OXFORD — The Oxford Memorial Library was built around 1811 by one of America’s premier bridge wrights, Theodore Burr. He designed and built what is known as the Burr Truss. The Burr Truss spans from approximately 60’ to somewhat over 200’. He obtained his first patent for his Burr arch truss bridge design in 1806.

Theodore Burr came to Oxford in 1792. By 1994 he had built his first saw-and-grist mill across the Chenango River. In 1800 he built the first stringer bridge (not covered) across the Chenango River. In 1811 Burr built an impressive Federal-style home for his family on the site of an ancient Indian Fort at Fort Hill Park in Oxford. Wings on either side were added at later dates. This house has housed the Oxford Memorial Library since 1900.

Housed in the library is the Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Resource Center. Trish Kane is the curator of the Center. The Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Resource Center is the first of its kind to exist anywhere. It was designed specifically for individuals seriously interested in covered bridge research.

December 2010 saw the first delivery of resource material and donated collections. Since that time the center has grown in many ways. It now houses a vast covered bridge library consisting of books, postcards, photographs, newsletters from each of the known covered bridge societies, slide collection, and a large display of covered bridge models hand crafted to scale. The serious researcher can find research information on covered bridges worldwide.

The center is in the process of digitalizing their postcard collection and hope to digitalize other materials as well so that they can be made available on the web. All of the books housed in the center are coded with the letters (TBCBRC) after the call number. Just search the online card catalog through the library’s website and type in Covered Bridges for a search. The library’s website is http://oxfordmemoriallibrary.org.

If you want to come in and do research it is a good idea to call ahead for an appointment. Visitors can usually pop up to see the center during regular library hours. You may call the Oxford Memorial Library at 607-843-6146 or contact the Curator, Trish Kane, at 607-674-9656 or at bobtrish68@twc.com.

-Information provided by the Oxford Memorial Library