Oxford, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Oxford is a waterfront town and former colonial port in Talbot County
, Maryland
, United States
. The population was 771 at the 2000 census.
. While Oxford officially marks the year 1683 as its founding because in that year it was first named by the Maryland General Assembly as a seaport, the town began between 1666 and 1668 when 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) were laid out as a town called Oxford by William Stephens, Jr.. By 1669 one of the first houses was built for Innkeeper Francis Armstrong (see Talbot County Land Records, A 1, f. 10/11). Oxford first appears on a map completed in 1670, and published in 1671. In 1694, Oxford and a new town called Anne Arundel (now Annapolis
) were selected as the only ports of entry for the entire Maryland province. Until the American Revolution
, Oxford enjoyed prominence as an international shipping center surrounded by wealthy tobacco
plantations.
Early inhabitants included Robert Morris, Sr., agent for a Liverpool shipping firm who greatly influenced the town's growth; his son, Robert Morris
, Jr., known as "the financier of the Revolution;" Jeremiah Banning, sea captain, war hero, and statesman; The Reverend Thomas Bacon, Anglican clergyman who wrote the first compilation of the laws of Maryland; Matthew Tilghman
, known as the "patriarch of Maryland" and "father of statehood"; and Colonel Tench Tilghman
, aide-de-camp to George Washington
and the man who carried the message of General Cornwallis
's surrender to the Continental Congress
in Philadelphia.
The American Revolution
marked the end of Oxford's glory. Gone were the British ships with their variety of imported goods, and tobacco was replaced by wheat as a cash crop. Businesses went bankrupt, cattle grazed in the streets, and the population dwindled.
After the Civil War
, Oxford emerged from its "long slumber" to nearly 100 years of a new prosperity signaled by completion of the railroad in 1871 and improved methods of canning
and packing which opened national markets for oysters from the Chesapeake Bay
's bountiful beds. Business was booming, houses were going up everywhere, and tourists and boaters were arriving in droves. But it was not to last. In the early part of the 20th century, the oyster beds played out, the packing houses closed, other businesses went bankrupt, and the railway and steamships eventually disappeared. Oxford became a sleepy little town inhabited mainly by watermen who still worked the waters of the Tred Avon River
.
Oxford today is still a waterman's town, but is enjoying a new resurgence based on tourism and leisure activities. Its quiet charm, fresh air, summer breezes, and clean water provide a haven from the hustle and bustle of city life for boaters, weekend visitors, and summer residents. The film Failure to Launch
was filmed in part here.
, 76°10'15" West
(38.686776, -76.170842) on the south bank of the Tred Avon river, near its mouth, where it empties into the Choptank
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), of which, 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (30.56%) is water. This includes Town Creek, which nearly splits the town in two from north to south and provides a protected harbor for boaters and Oxford's local shipbuilders.
of 2000, there were 771 people, 396 households, and 241 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,532.4 people per square mile (595.4/km²). There were 523 housing units at an average density of 1,039.5 per square mile (403.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.87% White, 6.36% Black or African American
, 0.13% Asia
n and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.65% of the population.
There were 396 households out of which 14.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples
living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.95 and the average family size was 2.45.
In the town the population was spread out with 13.2% under the age of 18, 1.7% from 18 to 24, 17.3% from 25 to 44, 37.2% from 45 to 64, and 30.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 55 years. For every 100 females there were 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,054, and the median income for a family was $71,071. Males had a median income of $52,708 versus $33,929 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $47,917. About 2.5% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.
Talbot County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*81.4% White*12.8% Black*0.2% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.6% Two or more races*2.7% Other races*5.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 771 at the 2000 census.
History
Oxford is one of the oldest towns in MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. While Oxford officially marks the year 1683 as its founding because in that year it was first named by the Maryland General Assembly as a seaport, the town began between 1666 and 1668 when 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) were laid out as a town called Oxford by William Stephens, Jr.. By 1669 one of the first houses was built for Innkeeper Francis Armstrong (see Talbot County Land Records, A 1, f. 10/11). Oxford first appears on a map completed in 1670, and published in 1671. In 1694, Oxford and a new town called Anne Arundel (now Annapolis
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
) were selected as the only ports of entry for the entire Maryland province. Until the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, Oxford enjoyed prominence as an international shipping center surrounded by wealthy tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
plantations.
Early inhabitants included Robert Morris, Sr., agent for a Liverpool shipping firm who greatly influenced the town's growth; his son, Robert Morris
Robert Morris (merchant)
Robert Morris, Jr. was a British-born American merchant, and signer of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution...
, Jr., known as "the financier of the Revolution;" Jeremiah Banning, sea captain, war hero, and statesman; The Reverend Thomas Bacon, Anglican clergyman who wrote the first compilation of the laws of Maryland; Matthew Tilghman
Matthew Tilghman
Matthew Tilghman was an American planter and Revolutionary leader from Maryland, who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1776.-Early life:...
, known as the "patriarch of Maryland" and "father of statehood"; and Colonel Tench Tilghman
Tench Tilghman
Tench Tilghman was an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary war. He served as an aide de camp to General George Washington, achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel....
, aide-de-camp to George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
and the man who carried the message of General Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
's surrender to the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
in Philadelphia.
The American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
marked the end of Oxford's glory. Gone were the British ships with their variety of imported goods, and tobacco was replaced by wheat as a cash crop. Businesses went bankrupt, cattle grazed in the streets, and the population dwindled.
After the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Oxford emerged from its "long slumber" to nearly 100 years of a new prosperity signaled by completion of the railroad in 1871 and improved methods of canning
Canning
Canning is a method of preserving food in which the food contents are processed and sealed in an airtight container. Canning provides a typical shelf life ranging from one to five years, although under specific circumstances a freeze-dried canned product, such as canned, dried lentils, can last as...
and packing which opened national markets for oysters from the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
's bountiful beds. Business was booming, houses were going up everywhere, and tourists and boaters were arriving in droves. But it was not to last. In the early part of the 20th century, the oyster beds played out, the packing houses closed, other businesses went bankrupt, and the railway and steamships eventually disappeared. Oxford became a sleepy little town inhabited mainly by watermen who still worked the waters of the Tred Avon River
Tred Avon River
The Tred Avon River is a main tributary of the Choptank River in Talbot County on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The river is long.-Geography:...
.
Oxford today is still a waterman's town, but is enjoying a new resurgence based on tourism and leisure activities. Its quiet charm, fresh air, summer breezes, and clean water provide a haven from the hustle and bustle of city life for boaters, weekend visitors, and summer residents. The film Failure to Launch
Failure to Launch
Failure to Launch is a 2006 American romantic comedy film. In the movie a 35-year-old man lives in the home of his parents and shows no interest in leaving the comfortable life his parents, especially his mother, have made for him there.-Plot:...
was filmed in part here.
Geography
Oxford is located at 38°41'12" NorthLatitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
, 76°10'15" West
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
(38.686776, -76.170842) on the south bank of the Tred Avon river, near its mouth, where it empties into the Choptank
Choptank River
The Choptank River is a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay on the Delmarva Peninsula. Running for , it rises in Kent County, Delaware, runs through Caroline County, Maryland and forms much of the border between Talbot County, Maryland on the north, and Caroline County and Dorchester County on...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 town has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), of which, 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (30.56%) is water. This includes Town Creek, which nearly splits the town in two from north to south and provides a protected harbor for boaters and Oxford's local shipbuilders.
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 771 people, 396 households, and 241 families residing in the town. 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 1,532.4 people per square mile (595.4/km²). There were 523 housing units at an average density of 1,039.5 per square mile (403.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.87% White, 6.36% Black or African American
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...
, 0.13% Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.65% of the population.
There were 396 households out of which 14.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% 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, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.95 and the average family size was 2.45.
In the town the population was spread out with 13.2% under the age of 18, 1.7% from 18 to 24, 17.3% from 25 to 44, 37.2% from 45 to 64, and 30.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 55 years. For every 100 females there were 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,054, and the median income for a family was $71,071. Males had a median income of $52,708 versus $33,929 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 town was $47,917. About 2.5% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.