Oxford, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Oxford is a town
located in western New Haven County
, Connecticut
, United States
. The population was 12,272 at the 2010 Census
. There are several areas in Oxford: Quaker Farms, Riverside and Oxford Center. Oxford belongs to the Naugatuck Valley Economic Development Region and the Central Naugatuck Valley Planning Area.
A University of Connecticut development study spanning 1985-2006 showed Oxford had the largest increase of development by percentage, growing 62% during that time.
The Golf Club at Oxford Greens, a public golf course with over 400 homes for "Active Adults" over the age of 55, is located in town.
The nearest shopping malls to Oxford are the Brass Mill Center in Waterbury, Westfield Shoppingtown in Trumbull, Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, and the Danbury Fair Mall.
In 2007, the town opened its first high school and natatorium. Before the school was constructed, students were split between Seymour High School in Seymour
and Masuk High School in Monroe
. Oxford High School had 570 students in 2009 and offered instruction in three foreign languages and six advanced-placement classes. Oxford High is a member of the South West Conference
for athletics, competing with Bethel, Brookfield, Joel Barlow (Easton/Redding), Masuk (Monroe), New Fairfield, Newtown, Pomperaug (Southbury/Middlebury), and Weston, among others.
The town is bisected by Route 67
that begins in Woodbridge
and ends in New Milford
. Route 188 runs through the Quaker Farms section of town. Other major roads in town are Route 34
along the Housatonic River
(and which crosses the Housatonic into Monroe via the Stevenson Dam Bridge
) and Route 42 in the eastern section of town.
Waterbury-Oxford Airport
, with the second largest runway in Connecticut is located in Oxford and Middlebury, CT. The airport, which is owned and operated by the Connecticut Department of Transportation has become one of the largest & fastest growing corporate aviation centers in the Northeast. There are 252 aircraft based at the airport with 80 of those aircraft being large corporate business jets.
, the town has a total area of 33.4 square miles (86.5 km²), of which, 32.9 square miles (85.2 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (1.50%) is water.
The towns bordering Oxford are Beacon Falls
, Middlebury
, Monroe
, Naugatuck
, Newtown
, Seymour
and Southbury
.
of Bridgeport, Republican-American of Waterbury and The New Haven Register
. Oxford residents also receive 'Voices', a free publication; it offers community news to over 20 towns in Fairfield, New Haven and Litchfield Counties. Hometown Publications has recently started a new newspaper for its residents called the 'Oxford Gazette.'
The local cable station is Comcast of Western Connecticut located in Seymour. Local media broadcasting stations are WTNH
-New Haven, WVIT
-Hartford, WFSB
-Hartford, WABC
-New York, WNBC
-New York and WNYW
-New York.
on the way to the port of New Haven
. In the 19th century, the town lost population as farmers moved to work in better-paying factories.
In 2001, Oxford made international headlines when 94 year-old Ottilie Lundgren mysteriously died of anthrax. At the time, there was a spread of anthrax attacks
in New York and Washington, and this case baffled law enforcement. No additional cases in the area suggested Lundgren's death was the result of accidental cross-contamination of the mail.
of 2010, there were 12,272 people, 3,503 households, and 1,683 nuclear families residing in the town. The population density
was 373 people per square mile (115.3/km²). There were 3,420 housing units at an average density of 104.0 per square mile (40.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.69% White, 0.51% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races
, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population.
There were 4,256 households out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.8% were married couples
living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.3% were non-families. 12.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.21. The median home value was $405,900.
In the town, the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.4 years. For every 100 females there were 101.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $103,107.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
located in western New Haven County
New Haven County, Connecticut
New Haven County is a county located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2010 Census, the county population is 862,477 making it the third most populated county in Connecticut. There are 1,340 people per square mile...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 12,272 at the 2010 Census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. There are several areas in Oxford: Quaker Farms, Riverside and Oxford Center. Oxford belongs to the Naugatuck Valley Economic Development Region and the Central Naugatuck Valley Planning Area.
A University of Connecticut development study spanning 1985-2006 showed Oxford had the largest increase of development by percentage, growing 62% during that time.
Recreation
Among the parks serving Oxford residents are Southford Falls State Park in the northern section of town, Jackson Cove Beach, and Kirks Pond in the center of town. The 10.4-mile Larkin Bridle Trail, created in the 1940s from the path of a former train track, is one of the earliest examples of the "rails-to-trails" movement.The Golf Club at Oxford Greens, a public golf course with over 400 homes for "Active Adults" over the age of 55, is located in town.
The nearest shopping malls to Oxford are the Brass Mill Center in Waterbury, Westfield Shoppingtown in Trumbull, Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, and the Danbury Fair Mall.
Education
Oxford has two elementary schools: Quaker Farms School (kindergarten through second grade) and Oxford Center School (third through fifth grade); one middle school: Great Oak Middle School (sixth through eighth grade); and Oxford High School. In 2008, 90 percent of fourth grade students met state standards in math (as compared to 85 percent statewide); 82 percent in reading (statewide: 74 percent); 95 percent in writing (statewide: 85 percent). A total of 92 percent of eighth graders in town met state math standards (statewide: 85 percent), 94 percent in reading (statewide: 81 percent); and 94 percent in writing (statewide: 84 percent).In 2007, the town opened its first high school and natatorium. Before the school was constructed, students were split between Seymour High School in Seymour
Seymour, Connecticut
Seymour is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named for Governor Thomas H. Seymour. The population was 15,454 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and Masuk High School in Monroe
Monroe, Connecticut
Monroe is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 19,479 at the 2010 census. The current first selectman is Steve Vavrek....
. Oxford High School had 570 students in 2009 and offered instruction in three foreign languages and six advanced-placement classes. Oxford High is a member of the South West Conference
South West Conference
The South-West Conference is a high school athletics conference in Southwestern Connecticut. The conference comprises schools in Fairfield County, Litchfield County, and New Haven County-History:...
for athletics, competing with Bethel, Brookfield, Joel Barlow (Easton/Redding), Masuk (Monroe), New Fairfield, Newtown, Pomperaug (Southbury/Middlebury), and Weston, among others.
Transportation
Route 67 (Connecticut)
Route 67 is a secondary state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut, from the town of New Milford in the Greater Danbury area to the town of Woodbridge in the outskirts of New Haven. The route runs for .-Route description:...
that begins in Woodbridge
Woodbridge, Connecticut
Woodbridge is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,983 at the 2000 census. It is one of the wealthiest towns in Connecticut, ranking 16th in the state in terms of per capita income, and is home to many of the faculty of Yale University...
and ends in New Milford
New Milford, Connecticut
New Milford is a town in southern Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States north of Danbury, on the Housatonic River. It is the largest town in the state in terms of land area at nearly . The population was 28,671 according to the Census Bureau's 2006 estimates...
. Route 188 runs through the Quaker Farms section of town. Other major roads in town are Route 34
Route 34 (Connecticut)
Route 34 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Route 34 is long, and extends from Washington Street near I-84/US 6 in Newtown to the junction of I-95 and I-91 in New Haven. The highways connects the New Haven and Danbury areas via the Lower Naugatuck River Valley...
along the Housatonic River
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound...
(and which crosses the Housatonic into Monroe via the Stevenson Dam Bridge
Stevenson Dam Bridge
The Stevenson Dam Bridge carries Connecticut Route 34 over the Housatonic River in the U.S. state of Connecticut, connecting the town of Monroe to the town of Oxford....
) and Route 42 in the eastern section of town.
Waterbury-Oxford Airport
Waterbury-Oxford Airport
Waterbury-Oxford Airport , also known as just Oxford Airport, is a public airport located three miles north of the central business district of Oxford, a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation ....
, with the second largest runway in Connecticut is located in Oxford and Middlebury, CT. The airport, which is owned and operated by the Connecticut Department of Transportation has become one of the largest & fastest growing corporate aviation centers in the Northeast. There are 252 aircraft based at the airport with 80 of those aircraft being large corporate business jets.
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 town has a total area of 33.4 square miles (86.5 km²), of which, 32.9 square miles (85.2 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (1.50%) is water.
The towns bordering Oxford are Beacon Falls
Beacon Falls, Connecticut
Beacon Falls is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,246 at the 2000 census. The population increased to 6,049 at the 2010 census. Beacon Falls is also home to the national-known Meteorologist Jim Cantore. Settlers from Derby, Connecticut settled Beacon...
, Middlebury
Middlebury, Connecticut
Middlebury is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,451 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, Monroe
Monroe, Connecticut
Monroe is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 19,479 at the 2010 census. The current first selectman is Steve Vavrek....
, Naugatuck
Naugatuck, Connecticut
Naugatuck is a consolidated borough and town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town spans both sides of the Naugatuck River just south of Waterbury, and includes the communities of Union City on the east side of the river, which has its own post office, Straitsville on the...
, Newtown
Newtown, Connecticut
Newtown is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 27,560 at the 2010 census. Newtown was founded in 1705 and incorporated in 1711.-Government:...
, Seymour
Seymour, Connecticut
Seymour is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named for Governor Thomas H. Seymour. The population was 15,454 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and Southbury
Southbury, Connecticut
Southbury is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, USA. Southbury is located north of Oxford and Newtown; it also is east of Brookfield. Southbury's population was 18,567 at the 2000 census....
.
Historic places
- Quaker Farms Historic DistrictQuaker Farms Historic DistrictQuaker Farms Historic District is a historic district in the town of Oxford, Connecticut that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991....
— 467-511 Quaker Farms Road (added September 9, 1991) - Wooster Sawmill and Gristmill Site (added September 17, 2001)
Local media
Being centrally located in southwestern Connecticut, Oxford residents have the choice of three local newspapers: Connecticut PostConnecticut Post
The Connecticut Post is a daily newspaper located in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It serves the greater Bridgeport area, Fairfield County, and the Lower Naugatuck Valley. Municipalities in the Post's circulation area include Bridgeport, Ansonia,...
of Bridgeport, Republican-American of Waterbury and The New Haven Register
The New Haven Register
The New Haven Register is a daily newspaper published in New Haven, Connecticut. It is owned by Journal Register Company of Yardley, Pennsylvania. The Register's main office is located at 40 Sargent Drive in New Haven....
. Oxford residents also receive 'Voices', a free publication; it offers community news to over 20 towns in Fairfield, New Haven and Litchfield Counties. Hometown Publications has recently started a new newspaper for its residents called the 'Oxford Gazette.'
The local cable station is Comcast of Western Connecticut located in Seymour. Local media broadcasting stations are WTNH
WTNH
WTNH is the ABC-affiliated television station for the state of Connecticut that is licensed to New Haven. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter in Hamden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to MyNetworkTV affiliate WCTX and the two...
-New Haven, WVIT
WVIT
WVIT, virtual channel 30, is the NBC owned and operated television station for the state of Connecticut, licensed to New Britain. WVIT has its offices and studios located in West Hartford, and transmitter based in Farmington, Connecticut....
-Hartford, WFSB
WFSB
'WFSB, channel 3, is a CBS-affiliated television station located in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, owned by the Meredith Corporation. WFSB's studios and offices are located in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, and its broadcast transmitter is based on Talcott Mountain in Avon, Connecticut. Syndicated...
-Hartford, WABC
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
-New York, WNBC
WNBC
WNBC, virtual channel 4 , is the flagship station of the NBC television network, located in New York City. WNBC's studios are co-located with NBC corporate headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in midtown Manhattan...
-New York and WNYW
WNYW
WNYW, virtual channel 5 , is the flagship television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in New York City. The station's transmitter is atop the Empire State Building and its studio facilities are located in the Yorkville section of Manhattan...
-New York.
History
In the 18th century, farmers herded livestock through Oxford from as far away as LitchfieldLitchfield, Connecticut
Litchfield is a town in and former county seat of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States, and is known as an affluent summer resort. The population was 8,316 at the 2000 census. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are located within the town...
on the way to the port of New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
. In the 19th century, the town lost population as farmers moved to work in better-paying factories.
In 2001, Oxford made international headlines when 94 year-old Ottilie Lundgren mysteriously died of anthrax. At the time, there was a spread of anthrax attacks
2001 anthrax attacks
The 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States, also known as Amerithrax from its Federal Bureau of Investigation case name, occurred over the course of several weeks beginning on Tuesday, September 18, 2001, one week after the September 11 attacks. Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to...
in New York and Washington, and this case baffled law enforcement. No additional cases in the area suggested Lundgren's death was the result of accidental cross-contamination of the mail.
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 2010, there were 12,272 people, 3,503 households, and 1,683 nuclear 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 373 people per square mile (115.3/km²). There were 3,420 housing units at an average density of 104.0 per square mile (40.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.69% White, 0.51% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.35% 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 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population.
There were 4,256 households out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.8% 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, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.3% were non-families. 12.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.21. The median home value was $405,900.
In the town, the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.4 years. For every 100 females there were 101.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $103,107.
Notable people
- Barbara HersheyBarbara HersheyBarbara Hershey , also known as Barbara Seagull, is an American actress. In a career spanning nearly 50 years, she has played a variety of roles on television and in cinema, in several genres including westerns and comedies...
, actress, owns a home in town. - Kurt KepshireKurt KepshireKurt David Kepshire , was an American baseball player who was a pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1984-1986. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals. He currently resides in Oxford, Connecticut.-External links:...
, former pitcher for the Saint Louis Cardinals lives with his family in town. - Ottilie Lundgren, wife of the late Justice Carl Lundgren, was the fourth victim of the 2001 anthrax attacks2001 anthrax attacksThe 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States, also known as Amerithrax from its Federal Bureau of Investigation case name, occurred over the course of several weeks beginning on Tuesday, September 18, 2001, one week after the September 11 attacks. Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to...
while at her home in Oxford.
External links
- Town of Oxford
- Oxford Historical Society
- Municipal Historian's Information page
- Municipal Historian's Preservation advocacy page
- Genealogical and cemetery information for Oxford
- Derby Historical Society Web site The society was "Founded April 18, 1946, to serve the Naugatuck Valley towns of AnsoniaAnsonia, ConnecticutAnsonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, on the Naugatuck River, immediately north of Derby and about northwest of New Haven. The population was 19,249 at the 2010 census. The ZIP code for Ansonia is 06401. The city is serviced by the Metro North railroad...
, DerbyDerby, ConnecticutDerby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,391 at the 2000 census. With of land area, Derby is Connecticut's smallest municipality.The city has a Metro-North railroad station called Derby – Shelton.-History:...
, Oxford, SeymourSeymour, ConnecticutSeymour is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named for Governor Thomas H. Seymour. The population was 15,454 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, & SheltonShelton, ConnecticutShelton is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,559 at the 2010 census.-Origins:Shelton was settled by the English as part of the town of Stratford, Connecticut, in 1639...
." - Oxford Public Library
- Oxford Public Schools
- Quaker Farms School
- Oxford Center School
- Great Oak Middle School
- Oxford High School
- Pomperaug Health District serves Oxford, Southbury and Woodbury.
- Northwest Connecticut Convention & Visitors Bureau