Oxford, North Carolina Facts for Kids

Oxford is a town located in Granville County, North Carolina, in the United States. In 2020, about 8,628 people lived there. Oxford is also the main town, or county seat, of Granville County.

History
- Early Schools and Homes
- Modern History and Monuments
Geography
Population
Economy
Notable people
Schools
See also

History

Oxford's story began in 1761. A local lawmaker named Samuel Benton built a large farm, known as a plantation, and called it "Oxford." The government decided that the area around his farm would become the center of Granville County. However, Oxford officially became a town in 1816.

Early Schools and Homes

The first Masonic orphanage for children in the United States was built in Oxford. An orphanage is a home for children who have lost their parents or cannot be cared for by their families. It started as St. John's College in 1858. The college closed soon after it opened. In 1872, people in the community decided the property should be used to help children in need. In 1873, the first children moved into the Oxford Orphans Asylum. Today, it is known as the "Masonic Home for Children at Oxford."

In 1851, a school called Horner Military School was founded in Oxford. Many young men from different states came to study there. Some of these students later became important leaders in the United States government. For example, James Crawford Biggs became a top lawyer for the U.S. government. After a fire destroyed the school buildings in 1913, the school moved to Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Oxford Female College was started in 1850 by a group called North Carolina Baptists. This college was for girls and young women. It faced money problems and was later sold, becoming a private school called "Oxford Female Seminary." In 1880, F. P. Hobgood took over the school, and it became very popular. The school closed in 1925 after Hobgood passed away.

Oxford around 1925

In 1883, the state government created the Central Children's Home of North Carolina in Oxford. This home also cared for children. Henry Plummer Cheatham, who used to be a U.S. congressman, became the leader of this home in the early 1900s. He led the institution for 28 years.

Modern History and Monuments

In 1970, an event in Oxford led to important racial protests. These events were written about in a book called Blood Done Sign My Name (2004) and later made into a movie in 2010.

A statue honoring Confederate soldiers was put up in Oxford in 1909. It was built by a group called the Granville Grays United Daughters of the Confederacy. The monument was placed in the town's courthouse square. It was a memorial to soldiers from Granville County who fought in the Civil War.

After the protests in Oxford in 1970, the town moved the monument from the courthouse square to a spot in front of the Richard H. Thornton Library. In June 2020, the statue was removed and is now kept in storage.

Several important places in Oxford are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are recognized for their historical value. These include the Central Orphanage, Granville County Courthouse, Joseph B. Littlejohn House, Locust Lawn, Oxford Historic District, Paschall-Daniel House, Archibald Taylor Plantation House, and Thorndale.

Geography

Interstate 85 runs along the edge of Oxford. You can get on or off I-85 at Exits 202, 204, and 206. This highway goes southwest about 29 miles to Durham and northeast about 100 miles to Petersburg, Virginia.

U.S. Route 15 goes through the middle of Oxford. It is known as Lewis Street, Hillsboro Street, and College Street. This road leads southwest about 14 miles to Creedmoor and north about 23 miles to Clarksville, Virginia. U.S. Route 158 goes around the northern side of Oxford. It leads east about 12 miles to Henderson and west about 25 miles to Roxboro.

The United States Census Bureau says that Oxford covers a total area of about 6.06 square miles (15.7 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Oxford is divided into three voting areas, called precincts, within Granville County. These are Credle, East Oxford, and South Oxford.

Population

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	669	—
1860	878	31.2%
1870	916	4.3%
1880	1,349	47.3%
1890	2,907	115.5%
1900	2,059	−29.2%
1910	3,018	46.6%
1920	3,606	19.5%
1930	4,101	13.7%
1940	3,991	−2.7%
1950	6,685	67.5%
1960	6,978	4.4%
1970	7,178	2.9%
1980	7,709	7.4%
1990	7,913	2.6%
2000	8,338	5.4%
2010	8,461	1.5%
2020	8,628	2.0%
2021 (est.)	8,775	3.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2020, the population of Oxford was 8,628 people. There were 3,454 households and 2,235 families living in the town.

In 2010, Oxford had 8,461 people living in 3,410 households. About 55.6% of the people were Black or African American, and 38.6% were White. Other groups included Asian, Native American, and people of two or more races. About 4.8% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino American.

The average household size was about 2.48 people. About 23.4% of the population was under 18 years old. The median income for a household in Oxford was $32,050. This means half of the households earned more than this amount, and half earned less.

Economy

Oxford is home to several important businesses and organizations. Revlon has its largest manufacturing factory here, along with its IT department. CertainTeed has a plant that makes roofing supplies.

Other businesses in Oxford include Bailey Farms Inc., which grows and distributes chili peppers. Macra Lace Textiles and Shalag make different types of fabrics. Gate Precast Concrete makes concrete products. Ideal Zipper makes zippers, and AWNC Toyota manufactures car parts. The Masonic Home for Children and the Biofuels Center of North Carolina are also located in Oxford.

Notable people

Tiny Broadwick, a brave parachutist pioneer
Benjamin Chavis, a leader in the civil rights movement
Henry Plummer Cheatham, a U.S. congressman
Hannah Cifers, a mixed martial artist
Franklin Wills Hancock Jr., a member of the U.S. House of Representatives
Isaiah Hicks, a basketball player for the North Carolina Tar Heels
Junius Horner, an Episcopal bishop
Martha Hunt, a famous model
Ed Meadows, an NFL defensive end and college football All-American
Lee Meadows, a pitcher who played for the 1925 World Series champion Pittsburgh Pirates
Richard Moore, the North Carolina State Treasurer
Ayesha Rascoe, an American journalist for NPR
Marshall L. Shepard, a politician and clergyman from Pennsylvania
Thad Stem, Jr., a poet, author, and newspaper writer
Hiram Tarkington, a United States Army officer
Abraham Watkins Venable, a politician
James E. Webb, a former administrator of NASA who helped guide the U.S. lunar landing efforts

Schools

C. G. Credle Elementary School
J.F. Webb High School
J.F. Webb High School of Health and Life Sciences
Joe Toler-Oak Hill Elementary School
Mary Potter Middle School
Northern Granville Middle School
West Oxford Elementary School
Oxford Preparatory School

Oxford, North Carolina facts for kids

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