Oxford Memorial Library

About Us:

The Oxford Memorial Library is located on the site of an ancient Indian Fort on Fort Hill Park in the picturesque village of Oxford, NY. Theodore Burr, the famous builder of covered bridges, and inventor of the patented Burr Truss, built this Federal style house, as a home for his family, between 1809-1811 (while also building the Esperance Covered Bridge across the Schoharie Creek in Esperance, NY). The house reflected the financial rewards of his reputation as a master bridge builder. It is in fact, the only structure that Burr built which remains in existence today. He spent only two years in his Oxford home when business commitments required he move to Pennsylvania where he remained until his death in 1822.

Wings were added to both sides of the Burr house at a later, unknown date. The home was later occupied by the families of Ira Wilcox, Oxford merchant, from 1814-1873; Benjamin Cannon, lawyer, 1873-1890; and also served as the Rectory for St. Joseph's Church 1890-1899. In 1900 the building was given in memory of Eli Lyon Corbin and Abigail Taintor Corbin, his wife, to the Village of Oxford to be used as a library. It has been a library since 1901, and this remarkable piece of architecture was listed on the state and National Register of Historic Places in 1981.