[NEW!] And That's a Wrap!
And That’s a Wrap!
Submitted by: Tysha, Archival Technician.
2025 has been a crazy and exciting year for Archives! Not only were we celebrating our 25th anniversary, but also the County’s 175th anniversary, the library’s 60th anniversary and so much more!
For our final blog post of the year, let’s take a look back at everything we accomplished over the past year!
We started the year off with a little celebration in the Archives for our 25th birthday and installed a small anniversary display at the County’s main administration building on Reeve Street. The archives have changed so much over the past 25 years! From starting out in Beachville at the old St. Anthony’s School to finally moving to the Governor’s / Turnkey’s House (82 Light St.) connected to the old Oxford County Gaol. Over the past two decades, our collection has grown significantly, and we are so happy to continue preserving the history of Oxford County and its residents!
In early spring, staff were excited to travel to the Legislative Assembly building in Toronto to participate in their community exhibition. We set up a small display featuring images of famous buildings, groups, and founders of the County. It was such a wonderful opportunity to have a small piece of Oxford County on display in Toronto for all to see.
Amidst the day-to-day tasks, our Archivist Liz assisted the writing team for Condemned Woodstock with their research into the hangings of Oxford County. She was also featured in the show as their star local historian!
One of our biggest highlights for the Archives this year came with the publication of our third book! It took less than a year to research and collect a variety of stories and histories from around the county. “Growing Strong Together: A Celebration of Oxford County’s Past” highlights the colourful history that has shaped the county over the last 175 years!
We are so thankful to all our contributors and their support of this project! It would not have been as successful without everyone’s help!
Another big point for the archives was the completion of the Percy Exhibits for the Administration building. It was truly a wonderful experience to be a part of Percy’s story and to tell others about his journey home and the hardships he and his family faced.
Our final project of the year was our short video series featuring three members of County Council (Warden Marcus Ryan, Councillor Jim Palmer, and Councillor Brian Petrie). After months of genealogical research, we sat down with these three and showed them all the interesting family history that we were able to find. From original land deeds and drain records, to missing family members and military services, it was fascinating to learn about everyone’s family!
Stay tuned to our socials for more information on when the videos will be posted!
After such a busy year, we are so happy to look back on all the amazing things that we were able to accomplish! We are excited to see what 2026 will bring!
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!