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Experience this towns holiday tradition like never before, with an birds eye, aerial drone tour of the area!
Douglas Hanks, Jr. - Oxford real estate broker, author, sailor, carver and acknowledged “unofficial mayor” because of his participation in so many community activities -started the Oxford holiday tradition of Holiday Trees on Town Creek in 1995. To welcome his stepdaughter, Betsy, home from a year of travel, he wanted to add more light to the creek which already featured the lighted Yankee Peddler, anchored each year near the causeway. Several neighbors assisted him by constructing, installing and lighting more than a dozen trees on the nearby docks.
The plan worked spectacularly. Betsy was surprised and impressed with the light display. From that first season, the Oxford Dock Trees tradition has grown to more than 60 trees of brilliant white lights winding down the creek.
“Neighbors helping out” continues to fuel the growth and brightness of this tradition in four ways: volunteers gather in November to test and replace the lights strings, extension cords, timers, and tree components as needed; the first Saturday in December volunteers gather to assemble, deliver, and install a tree on each dock on Town Creek and reverse the process in mid-January; each homeowner that hosts a dock tree pays for the electric costs as the trees are each plugged into their residential outlets; people contribute to the Hanks Trees fund each year to fund replacement of materials. Members of the Oxford Volunteer Fire Department, the staff of the Town of Oxford, MD, and U.S. Coast Guard from the Oxford Station all pitch in as well.
In 2022, more than 50 volunteers participated in the preparation, assembly, and installation of the trees. Even more contributed funds. By giving their time and their service, the volunteers keep Doug Hank’s vision alive and this brilliant community tradition strong.
Origin story courtesy of the Oxford Museum
Holiday Trees on Town Creek on Oxford, Maryland filmed by A Digital Mind.