Cedar Oaks Guild Newsletter

Built in 1859 by William Turner as his personal residence, Cedar Oaks is a Greek revival structure that has survived a tumultuous past. Molly Turner Orr, the builder’s sister, organized a fire brigade to save the house in 1864 after it was set aflame by occupying Union troops. Nearly a century later, Mary Alice Tate rallied Oxford’s women’s clubs to save it from commercial development and move it 2.2 miles to its current location. It was named Cedar Oaks because of the stately cedars and oak trees on its new site that was donated by T. E. Avent in honor of his wife. Presently, Cedar Oaks is maintained by the Historic Sites Commission and supported by Cedar Oaks Guild. It is available by reservation for private events.

Cedar Oaks Guild was formed in the summer of 2011. The name was officially changed from Oxford-Lafayette Historic Homes in April, 2013, upon the Guild’s request to the Mississippi Secretary of State. COG was formed by the merger of two of the original clubs that were responsible for saving Cedar Oaks from destruction in 1963. A third club, which was also involved, disbanded in 1963.

The Guild is very proud of its heritage from these three clubs which date back to 1948. It has taken elements and traditions from each of its predecessors to form its new identity. The Guild, however, is a different organization from any one of its predecessors. Not a book club or a study club, Cedar Oaks Guild is a working organization whose primary mission is the preservation, support, and promotion of Cedar Oaks.

Membership in the Guild is by invitation only and is limited to 50 members at any given time. We are very fortunate to number among our members a varied group of outstanding women who come from different places in the country, different professions, and different interests. We continue the example set for us by our predecessors who loved history and cared about preserving the cultural and architectural heritage of Oxford and Lafayette County.

Link to: The House That Would Not Die (2017), a documentary short about Cedar Oaks.