During the early 1800's the northeast Oakland county area was largely avoided by the early settlers because it was believed to be nothing but impenetrable swamp land. The area was, at that time, nicknamed " The Barren Plains of Oxford." It was called this primarily because of a report, which was made in 1812 by the U.S. Surveyor General that described the area as a poor, barren, sandy land, on which scarcely any vegetation could grow with the exception of some very small scrubby oaks, It was concluded in the surveyors' report that there was one acre out of one hundred that appeared to be eligible for cultivation. Any hope for crop production was
thought to be preposterous. At this point, the area was deemed worthless and discouragement of any hope for development by forthcoming settlers was inevitable. Purchase of public land in what is now called Oxford was in 1823 by a man named Elbridge G. Deming. soon after, the first person to settle in Oxford was a wolf trapper
named Avery Brown. He made use of the land and gave some credibility to its value. It wasn't long after that the first area post office was officially established in, what was then known as Demingsburgh on May 2,1834. Five years later, the name was officially changed to Oxford on January 15,1839. Elbridge D. Deming was the first postmaster for Oxford as the post office was located in his log home near the intersection of M24 and Metamora Rd. At that time, the mail was brought from Rochester once a week by a man named Mr. Hubbard who walked the distance to insure, what was at that time, considered as prompt delivery of the mail. A few years later the delivery time was drastically cut by another man named Mr. Rose. The route was given to him as he would use his horse and cart instead of walking like his predecessor thus expediting the delivery time ten-fold.

    Today Oxford holds much promise for all those who visit. Whether passing through, or there to live, the city has a lot to offer. Being situated in one of the richest counties in America, Oxford offers the neighborly atmosphere of a small community with the conveniences of a large metropolis. It has a wide variety of area businesses while at the same time leaving space for those who prefer a rural setting. It's exponential growth
and rising property values hold promise for all those who are fortunate enough to encounter Oxford. If you are ever in the area and have a chance, stop on in and enjoy, as we are sure you will appreciate the hometown atmosphere of this beautiful community.