On February 13, 2019 the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford will turn 146 years old! On that day, our Home began caring for children in need and we continue to provide a stable, safe, and caring home today. We will be turning 150 years old in 4 short years. Check our website often for news regarding the upcoming celebration, our history, and our bright and promising future.

Check out these other notable happenings from 1873!

 •January 01, 1873 – Origin of Japanese Era

•January 11, 1873 – 1st livestock market newspaper published, Drover’s Journal, Chicago

•January 14, 1873 – Celluloid registered as a trademark

•February 13, 1873 – Oxford Orphan Asylum opens in Oxford, NC (Known as MHCO today.)

•February 20, 1873 – University of California gets its 1st Med School (UC/SF)

•March 03, 1873 – Congress authorizes federal departmental postage stamps

•March 09, 1873 – Royal Canadian Mounted Police found

•May 01, 1873 – 1st US postal card issued

•May 20, 1873 – Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive United States patent#139121 for using copper rivets to strengthen the pockets of denim work pants. Levi Strauss & Co. begin manufacturing the famous Levi’s brand of jeans, using fabric from the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company in Manchester, New Hampshire.

•May 23, 1873 – Postal cards sold in San Francisco for the 1st time

•June 02, 1873 – Construction begins on Clay St (San Francisco) for world’s 1st cable railroad

•June 18, 1873 – Susan B Anthony fined $100 for attempting to vote for President

•August 01, 1873 – San Francisco’s 1st cable car begins service

•August 14, 1873 – Field & Stream begins publishing

•August 18, 1873 – 1st ascent of Mount Whitney, Calif (14,494′)

•August 26, 1873 – 1st kindergarten public school opens in St Louis

•September 17, 1873 – 19 students attend opening class at Ohio State University

•October 30, 1873 – P T Barnum’s circus, Greatest Show on Earth, debuts (NYC)

•November 04, 1873 – Dentist John Beers patents gold crown

•December 30, 1873 – American Metrological Society forms (NYC) weights, measures & money.