BURNS/BELFRY CHURCH BUILDING


One-story, thee-bay, brick masonry center-aisle
church with Gothic Revival influence, built in
1910. Cross-gable roof covered with asphalt
shingles, with single-light fixed sash roundels
in gable ends. Facade features symmetrical
square towers; one of two stories with a bell
cast roof and one of three stories with a poly-
gonal spire. Windows are single-light, fixed
sash replacements set in Gothic-arched reveal
with a single-light, double-door topped with a
double-door topped with a double, single-light
transom.

As the above paragraph makes clear, the Burns Church Building
is an extremely valuable part of the history of Oxford and the surrounding
area. It was a most important part in the lives of numerous African
Americans for well over half of the twentieth century, having been built by
one of the first African American congregations formed after the Civil War.
The reason for the Oxford-Lafayette County Heritage Foundation
undertaking this major project is to preserve this current building in its
current location and to restore it so that it can continue to play that role
and, further, to provide historical documentation about the lives of the
African American community.
When the building is restored, it will be an ideal -- and certainly most
appropriate -- home for the Oxford Development Association. It will
probably be named the Burns Belfry African American Memory House.
Roughly two-thirds of the building will be open space for meetings, the
area of the previous sanctuary. The meeting room in addition to being
used for ODA’s annual programs will be available as a meeting place for
non-profit organizations, church groups and civic clubs for a small
operating cost recovery fee.
A major portion of the remaining space will be used as a museum/library.
That space will contain meaningful artifacts useful for local students and
other citizens who are interested in the history of the area and state and
this information will be especially important for scholars wishing
information about the African American community. Rotating displays will
be assembled and made appropriate for tour groups.
The renovated structure will provide rooms for housing the important
historical and current documents of the Oxford Develop-
ment Association. Publications such as the monthly ODA “Soul Force”
will be kept on file.
In the year 2000, the Mississippi Heritage Trust listed the City of Oxford
as one of Mississippi’s Ten Most Endangered Places.
The MHT booklet reported that:

the city of Oxford is on the cusp of losing the special
character that defines it and draws such an appreciative
audience. Despite good intentions, the resulting
pressure for development to service the southern-savy
tourist, increased student enrollment,and loyal retiring
fans undermines the very character we all want to
experience.

Renovation of this historic building and preserving it will result in another
prime attraction for our area. Even more important than the attraction of
this building for tourists and scholars is its possibility for our citizens to
take another forward step in racial reconciliation.



More Belfry History

Dorothy and Roscoe Newton bought the Belfry from Attorney Gafford who had
purchased the building from the Burns Church Congregation in 1978. This was
the first time the building that was named ³The Belfry² by Mrs. Newton was
saved from the wrecker¹s ball. It was recently saved again by its donation
from John Grisham to the Oxford-Lafayette County Heritage Foundation.
When the Newton¹s became owners, the church parsonage was adjacent to the
church building on what is now the parking lot.
In order to have parking space for the occupants of the offices that would
be housed in the old church building the parsonage was moved to the Newton¹s
farm and is still there.
There was a weather vane atop the belfry on the west side but Mr. Gafford
wanted it as a souvenir so it was taken down. And the original bell that
was in the bell tower was removed by the Burns congregtion and taken to
their new church.
There were stained glass windows but due to the long period of the church
being empty these had been broken and had to be replaced. The Newtons still
have some pieces of the old glass. They replaced the stained glass with
colored glass, a purple glass, but it did not give enough light and was
changed for the clear glass that is in the windows now.
A few of the old pews were salvaged. The Newtons have several as does Mr.
Gafford and according to Dr. Elsie Pugh there are several at the new Burns
church building.
Renovation by the Newtons lowered the floor in order to accommodate the
second floor. This resulted in the entrance to the church being changed
and the space on the west side became housing for the heating system.