Famous Peach Farm Featured at Peach Festival

The Oxford Historical Society will present its annual Peach Festival on Saturday, Aug. 25, in , 421 Oxford Road.  The Festival celebrates the Hale-Coleman Peach Farm of Seymour and Oxford.  J. Howard Hale from Glastonbury developed the Hale Peach variety which was the first successful commercial peach variety.  It was very sweet, cling-free and able to withstand shipping.  Hale operated farms in Glastonbury, Oxford and in Georgia, exporting peaches throughout the country.

The Hale-Coleman Peach Farm was located on what is now Peach Farm road.  Hale also maintained an orchard in Seymour, on Davis Road, across the street from its intersection with Steep Hill Road. 

The Peach Festival will display a variety of photos from the old peach farm.  Homemade peach shortcake with "all the trimmings" will be on sale from 4 to 7 p.m. Admission to the event is $1.

In addition to Peach Farm photos, the event will feature the history of Zoar Bridge and the Stevenson Dam.  The event will begin with an illustrated talk by John Babina at 2:30 p.m. on the construction of the dam. The talk will be in the church sanctuary.

From 4 to 7 p.m., vintage photos and newspaper articles detailing the dam's building will be on display in St. Peter's Church Hall, along with photos of the Peach Farm.

Proceeds will go toward continuing restoration and operation of the Twitchell Rowland Homestead Museum at 60 Towner Lane.