register of Historic Places. When development
threatened the house, the developer was convinced to donate it to the
Town. Moved to a new, town-owned site, the house received a new
foundation and chimney base, and was restored by the Oxford Historical
Society. A multitude of workers donated their labor to the
project, including members of building trades, Boy and Girl Scouts,
area foundations, and many local volunteers. The people of Oxford
succeeded where many towns and small nonprofits fail by involving a
wide range of people throughout the community. The task of managing so
many different groups and individuals alone is a remarkable
achievement. "
Source: http://www.cttrust.org/12635
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Harriet's QuiltAn Oxford signature quilt from before the Civil War.See information on the quilt and on the people who made and signed it:HERE Download a free Kindle copy of the book "Chauncey Judd,
or a Boy Stolen,"
by Israel P. Warren.
Story of burglary and kidnapping during the American Revolution, with parts of the story taking place in Oxford.
To download, RIGHT CLICK HERE and choose SAVE AS. The
exhibit can be seen during museum open hours from 2-4 p.m. on the first
and third Sundays of each month or by appointment. For further
information call 203 888-0230.
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Native American Artifacts
on Display October 5 & 19, and Nov. 2
The Twitchell-Rowland Homestead will feature a display of Native
American artifacts found in Oxford. Most of the artifacts were found by
the Nelson Cable family and Atwater C. Treat, both of Chestnut Tree
Hill.
A special feature will be a soapstone bowl recently donated to the
Historical Society by Audrey Cable Linke. The artifact display is
in advance of the November
9 book talk by Lucianne Lavin at St. Peter's Church. The exhibit can be seen during museum open hours from
2-4 p.m. on the first and third Sundays of each month or by
appointment. For further information call 203 888-0230.
The exhibit can be seen during museum open hours from 2-4 p.m. on the
first and third Sundays of each month or by appointment. For
further information call 203 888-0230.
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Vintage Sewing Accessories
Exhibited at The Homestead
 The
Twitchell Rowland Homestead Museum at 60 Towner Lane, Oxford recently
featured the display "The Work Basket: Vintage Sewing Accessories, 1900
- 1950".
At left, Phil & Loretta Rowland view antique material samples.
Below,
Jane Hulbert examines the collection of antique darning eggs,needle
cases, pin cushions, patterns and other items women used to make and
mend family clothing.
Thanks to all who helped make the
Second Annual Old Homested Flea Market a Success!
T he Oxford Historical Society sponsored its second annual
Old Homestead Flea Market on June 21
at the Twitchell-Rowland Museum. Thanks to all those who assisted
the day of the sale, to our vendors, and to those who attended and
helped make the day a financial success. Special thanks go to
Marcia Wrogg and Jane Hulbert, co-chairmen.
(Photo by Cindy Joy)
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 Can you identify this mystery house in Oxford? The
Historical Society is trying to identify the house depicted in this
painting by H. Reinhardt Lewis, Some of his work was
featured in an October 2013 exhibition at the Homestead. Lewis
moved to Petticoat Farm (now 55 Barry Road) in Oxford to fulfill his
lifelong dream of being an independent, self-supporting artist. While
living in the 18th Century farmhouse with his wife, Ella, and young
son, William, he drew and painted the Depression era landscape of the
dairy and chicken farms that made up this small New England town and
the surrounding area. Given the economy, there was no market for his
works, and he was forced to move on to employment as a draftsman for
Vought-Sikorsky during World War II and as a package designer.
His
daughter Peggy, Mrs. Robert Hillton, who arranged for the exhibit of
his works, recently sent a photo of another painting, labeled,
"Connecticut, 1936" on the back. Persons who have suggestions of
the location of the house are asked to contact Nancy Farnum at
203 888-0230 |
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Women's Work
in World War II
Book talk with
author John Cilio.
May 5, 2013
|  Carolyn Ivanoff
as Dolly Madison, left, chats with visitor at
March 17th program at the Homestead.
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Barnum, Tom Thumb and the Tornado Cindy Joy Photo “ Barnum, Tom Thumb and the Tornado” were the topics of
an illustrated talk by Marion O’Keefe on Sunday, February 3. Mrs. O’Keefe is Director Emeritus and former curator of the
Derby Historical Society. She is
currently a Board of Directors member and curator of the Seymour Historical
Society. A pink satin covered pillow used by Tom Thumb is on display
at the Homestead Museum.
Photos of Lake Zoar, Zoar Bridge, Zoar Village and Stevenson Station added from 2012 Peach Festival
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PHOTO COLLECTION
The Society continues to make appointments to meet with individuals at the Library to scan their photos of old time Oxford. while they
wait. If you have photos to share, please call Dottie DeBisschop
203-910-4574 to schedule an appointment.
Oxford Center School Photos
The Oxford Historical Society has received many class
photographs from Oxford Center School. The photographs are being
scanned and filed for preservation in our archives. Residents
are asked to help identify the students and teachers in the
photographs. You may see our growing collection here:
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