The story
Read it all →How Oxford came to be
From Wikipedia’s history of Oxford.
Oxford was established as a town in 1880, when the railroad was extended to that point.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
–Not graded
History · Oxford
Oxford dates to 1880, and 33% of its homes were built before 1940
Below: maps from 1896 on and the census since 1890.
1880founded
0on the National Register
33%homes built before 1940
4famous people
Quick answers
How Oxford began
When was Oxford founded?
1880
Oxford dates its founding to 1880 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1890.
First census: 428 in 18902020 census: 718146 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1880.The full story ↓
What stands out about Oxford’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Oxford are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18963 editions of the USGS map, 1896 to 1986. Watch Oxford change.Boom and bustPeaked at 1,270 in 1950; 718 people lived here in 2020.Old housesHalf of Oxford’s homes were built before 1957.
★ What stands out · Help out
Start Oxford’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Oxford’s history is told.
Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.On the map
Oxford on the map, 1896 to 1986
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Oxford. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1896Arapahoe sheet · 1:125,000U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Oxford.
People over time
Oxford, census by census
Peaked at 1,270 in 1950; 718 people lived here in 2020.
14 censuses, 1890–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Oxford’s Wikipedia page.
Timeline
Oxford, 1880 to 1950
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
- 19th century
- 1880FoundingOxford is established
- 1880Post officeThe Grand View post office opens
- 1881Post officeThe Grand View post office closes
- 1881Post officeThe Oxford post office opens
- 1896
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey - 20th century
- 1901
Born hereDutch Webber is born here - 1913Born hereDorothy Grebenak is born here
- 1938
Born hereRon Hansen is born here - 1949Born hereJeff Kinney is born here
- 1950CensusPopulation peaks at 1,270
By decade
Oxford, decade by decade
2010
2010
2010
2005Famous people
See all →4 famous people were born in Oxford
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Places that used to be
Lost post offices
Oxford’s post office has been open since 1881. Another post office, Grand View, opened and closed inside today’s town.
Grand View
Oxford
18801950today
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Oxford’s history
What year was Oxford founded?
In 1880, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Oxford’s post office opened in 1880, and the census of 1890 counted 428 people here.
Memory lane
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Start a conversation
Sources
Where this page comes from
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). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (4), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) 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.