Not many folks these days can say they remember milking the cows before they went to school.
But lifelong Oxford resident Bruce French can.
Now, he’s trying to sell the place where this unique childhood memory was made, a two-story white barn located just west of the intersection of Pontiac and Moyer streets in the village.
The barn and the 0.43-acre site on which it sits are listed for $85,500. There is no house on the lot, but there is room to build one.
‘It’s a good old sturdy barn,? said French, who owns it with his sister, Oxford resident Nina Sausser. ‘I’d say it’s in good shape for (being) over 100 years old.?
Located between the houses at 59 and 63 Pontiac St., this piece of Oxford history was built by his grandfather, James Richard French (1866-1946), a well-known carpenter who came to the U.S. from Prince Edward Island, Canada.
His grandmother was Nina Stanton (1873-1936), a member of one of Oxford’s founding families in the 19th century.
According to French, his grandfather built many of the homes located along Pontiac St. and possibly one on Moyer St.
In fact, he built so many houses that at one point, this area of the village was nicknamed ‘the French Quarter.?
Based on dates written inside the barn, French believes it was constructed sometime prior to 1911.
‘Could be 1910. Could be 1909,? he said.
The barn used to house the French family’s cows, which typically numbered from one to three.
‘We always had plenty of milk,? French said. ‘My mother churned her own butter.?
Whenever a cow gave birth to a calf, they would raise it for beef. With five boys and two girls, the French family had plenty of mouths to feed.
‘You did whatever you could back in those days,? said French, a 1956 OHS graduate.
But cows weren’t the only four-legged creatures to call that barn home.
According to French, it used to house the Oxford Fire Department’s horses back when his grandfather was a member and fire wagons relied on actual horsepower to get to scenes. His grandfather’s name is engraved on a plaque at Fire Station #1 that honors members who served 10 years or more.
Although the barn hasn’t been used for more than 50 years, French maintained it and hung on to it for purely ‘sentimental? reasons. Now, he and his sister are finally ready to let it go.
‘We’re just getting up in age and we decided we don’t want to fool with it anymore,? said French, who celebrated his 77th birthday on May 15.
He wants whoever buys the barn to see its value, not in terms of dollars and cents, but as a piece of local history and true craftsmanship.
‘I hope it goes to the right person,? French said. ‘I’d hate to see it torn down. I’d like to see it preserved as is.?