Oxford Township, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oxford Township, Michigan
Charter township
Charter Township of Oxford
Village of Oxford within Oxford Township
Location within Oakland County (red) and the administered village of Oxford (pink)
Oxford Township, Michigan Location in Michigan
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Oakland
Established	1837
Area
• Charter township	35.2 sq mi (91.2 km2)
• Land	33.9 sq mi (87.8 km2)
• Water	1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2)
Elevation	1,037 ft (316 m)
Population  (2020)
• Charter township	22,419
• Density	636.9/sq mi (245.82/km2)
• Metro	4,296,250 (Metro Detroit)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	48371
Area code(s)	248 and 810
FIPS code	26-62040
GNIS feature ID	1626877

Oxford Township is a special type of local government area called a charter township in Oakland County, Michigan. It's located in the United States. In 2020, about 22,419 people lived here.

Communities in Oxford Township

Oxford Township is home to several communities. These are places where people live and work.

The Village of Oxford

The village of Oxford is inside the township. Even though it's a village, it's still part of the township. People living in the village pay taxes to both the village and the township.

Unincorporated Communities

The township also has three "unincorporated communities." This means they are not officially separate towns or villages.

• Oakwood is on the western edge of the township. It's located near Baldwin and Oakwood Roads.
• Thomas is at the northern end of the township. It's found near M-24 and Thomas Road. This community was started by John Thomas in 1871. It grew around a railroad station.
• Waterstone is located on Granger Road/Market Street. It's between Dunlap and M-24.

History of Oxford Township

Let's learn about how Oxford Township started and grew over time.

Early Days and First Settlers

Before the 1820s, the area that is now Oxford Township was a hunting ground. The Nepessing Tribe of the Chippewa Indians used to live and hunt here. They were part of a larger group of Native Americans in the region.

In the early 1820s, many people visited the Oxford area. They came mostly to hunt and trap animals. The first official sale of land here happened in 1823. Elbridge Deming bought some land. He built a log cabin around 1832. This cabin was in the area of M-24 and Metamora Road.

Forming the Township

Oxford Township officially began in 1837. This was the same year Michigan became a state. Before that, it was part of a larger area called Oakland Township. Oxford Township was separated from Oakland Township in 1837.

Many new settlers moved to the area in the 1830s. The place had a few different names, like Demingsburgh. But by 1836, it became known as Oxford. You can still see the names of early settler families on streets and buildings today. Some of these names are Powell, Hovey, Burdick, and Axford.

Growth and Development

More and more people kept moving to Oxford Township. Many settled in the area that became the village of Oxford in 1876. With more people came more businesses and factories. A downtown area was built in the village.

In 1878, a fire destroyed much of the downtown area. But the community rebuilt it. Most new buildings were made of brick and masonry. Many of these buildings are still used today. By the mid-1800s, Oxford was a busy business center. It had places like the Oxford Carriage Factory and Oxford Machine Works.

Other Communities and a Big Storm

Besides the village of Oxford, two other smaller communities grew. One was Oakwood, near the border with Brandon Township. By 1876, Oakwood had almost 200 people. It had a foundry and other shops.

The second community was Thomas. It grew because a railroad station was needed in the northern part of the township. John Thomas planned this community in 1871. Thomas had a store, a hotel, and mills by the late 1870s.

In May 1896, a very strong tornado hit the northern part of Oakland County. It caused a lot of damage in Thomas and Oakwood. The tornado killed 41 people and hurt 46 others in the area. Seventeen people died in Oxford Township, especially in Oakwood and Thomas. Many homes were rebuilt, but these communities never became big business centers again.

The Impact of Railroads

Railroads were very important for Oxford's growth. They connected Oxford to Detroit and other towns to the north. This helped businesses in Oxford to do well. Farming was also a big part of the community. In the 1880s, Oxford was even called "Bagatown." This was because so many rutabagas (a type of vegetable) were shipped out by train.

In the early 1880s, a second railroad was built. It went from Pontiac, through Oxford, to Port Austin. This line later became part of the Grand Trunk Western Railroad. By 1900, a third electric passenger train line, the Detroit United Railway (D.U.R.), also came through Oxford. It connected Detroit to Flint.

Over time, more people started using cars. Roads also got better. Because of this, the D.U.R. train line stopped running in 1931.

Recent Events

On November 30, 2021, a difficult event happened at Oxford High School. The community came together to support each other during this time.

Geography of Oxford Township

Oxford Township covers about 35.2 square miles (91.2 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 33.9 square miles (87.8 square kilometers). The rest, about 1.3 square miles (3.4 square kilometers), is water.

	Hadley Township Lapeer County	Metamora Township Lapeer County	Dryden Township Lapeer County
	Brandon Township		Addison Township
		Oxford Township
	Independence Township	Orion Township	Oakland Township

Population and People

In 2000, there were 16,025 people living in Oxford Township. About 40.6% of homes had children under 18. The average family had about 3 people. The median age of people in the township was 34 years old. This means half the people were younger than 34 and half were older.

Notable People from Oxford Township

One famous person who lived in Oxford Township was Brace Beemer. He was the radio voice of the Lone Ranger in the 1940s and 1950s. Beemer lived on a large ranch in Oxford Township. There's even a street named after him. You can see his collection of Lone Ranger items at the Northeast Oakland Historical Museum in Oxford.

Education in Oxford Township

Most students in Oxford Township go to schools in the Oxford Community Schools district. The high school for this district is Oxford High School. A small part of the township in the south is in the Lake Orion Community Schools district. Students there go to Lake Orion High School.

See also

In Spanish: Municipio de Oxford (Míchigan) para niños