Editing Oxford, Michigan (section)

==History==
[[File:Oxford, Michigan (1922).jpg|thumb|left|Washington Street, 1922]]

During the early 19th century the northeast [[Oakland County, Michigan|Oakland County]] area was largely avoided by the early [[settler]]s because it was believed to be nothing but impenetrable [[swamp]] land. The area was, at that time, nicknamed "The Barren Plains of Oxford."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pendle|first=George|date=February 8, 2016|title=How a Small Town in Michigan Became the World's Gravel Capital|url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/this-gritty-small-town-in-michigan-became-the-worlds-gravel-capital|access-date=December 26, 2020|website=Atlas Obscura|language=en}}</ref> It was called this primarily because of a report 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 there was one [[acre]] out of one hundred that appeared to be eligible for [[Tillage|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 [[Animal trapping|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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=michiganrailroads.com – Oxford, MI|url=http://www.michiganrailroads.com/stations-locations/127-oakland-county-63/1623-oxford-mi|access-date=December 26, 2020|website=www.michiganrailroads.com}}</ref> Elbridge D. Deming was the first [[postmaster]] for Oxford, as the post office was located in his [[log home]] near the intersection of M-24 and Metamora Road.

On November 30, 2021, [[2021 Oxford High School shooting|a mass shooting]] occurred at [[Oxford High School (Michigan)|Oxford High School]]. Four people were killed, and seven others were injured, including an injured teacher. School attendance was very low that day, as rumors had spread earlier that week of a shooting being about to occur. Most of the students escaped into a nearby [[Meijer]]. The suspect, a 15-year-old sophomore student,<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 2, 2021 |title=Suspect's parents originated from Jacksonville, Florida, arrested by Oakland County officials in connection of Oxford |url=https://www.news4jax.com/i-team/2021/12/02/i-team-suspected-michigan-school-shooters-parents-have-lived-worked-were-arrested-in-jacksonville/ |access-date=December 1, 2021 |website=News4Jax |language=en-US}}</ref> reportedly fired between 15 and 20 bullets in a chemistry room and did not resist arrest.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Moran|first=Darcie|title=Oxford High School shooting leaves 3 dead, 6 injured: Everything we know|url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/oakland/2021/11/30/oxford-high-school-shooting-michigan/8812485002/|access-date=November 30, 2021|website=Detroit Free Press|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/oxford-high-school-locked-down-due-to-active-emergency-oakland-county-sheriff-on-scene|title=Oxford High School shooting: 3 students dead, 6 hurt including 1 teacher|publisher=WJBK|date=November 30, 2021|accessdate=November 30, 2021}}</ref>