Venue Information

Oakeside, home to the Bloomfield Cultural Center since 1981, is a civic treasure that has long played an important role in the life of the community. The 23-room home, originally known simply as “240”, after its Belleville Avenue address, was built in the colonial revival style in 1895 by the Oakes family, which operated a textile mill in Bloomfield from 1830 until 1945. The Oakes textile mill was famous for producing “Oakes Blue”, a material used for police, firefighter and Union soldier uniforms, and for the inaugural suit worn by President William McKinley.