OXFORD - The Oxford Historical Society will present its annual Peach Festival Aug. 25, in St. Peter’s Church at 421 Oxford Road.
This year’s theme is the history of the Town of Stevenson, the old Zoar Bridge, and the Stevenson Dam.
The event will begin with an illustrated talk by John Babina on the construction of the Dam at 2:30 p.m. in the church sanctuary.
From 4-7 p.m., vintage photos and newspaper articles detailing the dam’s construction will be on display in St. Peter’s Church Hall. This is the first time many of the photographs have been seen by the public.
Also featured will be pictures and memorabilia from the Hale-Coleman Orchards of Seymour and Oxford.
Homemade peach shortcake with “all the trimmings” including peach ice cream will be sold from 4-7 p.m.
Several bridges spanned the Housatonic River at Stevenson from as early as the 1700s. Flooding and ice flows destroyed several structures before the Zoar suspension bridge was constructed in 1876, a joint project of the towns of Monroe and Oxford. The total cost was $26,500, with each town paying half.
The bridge was rented to Charles Gilbert, who tended it and collected the tolls until the cost of construction was recovered. At that point, tolls were abolished and maintenance and repairs became the responsibility of the counties.
The Zoar Bridge remained in service until the present dam was put in place in 1918, and the roadway was located on top of it.
Oxford Historical Society members are anxious to collect photos of the Riverside area and of Lake Zoar, particularly those taken before and during the building of the Stevenson Dam.
Those who have photos they are willing to share are asked to contact Dorothy DeBisschop, Town Historian, at 203-910-4574 to set up an appointment for scanning their pictures. It is a quick and safe process.
Admission is $1. Proceeds will go to continued restoration and operation of the Twitchell Rowland Homestead Museum, 60 Towner Lane.
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