History of Oxford Fire Company:
In the fall of 1869, the Oxford Gas and Water Works Company began the building of a reservoir along what is now know as Route 10, on one acre of ground purchased from Samuel Dickey. The source of water was the sawmill pond of John Reed purchased about the same time. The water would be forced from the site to a higher elevation about a mile away, a stream of the West Branch of the Big Elk Creek. Then it would fall by gravity into town with the aid of a standpipe and would supply water to the Hall building, the tallest structure in the borough.
This work continued into the next year, the laying of the main into Oxford, the business district, with hydrants located in and around the center of the borough. The reservoir measured 84 square feet at the top, 30 at the bottom, and 18 feet deep. This is on the highest elevation in the area. From the days of our pioneer firemen and their trials and tribulations, sometimes not knowing where their next dollar would come from, to the present day, members have handed down atrust to each succeeding generation of firefighters.
To future generations, we continue to hand down this perpetual trust. If the second 100 years of our existence is as favorable as the first, we can only say "Good job, well done."