Oxford, Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oxford, Indiana
Town
East Smith Street on the town square with the historic 1915 Masonic building.
Location of Oxford in Benton County, Indiana.
Oxford, Indiana Location in Benton County, Indiana
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Benton
Township	Oak Grove
Established	1843
Area
• Total	0.55 sq mi (1.42 km2)
• Land	0.55 sq mi (1.42 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation	735 ft (224 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,165
• Density	2,125.91/sq mi (821.43/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	47971
Area code(s)	765
FIPS code	18-57546
GNIS feature ID	2396844

Oxford is a small town in Benton County, Indiana. It's located within Oak Grove Township. In 2020, about 1,165 people lived here. Oxford is also part of the larger Lafayette, Indiana metropolitan area.

A Look Back: Oxford's History

Oxford holds a special place in Benton County's history. It was the very first town established in the county!

How Oxford Got Its Name

In May 1843, officials chose this spot to be the county seat. This means it was the main town for government activities. The land was given by Henry W. Ellsworth and David Atkinson.

• At first, the town was called Milroy. This was to honor Samuel Milroy, one of the officials.
• But there was already a town named Milroy in Indiana!
• So, in October 1843, they changed the name to Hartford. This was after Hartford, Connecticut, where Ellsworth and Watkins were from.
• Again, they found another Hartford in Indiana.
• Finally, in December, Judge David J. McConnell gave the town its current name: Oxford.

Map of Oxford from an 1876 map book.

Early Days and Growth

After the town was named, land lots were put up for sale. Buyers could pay for their lots over 18 months. The first building in Oxford was a two-story wooden courthouse. It was designed by Francis Boynton. The second building was a hotel, built by Henry L. Ellsworth. James L. Hatton ran the hotel.

The first home belonged to Aaron Wood. He also had a small store. It sold groceries, beer, and whiskey. Other early businesses included Earl & Carnahan's dry goods store and Barnes & Dailey's drug store. Jacob Benedict was the town's first lawyer. Dr. Mayo was the first doctor. An old history book from 1883 mentions the Oxford Lyceum. This was the community's first literary society, where people would gather to discuss books and ideas.

Over the years, Oxford grew a lot. Many new streets and more than 300 lots were added. On July 7, 1869, people voted to make Oxford an official town. The vote passed with 41 people saying yes and 28 saying no.

However, Oxford faced a challenge in 1874. It lost its status as the county seat to Fowler. Fowler was located about 9 miles north and was more central.

Famous Horse: Dan Patch

One of Oxford's most famous residents was a horse named Dan Patch. He was born in an Oxford barn on April 29, 1896. Dan Patch became a celebrity for setting amazing speed records. These records stood unbroken until 1960!

In 1949, a movie called The Great Dan Patch was made. It told the story of the horse's beginnings in Oxford and how he became famous. Today, Oxford still celebrates Dan Patch. They have an annual festival called Dan Patch Days.

Historic Buildings

Oxford has some important old buildings. The David S. Heath House and the Presbyterian Church Building are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are recognized for their historical importance. Other notable historic buildings include the Messner Building and the Masonic Building.

Where is Oxford? (Geography)

Oxford is located in the southern part of Benton County. It's in Oak Grove Township.

• U.S. Route 52 is a major road that passes close to Oxford.
• State Road 352 goes right through the town. It connects with US 52.
• State Road 55 also passes through downtown Oxford.

The land around Oxford is mostly open farmland. It gently slopes towards Big Pine Creek. According to the 2010 census, Oxford covers about 0.54 square miles (1.42 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the town limits.

Who Lives in Oxford? (Demographics)

Population in 2010

In 2010, the town of Oxford had 1,162 people. These people lived in 479 households. About 306 of these households were families.

• The population density was about 2,152 people per square mile.
• Most residents (98.4%) were White.
• A small number of people were from other racial backgrounds.
• About 0.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Households and Age

• About 32.6% of households had children under 18 living with them.
• Nearly half (47.8%) were married couples living together.
• About 36.1% of households were not families.
• The average household had 2.43 people.
• The average family had 3.04 people.

The average age in Oxford was 39.6 years old.

• 25% of residents were under 18.
• 15.6% were 65 years or older.
• The town had a nearly even split of males (48.8%) and females (51.2%).

Learning and Schools

Oxford has its own lending library, called the Oxford Public Library. It's a great place to find books and learn new things.

Oxford is also home to the only high school in the Benton Community School Corporation. This school is called Benton Central Jr. Sr. High School. Right next to Benton Central is Prairie Crossing Elementary School. Students attend grades K-6 there. Then, they move on to Benton Central for grades 7-12.

Local Media

Oxford is home to Benton County's only radio station, WIBN. You can find it at 98.1 MHz on your radio dial. The station broadcasts from studios located right in downtown Oxford.

Notable People from Oxford

• Richard Bartindale, who founded Bart's Books.

See also

In Spanish: Oxford (Indiana) para niños