Oxford Charter Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Oxford Charter Township is a charter township
of Oakland County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 20,526 at the 2010 census. The village of Oxford
is located within the township and is geographically and politically a part of the township.
, the township has a total area of 35.2 square miles (91.2 km²), of which 33.9 square miles (87.8 km²) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), or 3.78%, is water.
of 2000, there were 16,025 people, 5,787 households, and 4,317 families residing in the township. The population density
was 472.9 per square mile (182.6/km²). There were 6,151 housing units at an average density of 181.5 per square mile (70.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.83% White, 0.45% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races
, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population.
There were 5,787 households out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.7% were married couples
living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the township the population was spread out with 29.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $63,494, and the median income for a family was $75,216. Males had a median income of $52,083 versus $32,258 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $26,601. About 2.1% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 and over.
s, including Devil's Ridge Golf Club, Boulder Pointe Golf Club and Oxford Hills Golf and Country Club. The Polly Ann Trailway http://www.pollyanntrailway.org/ is a scenic trail utilized by bikers, hikers, cross-country skiers, and horseback riders throughout the year; at over 14 miles (22.5 km) long, it connects the towns of Orion
, Leonard
, Addison
, and Oxford. Oxford has four public parks http://www.oxparkrec.org/index.html and one public library. There are several dance and gymnastic academies located throughout Oxford, many of which work with Oxford's Department of Parks and Recreation to offer introductory classes to various types and levels of gymnastics and dance. Oxford Parks and Recreation also continually offers programs to residents of all age groups; a few examples include ballroom dancing, foreign languages, ceramics, self-defense, and culinary classes http://www.oxparkrec.org/2008%20winter%20brochure/adult%20enrichment.pdf.
, Lapeer
and St. Clair
counties. Between 1810 and the early 1820s, numerous settlers visited the Oxford area, primarily to hunt and trap. The first documented sale of public land
in this area was recorded in 1823 to Elbridge Deming, who later built a log cabin
on land in section 9 (in the area of M-24
and Metamora Road) of the township, around the spring of 1832.
Oxford Township was not officially created until after Michigan became a state in 1837. It was originally part of Oakland Township
, as were Addison Township
and Orion Township
; Oxford Township was split away and separately organized in 1837. The 1830s saw an influx of settlers to the area, originally known as Demingsburgh, Demings Corners, and Oxford Corners, before becoming known as Oxford in 1836. The family name
s of many early settlers to the area are evident today in names of streets and buildings, such as Powell, Hovey, Burdick, and Axford.
New residents continued the trek to Oxford Township, many settling in sections 22 and 27 of what was to become the village of Oxford
in 1876. Along with residents came commerce and industry. A downtown area was built in the village, but much of the area south of Burdick Street and west of Washington Street burned to the ground in 1878. When rebuilt, most of the buildings were of brick
and masonry
construction and are still in use today. The 1850s, 1860s, and 1870s found Oxford a prospering commercial center, with such businesses as Oxford Carriage Factory, Oxford Machine Works, Oxford Valley Mills, Oxford Brewery and several furniture and cabinetry shops.
In addition to the village of Oxford, two other smaller communities developed in other areas of the township. The first developed near Baldwin and Oakwood roads, on the boundary with Brandon Township
; the community of Oakwood reached a population of nearly 200 people by 1876 with a foundry
and "the usual shops and stores".
A railroad station and facilities were necessary near the northern edge of the township, and so the second community, Thomas, was developed. The place was platted by John Thomas in 1871. Thomas had a store, hotel, grain elevator
and gristmill
by the late 1870s. These two areas of Oxford Township continued to prosper until May 1896, when they were largely devastated by a monster tornado
which traveled across the entire north end of Oakland County. The tornado killed 41 people and injured 46 others in northern Oakland and southern Lapeer counties. Seventeen of the fatalities were in the northern portion of Oxford Township, from the Oakwood village area to Thomas. While many of the homes in Oakwood and Thomas were rebuilt, the two communities were never again centers of commerce. Railroads were largely responsible for change and continued growth in the Oxford area. No longer isolated from Detroit, and now joined with communities to the north, Oxford's commerce thrived. In addition to its businesses and factories, agriculture was a mainstay for the community. At one time in the in 1880s, Oxford earned the nickname, Bagatown, from the large number of rutabaga
s shipped out by train.
The early 1880s saw a second railroad constructed from the Pontiac
area, through Oxford to Port Austin
. Known as the Pontiac, Oxford, and Port Austin Railroad, or P.O. and P.A., it later became the Pontiac, Oxford, and Northern (P.O. and N.), and finally the Grand Trunk Western Railroad
. With the expansion of the second rail line through town, it now became possible to travel to the tip of Michigan's thumb
in one day. By 1900, a third, all electric powered passenger rail line known as the Detroit United Railway
(D.U.R.) was extended through Oxford from Detroit to Flint
and was noted for maintaining limited cars daily, both north and southbound. Over the years, the D.U.R. was involved in many collisions with automobiles, often resulting in death or injury to those whose automobiles tangled with the interurban cars at grade crossings. As automobile transportation became more reliable and roads improved, a growing percentage of the populace chose to travel by these means, forcing the demise of the D.U.R. in 1931.
One of the most recognizable voices throughout the nation was that of Brace Beemer
, the radio Lone Ranger. Beemer lived in Oxford for many years. There is a street named for him in the southwest part of the township, where he lived. His collection of Lone Ranger items is on display in the Northeast Oakland Historical Museum in Oxford.
"Gravel
, an abundant natural resource found throughout northeast Oakland County, played a major role in change and development of the Oxford area. Beginning in 1912 with establishment of a gravel mine by W.O. Smith, eventually five individual gravel mining companies were operating in Oxford by the mid 1920s. American Aggregates Corporation, became the most successful of the mining firms, when it acquired mining rights to vast tracts of land in 1982. Oxford became known and was until recent years was promoted as The Gravel Capital of the World."
Charter township
A charter township is a form of local government in the U.S. state of Michigan. Townships in Michigan are organized governments. A charter township is a township that has been granted a charter, which allows it certain rights and responsibilities of home rule that are generally intermediary in...
of Oakland County
Oakland County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population density as of the 2000 census was 1,369 people per square mile . There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The population was 20,526 at the 2010 census. The village of Oxford
Oxford, Michigan
Oxford is a village in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,436 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Oxford Charter Township. The village occupies one square mile and is both politically and geographically a part of the township. The village calls itself...
is located within the township and is geographically and politically a part of the township.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 35.2 square miles (91.2 km²), of which 33.9 square miles (87.8 km²) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), or 3.78%, is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 16,025 people, 5,787 households, and 4,317 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 472.9 per square mile (182.6/km²). There were 6,151 housing units at an average density of 181.5 per square mile (70.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.83% White, 0.45% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population.
There were 5,787 households out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the township the population was spread out with 29.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $63,494, and the median income for a family was $75,216. Males had a median income of $52,083 versus $32,258 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $26,601. About 2.1% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 and over.
Culture
Oxford Township has a few notable golf courseGolf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s, including Devil's Ridge Golf Club, Boulder Pointe Golf Club and Oxford Hills Golf and Country Club. The Polly Ann Trailway http://www.pollyanntrailway.org/ is a scenic trail utilized by bikers, hikers, cross-country skiers, and horseback riders throughout the year; at over 14 miles (22.5 km) long, it connects the towns of Orion
Orion Township, Michigan
Orion Charter Township is a charter township of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 35,394 at the 2010 census. The official motto of the township and village is "Where living is a vacation". Orion Township contains the much smaller village of Lake Orion...
, Leonard
Leonard, Michigan
Leonard is a village in Addison Township, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 403 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
, Addison
Addison Township, Michigan
Addison Township is a civil township of northeast Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 6,351.- Communities :...
, and Oxford. Oxford has four public parks http://www.oxparkrec.org/index.html and one public library. There are several dance and gymnastic academies located throughout Oxford, many of which work with Oxford's Department of Parks and Recreation to offer introductory classes to various types and levels of gymnastics and dance. Oxford Parks and Recreation also continually offers programs to residents of all age groups; a few examples include ballroom dancing, foreign languages, ceramics, self-defense, and culinary classes http://www.oxparkrec.org/2008%20winter%20brochure/adult%20enrichment.pdf.
History
Prior to the 1820s, what is now Oxford Township was known to be a hunting ground of the Nepessing Tribe of the Chippewa Indians, who inhabited large areas of what became OaklandOakland County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population density as of the 2000 census was 1,369 people per square mile . There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile...
, Lapeer
Lapeer County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 87,904 people, 30,729 households, and 23,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 134 people per square mile . There were 32,732 housing units at an average density of 50 per square mile...
and St. Clair
St. Clair County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-69 enters the county from the west, coming from Lansing and Flint, terminating at the approach to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron....
counties. Between 1810 and the early 1820s, numerous settlers visited the Oxford area, primarily to hunt and trap. The first documented sale of public land
Public land
In all modern states, some land is held by central or local governments. This is called public land. The system of tenure of public land, and the terminology used, varies between countries...
in this area was recorded in 1823 to Elbridge Deming, who later built a log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
on land in section 9 (in the area of M-24
M-24 (Michigan highway)
M-24 is a state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan that extends through Southeast Michigan, from northeast Auburn Hills to Unionville. It starts at an interchange with Interstate 75 and ends where it merges with M-25...
and Metamora Road) of the township, around the spring of 1832.
Oxford Township was not officially created until after Michigan became a state in 1837. It was originally part of Oakland Township
Oakland Charter Township, Michigan
Oakland Charter Township is a charter township on the north Oakland County outskirts of Metro Detroit, in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is usually referred to as "Oakland Township". The population was 16,779 at the 2010 census...
, as were Addison Township
Addison Township, Michigan
Addison Township is a civil township of northeast Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 6,351.- Communities :...
and Orion Township
Orion Township, Michigan
Orion Charter Township is a charter township of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 35,394 at the 2010 census. The official motto of the township and village is "Where living is a vacation". Orion Township contains the much smaller village of Lake Orion...
; Oxford Township was split away and separately organized in 1837. The 1830s saw an influx of settlers to the area, originally known as Demingsburgh, Demings Corners, and Oxford Corners, before becoming known as Oxford in 1836. The family name
Family name
A family name is a type of surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs. The use of family names is widespread in cultures around the world...
s of many early settlers to the area are evident today in names of streets and buildings, such as Powell, Hovey, Burdick, and Axford.
New residents continued the trek to Oxford Township, many settling in sections 22 and 27 of what was to become the village of Oxford
Oxford, Michigan
Oxford is a village in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,436 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Oxford Charter Township. The village occupies one square mile and is both politically and geographically a part of the township. The village calls itself...
in 1876. Along with residents came commerce and industry. A downtown area was built in the village, but much of the area south of Burdick Street and west of Washington Street burned to the ground in 1878. When rebuilt, most of the buildings were of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
and masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
construction and are still in use today. The 1850s, 1860s, and 1870s found Oxford a prospering commercial center, with such businesses as Oxford Carriage Factory, Oxford Machine Works, Oxford Valley Mills, Oxford Brewery and several furniture and cabinetry shops.
In addition to the village of Oxford, two other smaller communities developed in other areas of the township. The first developed near Baldwin and Oakwood roads, on the boundary with Brandon Township
Brandon Township, Michigan
Brandon Charter Township is a charter township of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The village of Ortonville is within the township, although some development near the village lies within adjacent Groveland Township. The population was 15,175 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According...
; the community of Oakwood reached a population of nearly 200 people by 1876 with a foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
and "the usual shops and stores".
A railroad station and facilities were necessary near the northern edge of the township, and so the second community, Thomas, was developed. The place was platted by John Thomas in 1871. Thomas had a store, hotel, grain elevator
Grain elevator
A grain elevator is a tower containing a bucket elevator, which scoops up, elevates, and then uses gravity to deposit grain in a silo or other storage facility...
and gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
by the late 1870s. These two areas of Oxford Township continued to prosper until May 1896, when they were largely devastated by a monster tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
which traveled across the entire north end of Oakland County. The tornado killed 41 people and injured 46 others in northern Oakland and southern Lapeer counties. Seventeen of the fatalities were in the northern portion of Oxford Township, from the Oakwood village area to Thomas. While many of the homes in Oakwood and Thomas were rebuilt, the two communities were never again centers of commerce. Railroads were largely responsible for change and continued growth in the Oxford area. No longer isolated from Detroit, and now joined with communities to the north, Oxford's commerce thrived. In addition to its businesses and factories, agriculture was a mainstay for the community. At one time in the in 1880s, Oxford earned the nickname, Bagatown, from the large number of rutabaga
Rutabaga
The rutabaga, swede , turnip or yellow turnip is a root vegetable that originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip; see Triangle of U...
s shipped out by train.
The early 1880s saw a second railroad constructed from the Pontiac
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
area, through Oxford to Port Austin
Port Austin, Michigan
Port Austin is a village in Huron County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 737 at the 2000 census. The village is within Port Austin Township.-Geography:...
. Known as the Pontiac, Oxford, and Port Austin Railroad, or P.O. and P.A., it later became the Pontiac, Oxford, and Northern (P.O. and N.), and finally the Grand Trunk Western Railroad
Grand Trunk Western Railroad
The Grand Trunk Western Railroad is an important subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway , constituting the majority of CN's Chicago Division ....
. With the expansion of the second rail line through town, it now became possible to travel to the tip of Michigan's thumb
The Thumb
The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten; thus the Thumb is the area that looks like the thumb of the mitten. The Thumb is generally considered to be in the Mid-Michigan area of the state, located east of Flint/Tri-Cities...
in one day. By 1900, a third, all electric powered passenger rail line known as the Detroit United Railway
Detroit United Railway
The Detroit United Railway was a transport company which operated numerous streetcar and interurban lines in southeast Michigan. Although many of the lines were originally built by different companies, they were consolidated under the control of the Everett-Moore syndicate, a Cleveland-based group...
(D.U.R.) was extended through Oxford from Detroit to Flint
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
and was noted for maintaining limited cars daily, both north and southbound. Over the years, the D.U.R. was involved in many collisions with automobiles, often resulting in death or injury to those whose automobiles tangled with the interurban cars at grade crossings. As automobile transportation became more reliable and roads improved, a growing percentage of the populace chose to travel by these means, forcing the demise of the D.U.R. in 1931.
One of the most recognizable voices throughout the nation was that of Brace Beemer
Brace Beemer
Brace Beemer was an American radio actor and announcer at radio station WXYZ, Detroit, Michigan.Born in Mount Carmel, Illinois, Beemer was six foot, three inches tall and was an expert horse rider. He served as the deep-voiced announcer for The Lone Ranger soon after its first broadcast in 1933...
, the radio Lone Ranger. Beemer lived in Oxford for many years. There is a street named for him in the southwest part of the township, where he lived. His collection of Lone Ranger items is on display in the Northeast Oakland Historical Museum in Oxford.
Industry
The following paragraph seems to have been copied and pasted directly from "A Brief History of Oxford Township" by Mildred Schmidt, who was a local historian."Gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
, an abundant natural resource found throughout northeast Oakland County, played a major role in change and development of the Oxford area. Beginning in 1912 with establishment of a gravel mine by W.O. Smith, eventually five individual gravel mining companies were operating in Oxford by the mid 1920s. American Aggregates Corporation, became the most successful of the mining firms, when it acquired mining rights to vast tracts of land in 1982. Oxford became known and was until recent years was promoted as The Gravel Capital of the World."