Oxford Local History Day – Saturday, April 22, 2023!

Hello Everyone,

This guest post is provided by Oxford County Library:

Oxford County Library is proud to host the 3rd annual Oxford Local History Day!

Join us at Ingersoll Library on Saturday, April 22nd from 11AM – 3PM

Discover engaging presentations that will bring to light the story of Oxford.

Visitors to Oxford Local History Day will experience collections, exhibits & featured stories from archives, museums & heritage groups from around Oxford County. 

Experience an Exhibit with History Experts:  

Oxford County Library will feature: The Stone Houses of Zorra project – delve into the stories behind rural edifices of Oxford.

Ingersoll Cheese & Agricultural Museum, Oxford Historical Society, Beachville Museum, Oxford Ancestors, Ingersoll Pipe Band, Heroes of Zorra, Plattsville & District Heritage, Zorra Heritage Committee, Tavistock & District Historical Society

Snap a ‘Step Back in Time Selfie’ in the Ingersoll Historical Photo Booth.   

Grab a prop, smile & transport yourself to the streets of 1900s Ingersoll, courtesy of our green screen photo booth.  Bring the family!

Take in a Presentation:

11AM: The Lost Architecture of Ingersoll:
Join Ingersoll Museum curator, Scott Gillies, as he explores the buildings which once graced our neighborhoods and are now lost to the mists of time!

NOON: A Community 10,000 Years in the Making:
Join UWO Associate History Professor, Cody Groat as he delves into:  “The lands that we know as Oxford County have been occupied for over 10,000 years. This presentation will give a brief history of Indigenous settlement to the present day, as well as cultural change over time.”

1PM: Heroes Past but Always Present:
130 years after five Zorra farmers won the Tug-of-War World Championship at the Chicago World Fair, the small community of Embro still remembers them. This is the story of Zorra’s “Men of Might that Feared the Lord”.  Presented by the Zorra Heritage Committee

1:30PM: Bob Hayward: Farm to Fame:
Zorra Township native Bob Hayward, became a Canadian hero and international celebrity by driving the hydroplane, Miss Supertest III, to the pinnacle of powerboat racing. Presented by the Zorra Heritage Committee

2PM: The Oxford Militia in the War of 1812:
Join local historian, Bob Rennie, as he explores how the citizens of Oxford County had many significant decisions to make during the War of 1812 & the profound impact it had on their lives.

For more event information visit Oxford County Library at Oxford Local History Day 2023
or call 519 485-2505.

Oxford County.  We’ve made history!

Ingersoll Library: Black History Month Event!

Hello Everyone,

Please see this guest post from the Ingersoll Library:

Curious about the new Underground Railroad Sculpture in Ingersoll?
Join us at Ingersoll Library Saturday, February 18, 2023 from 1-3PM

Meet local artist Duane Kumala-Thomas and discover the vision behind an Ingersoll art installation recognizing significant dates in town history.

Join local historian, Heather Rennalls and explorer her knowledge of Ingersoll’s Black history.

Ingersoll Town Councillor, Khadijah Haliru, will speak about her story from Nigeria to Brampton to Ingersoll.

Special Guests including: Town Councillor, Mike Bowman, Oxford Caribbean Canadian Association and more.


“Using the familiar theme of the underground railroad as a focal point, the sculpture aims to represent Ingersoll’s involvement in accepting, aiding and growing amongst a new and increasing black population in the 1800’s and beyond. The visual of train tracks breaking through the soil and springing up into the Ingersoll air will present viewers with the emphatic feeling of a journey to this place, where travellers came up for air, settled and planted new roots”.

Duane Kumala-Thomas

Feel free to spread the word about this special event via social media or by printing and displaying the attached posts: Ingersoll Library Event Duane Kumala-Thomas

The Ingersoll Library can be reached at:
The Town Centre, 130 Oxford Street Ingersoll ON N5C 2V5
Email: ingersolllibrary@ocl.net
Phone: 519-485-2505

So They Came: Young Men Farmers

Hello Everyone,

Once again the Oxford Historical Society had the privilege of participating in the Oxford County Library’s Annual Oxford Local History Day! For this event Elaine Becker created a video about her latest publication – So They Came: Young Men Farmers. Her video presentation and the 16 other local history presentations are available on the Oxford County Library YouTube channel.

Please enjoy watching Elaine’s presentation of So They Came: Young Men Farmers!

The book So They Came: Young Men Farmers is available for purchase for $20.00 (taxes included), either by contacting the Oxford Historical Society directly at info@oxhs.ca, 226-242-4774, or for pick-up at the Woodstock Museum, NHS.

Oxford Local History Day 2022!

Hello Everyone,
This guest post is provided by Oxford County Libraries.

Please join the Oxford County Libraries as the once again celebrate Oxford County’s Local History!

Mark Saturday, April 23, 2022 as the day to enjoy seminars, presentations and stories from Oxford County.

Experience collections, exhibits & featured stories from archives, museums & heritage groups from around Oxford County, as we celebrate our local history.  Watch Oxford County Library Facebook Live & YouTube Channel throughout the day as focused presentations bring to light the story of Oxford.

Oxford County. We’ve made history!

Oxford Local History Day 2022

Hello Everyone,
This guest post is provided by Oxford County Libraries.

Your invitation to participate in Oxford Local History Day 2022!

Oxford County Library will again be taking the spirit of Oxford Local History Day online with our 2nd annual event celebrating the history of Oxford County.

On Saturday, April 23 we are hoping to again showcase a full day of virtual local history presentations that will bring to light the story of Oxford. Experience collections, exhibits & featured stories from archives, museums & heritage groups from around Oxford County.  

Are you interested in telling the story of Oxford? Consider creating a short video or a narrated slide presentation to provide education around your collections and promote your organization that could be featured on Oxford County Library social media sometime during Oxford Local History Day.

Explore our outstanding submissions from 2021 on the Oxford County Library YouTube Channel:

If you would like to participate in this initiative, please indicate your willingness to do so by Monday, March 28.  Video presentation submission deadline is Thursday, April 14.

Oxford County. We’ve made history!

Contact: VICKI BRENNER
Digital & Local History Technician | Oxford County Library
519-485-2505 ext. 3280 | vbrenner@ocl.net

Oxford County Archives Online Resources

Hello Everyone,

The information for this post is provided by The Oxford County Archives.

The Oxford County Archives has a new “online resources” section of our website which includes a variety of resources we have made available to help researchers find local history information. These resources include: a searchable County Council database; list of Ingersoll Mayors; list of Tillsonburg Mayors; list of District of Brock Council Members; list of County Wardens; and more. We will continue to add resources to this new page of our website in future. To check out these new resources visit Oxford County Archive Online Resources.

Oxford Local History Day!

This guest post is provided by Oxford County Library.

Please join Oxford County Library on Saturday, April 24, 2021 as they celebrate Oxford Local History Day through social media. Connect with them on their Facebook page to view presentations from the Oxford Historical Society, Oxford County Library, Oxford County Archives, Zorra Heritage Committee, Ingersoll History Book Launch and many other organizations.

Back in the Day…

Beachville Lime Kilns, postcard from the J. Gruszka Collection, property of the OxHS

Hello Everyone,

This guest post is provided by the Ingersoll Senior Centre, via Oxford Historical Society members Doug & Janice Ferguson.

On-line presentation series hosted free of charge by the Ingersoll 50+ Activity Centre. All district residents over 50 years of age are welcome. You do NOT need a Centre membership for these presentations, nor do you need to live in Ingersoll.

Beachville Bedrock

Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 2pm

Dr. Stephanie Radu, curator of the Beachville District Museum, takes you through the limestone valley, tracing the story of the early companies and the generations of people who worked there, and describing how 20th century advancements changed the lime business.

The Street Where You Live

Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 2 pm

The history and stories behind the naming of a number of Ingersoll streets where you travel, where you work and play, and where you live. Told by Scott Gillies, curator of the Ingersoll Cheese and Agricultural Museum.

Discovering Your Oxford Roots

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at 2pm

Whether you are a researcher or simply a curious browser, a treasure trove of Oxford County’s past is available through Oxford County library resources. Better still, much of it is as close as your computer. Your guide is Vicki Brenner, Digital Literacy and Local History Technician at the Ingersoll library.

Reserve for each at 519-485-3869 or info@ingersollseniors.com

These are Zoom events. After you register, you will be sent an email with a link. At presentation time, simply click on the link and you will be connected.

Oxford County Library Local History

Hello Everyone,
The Ingersoll and Tillsonburg branches of Oxford County Libraries had planned a Local History week event; but then Covid-19 came along and the events were cancelled. Not to be deterred the Society still decided to create a video for the event. Our video will also be posted on the Oxford County Library Facebook page.


Please enjoy the video!

OxHS Presentation May 2020