To promote the history of Oxford County in South-Western Ontario
Hello Everyone,
Please join the Oxford Historical Society and the Woodstock Museum, NHS for a Holiday Social on Thursday, December 9 from 1-4pm.
If you wish to attend the 15 minute talk on the new Heritage database, either at 1:30pm or 3pm, please reserve your spot as space is limited: https://volunteersignup.org/YYWDK
We hope to see you at the Social!
Hello Everyone,
The Oxford Historical Society and the Woodstock Museum, NHS are pleased to once again offer this publication for your reading pleasure.
This wonderful book tells the story of Woodstock Ontario, from 1799 until more modern times.
The Village that Straddled a Swamp will be available for purchase at our booth at the upcoming Arts Market in the old Dairy Capital building. It is $25.00 (taxes included), cash only.
This publication can also be purchased by contacting the Society at info@oxhs.ca or at the Woodstock Museum, NHS gift shop.
Hello Everyone,
The Oxford Historical Society will have a booth at this year’s Arts Market where we will be selling some publications by our local authors and other items from the Woodstock Museum, NHS. We will only be accepting cash at our booth.
The dates for the Arts Market are:
Friday, November 26 from 5-8pm
Saturday, November 27 from 10am-4pm
Friday, December 3 from 5-8pm
Saturday, December 4 from 10am-4pm
Saturday, December 11 from 10am-4pm
Saturday, December 18 from 10am-4pm
There are also many other events happening downtown Woodstock for the holiday season. The complete list of events can be found on the Christmas in the Square web page.
We are looking for volunteers to help out at the booth. Each shift is three hours.
The following are the shifts that we need filled:
Friday, November 26 from 5-8pm
Saturday, November 27 from 1-4pm
Friday, December 3 from 5-8pm
Saturday, December 4 from 1-4pm
Saturday, December 11 from 1-4pm
Saturday, December 18 from 10am-1pm
Saturday, December 18 from 1-4pm
If you are interested in volunteering at our booth please send us an email: info@oxhs.ca, thank you.
Hello Everyone,
The above cross stitch patterns were designed by Helen Mackenzie. Helen has long admired her adopted home of Woodstock, especially for its preservation of its historical buildings. She has chosen to capture elements of her favourite buildings in cross stitch patterns.
These patterns are available on her Etsy shop page: Blyss Stitch Designs
Complete kits of the patterns are also available for sale at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. The kits include the pattern and all the materials needed – hoop, fabric, needle, embroidery floss etc., to complete each project. Each kit also includes some historical information about the buildings. Contact the Woodstock Museum, NHS for pricing.
Caroline East’s house, pictured above, was built in 1839 by Henry Vansittart, for his sister Caroline East. It is a brick 14 room Georgian style house in Eastwood, ON. In June of 2020, the City of Woodstock purchased the property from Dr. R. Corlett and are planning to develop the area as the Northeast Industrial Park.
There are many concerns about conserving the house as it is the last remaining house that Vansittart built. Henry Vansittart’s house in what is now called Vansittart Woods was torn down in the 1950’s, and his son John George Vansittart’s house, which was located at the corner of Lansdowne & Dundas, was torn down when Commercial Print Craft bought the property in the 1980’s. It would be a shame to have the last Vansittart house also demolished. More information about Caroline East and Henry Vansittart can be found in the book “The Governor’s Road”, by Mary Byers & Margaret McBurney, on page 239. The book is available from the Woodstock Public Library.
The City of Woodstock has commissioned a study of the Northeast Industrial Park, https:// www.cityofwoodstock.ca/en/city-governance/municipal-studies-and-plans.aspx#Northeast-Industrial- Park-Planning–Servicing-Study
The Oxford Historical Society is asking for the public support in helping to preserve this lovely home. To voice your support please use the above link to read about the proposed land use and how to contact city representatives.