Most of Oxford Township was built recently: 0.0% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1979. Its Register listing is the Redel Historic District. Below: maps from 1956 on and the census since 1880.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Oxford Township is more historic than 33% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Oxford Township’s overall grade.
Kansas towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Kansas town has 5.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Oxford Township’s 23.9 sits above most of its state (84% of Kansas towns have fewer) while its 5 historic buildings outnumber those of 70% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1871.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to B. The pre-1940 share (±1.1 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Oxford Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Oxford was founded in 1871 at the site of a former trading post. Oxford was incorporated as a city on October 17, 1879. It was named after Oxford University, in England. The founding city officials were Ben Smith (1831–1898), the elected mayor, Joseph Sleigh (1842–1924), the elected police judge and George Walton (1820–1902), the appointed city clerk.
When Oxford was known as Napawalla, a post office had been established and Lafe Binkley (1842–1917) was postmaster. When Oxford was founded, a new post office was opened and T.E. Clark was appointed postmaster.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Oxford Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1956Ocheltree sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Oxford Township.
On the National Register
1 historic place in Oxford Township
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
In 1871, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1880 counted 403 people here.
How does Oxford Township rank for history?
Oxford Township is more historic than 33% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Oxford Township?
One place: the Redel Historic District (listed 1996).
How old are the homes in Oxford Township?
0.0% of Oxford Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.1 points), against a typical 10% for a Kansas town; the median home was built in 1979.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2005
