Editing Oxford, Connecticut

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Oxford, Connecticut
| official_name                   = Town of Oxford
| settlement_type                 = [[New England town|Town]]
| image_skyline                   = New Haven Rowing Club house 149.JPG
| image_caption                   = [[New Haven Rowing Club]] house in Oxford
| image_seal                      = Oxford, CT Seal.png
| motto                           = "A Place to live, a town to love"<ref>{{cite web|url=  http://www.oxford-ct.gov/ |title= Town of Oxford Connecticut Official Site|publisher= Town of Oxford Connecticut Official Site |access-date= September 22, 2012}}</ref>
| image_map                       = {{switcher|[[File:Oxford CT lg.PNG|230px|frameless|alt=Oxford's location within New Haven County and Connecticut]]|&nbsp;[[New Haven County, Connecticut|New Haven County]] and Connecticut|[[File:Naugatuck Valley incorporated and unincorporated areas Oxford highlighted.svg|250px|frameless|alt=Oxford's location within the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region and the state of Connecticut]]|&nbsp;[[Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, Connecticut|Naugatuck Valley Planning Region]] and Connecticut|default=1}}
| image_map1                      = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=280|frame-height=200|frame-coord=SWITCH:{{coord|qid=Q1759458}}###{{coord|qid=Q779}}###{{coord|41|25|48|N|73|08|05|W}}|zoom=SWITCH:10;6;3|type=SWITCH:shape-inverse;point;point|marker=city|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|id2=SWITCH:Q1759458;Q779;Q30|type2=shape|fill2=#ffffff|fill-opacity2=SWITCH:0;0.1;0.1|stroke-width2=2|stroke-color2=#808080|stroke-opacity2=SWITCH:0;1;1|switch=Oxford;Connecticut;the United States}}
| coordinates                     = {{coord|41|25|48|N|73|08|05|W|region:US-CT|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state]]
| subdivision_name1               = {{flag|Connecticut}}
| subdivision_type2               = [[County (United States)|County]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[New Haven County, Connecticut|New Haven]]
| subdivision_type3               = [[Councils of governments in Connecticut|Region]]
| subdivision_name3               = [[Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, Connecticut|Naugatuck Valley]]
| established_title               = Incorporated
| established_date                = 1798
| government_type                 = [[Board of selectmen|Selectman-town meeting]]
| leader_title                    = First Selectman
| leader_name                     = Temple, George
| leader_title1                   = Selectmen
| leader_name1                    = Heather Haney, Arnold Jensen
| unit_pref                       = Imperial
| area_total_km2                  = 86.3
| area_land_km2                   = 84.8
| area_water_km2                  = 1.5
| elevation_m                     = 215
| elevation_ft                    = 705
| population_total                = 12706
| population_as_of                = 2020
| population_density_km2          = auto
| postal_code_type                = ZIP code
| postal_code                     = 06478
| area_code                       = [[Area codes 203 and 475|203/475]]
| website                         = {{URL|www.oxford-ct.gov}}
| footnotes                       = 
| timezone                        = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset                      = -5
| timezone_DST                    = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset_DST                  = -4
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 09-58300
| blank1_name                     = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info                     = 0213486
}}

'''Oxford''' is a residential [[New England town|town]] located in western [[New Haven County, Connecticut]], United States. The town is part of the [[Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, Connecticut|Naugatuck Valley Planning Region]]. The population was 12,706 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 Census]].<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US0900958300| title=Census - Geography Profile: Oxford town, New Haven County, Connecticut| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref> Oxford is the 26th-wealthiest town in the state by median household income.<ref name="courant.com"/> Distinct settled areas in the town include Oxford Center, Quaker Farms, and Riverside. Oxford belongs to the [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]]&ndash;[[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]]&ndash;[[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]] [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]], a subregion of the [[New York metropolitan area]].

==History==
In the 18th century, farmers herded livestock through Oxford from as far away as [[Litchfield, Connecticut|Litchfield]] on the way to the port of [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]]. In the 19th century, the town lost population as farmers moved to work in better-paying factories.<ref name=cjhnyt/>

Oxford was incorporated in October 1798.{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}} The town is named after [[Oxford]], in England.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qoEyAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA334|year=1903|publisher=Connecticut Magazine Company|page=334}}</ref>

=== 2024 Flooding ===
On Sunday, August 18, 2024, the town of Oxford experienced what is now widely reported as the greatest amount of rainfall in the history of the state with recorded rainfall as high as 16.31 inches in the town.<ref>''Rainfall Totals in Connecticut News 8'' https://www.wtnh.com/weather/rainfall-totals-how-much-rain-fell-in-connecticut/</ref> The prior state record of 12.77 inches of rainfall was set on August 19, 1955 from [[Hurricane Diane]], almost 69 years ago to the day of the 2024 storm. The community was devastated with numerous homes, roads, and other structures being destroyed by flood waters. The impacts of the storm on the area of western Connecticut in which Oxford is located led the Governor, Ned Lamont, to file for a Federal Emergency Declaration.

=== 2001 Anthrax Death ===
In November 2001, Oxford made international headlines when one of its residents, 94-year-old Ottilie Lundgren, became the fifth and last person to be killed by the [[2001 anthrax attacks]] that occurred shortly after the [[September 11 attacks]]. The lack of any additional cases in the area suggested Lundgren's death was the result of accidental cross-contamination of the mail.<ref>''Bioterrorism-related anthrax surveillance, Connecticut, September–December 2001 - Bioterrorism-Related Anthrax '' - Emerging Infectious Diseases http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0GVK/is_10_8/ai_93532601{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/02/washington/02families.html | work=The New York Times | first=Russ | last=Buettner | title=For Some Close to the Anthrax Scare, Unwelcome Memories | date=August 2, 2008}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|86.3|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|84.8|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|1.5|km2|order=flip}}, or 1.78%, is water.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.census.gov| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Oxford town, New Haven County, Connecticut| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=September 28, 2012}}</ref>

The towns bordering Oxford are [[Monroe, Connecticut|Monroe]], [[Newtown, Connecticut|Newtown]], [[Southbury, Connecticut|Southbury]], [[Middlebury, Connecticut|Middlebury]], [[Naugatuck, Connecticut|Naugatuck]], [[Beacon Falls, Connecticut|Beacon Falls]], [[Seymour, Connecticut|Seymour]] and [[Shelton, Connecticut|Shelton]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 1683
|1850= 1564
|1860= 1269
|1870= 1338
|1880= 1120
|1890= 902
|1900= 952
|1910= 1020
|1920= 998
|1930= 1141
|1940= 1375
|1950= 2037
|1960= 3292
|1970= 4480
|1980= 6634
|1990= 8685
|2000= 9821
|2010= 12683
|2020= 12706
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[2010 United States Census|census of 2010]], there were 12,683 people, 4,504 households, and 3,672 families residing in the town. Oxford's population increased 29.1% between 2000 and 2010, making it the fastest-growing municipality in Connecticut for that period.<ref>[https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-8.pdf "Connecticut: 2010 Population and Housing Unit Counts," U.S. Census Bureau, June 2012, page 32. Retrieved May 18, 2014.]</ref> The population density was {{convert|387.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 4,746 housing units at an average density of {{convert|145.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 95.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.1% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.5% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.6% [[Race (United States Census)|some other race]], and 1.1% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.7% of the population.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=https://www.census.gov| title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Oxford town, New Haven County, Connecticut| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=September 27, 2012}}</ref>

There were 4,504 households, out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.4% were headed by [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.5% were non-families. 14.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.81, and the average family size was 3.12.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 33.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 43.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.9 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

Oxford belongs to [[Connecticut's 4th congressional district]], which stretches from lower [[Fairfield County, Connecticut|Fairfield County]] to western [[New Haven County]].

In 2016, the average income for a household in the town was $137,766, with a median income of $110,602.<ref name="courant.com">[http://www.courant.com/business/hc-connecticut-2010-census-search-database%2C0%2C7474953.htmlpage?appSession=20689319106722 Connecticut Census Data]. Courant.com. Retrieved on August 16, 2013. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007153327/http://www.courant.com/business/hc-connecticut-2010-census-search-database%2C0%2C7474953.htmlpage?appSession=20689319106722 |date=October 7, 2012 }}</ref> The median home value was $405,900.<ref>[http://www.courant.com/business/hc-connecticut-2010-census-search-database%2C0%2C7474953.htmlpage?appSession=16089320391512 Connecticut Census Data]. Courant.com. Retrieved on August 16, 2013. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007153348/http://www.courant.com/business/hc-connecticut-2010-census-search-database%2C0%2C7474953.htmlpage?appSession=16089320391512 |date=October 7, 2012 }}</ref>

==Economy==

A [[University of Connecticut]] development study spanning 1985–2006 showed that Oxford had the largest increase of development by percentage, growing 62% during that time.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/nyregion/connecticut/22landct.html?scp=1&sq=oxford,%20ct&st=cse | work=The New York Times | title=New Data Track Evolution of a Landscape | date=March 22, 2009 | access-date=May 20, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://clear.uconn.edu/projects/landscape/your/town.asp?townname=108&Go=Go |title=Center for Land Use Education and Research<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=February 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220405/http://clear.uconn.edu/projects/landscape/your/town.asp?townname=108&Go=Go |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The median household income in town grew 20%, ranking Oxford the 26th wealthiest of 169 communities in the state.<ref name="courant.com"/>

==Arts and culture==
The Oxford Public Library was originally founded in 1883<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oxfordlib.org/about-us/history-of-the-library/|title=History of the Library – Oxford Public Library}}</ref> and has moved several times, including to a new location in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oxfordlib.org/building-our-new-library-project/|title = Building Our New Library Project – Oxford Public Library}}</ref>

From 1966 through 1973, Oxford was the home of ''Harmony Ranch'' on Bowers Hill Road,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gis.vgsi.com/oxfordct/Parcel.aspx?pid=1418|title="Town of Oxford, Assessors Office database of taxable properties"|date=2020|access-date=February 4, 2024}}</ref> occupied by a group of research associates at Yale's School of Art and Architecture. Calling themselves a multimedia arts collective, they operated under the group-name ''Pulsa''.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://newmusicusa.org/nmbx/communal-experimentalism-in-the-sixties-the-pulsa-group/|title="Communal Experimentalism in the Sixties: The Pulsa Group"|last=O'Brien|first=Kerry|date=May 25, 2016|magazine=NewMusicUSA|access-date=February 4, 2024}}</ref>  Over its lifetime, Pulsa placed notable sound/light installations at Yale, MOMA (NY), Boston Public Gardens, University of Rhode Island, SUNY-Albany, and California Institute of the Arts,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8f47w61/entire_text/|title=Guide to the Pulsa Records M2540|website=Online Archive of California|access-date=February 4, 2024}}</ref> among other locations.  [[David Rumsey]], a founding member, was quoted in the New York Times as saying ''"“Our art's an experience and after it's over, it's over. There's nothing to own”''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/12/24/archives/pulsa-sound-light-and-7-young-artists.html|title=Pulsa: Sound, Light and 7 Young Artists|last=Shirey|first=David|work=The New York Times |date=December 24, 1970|access-date=February 4, 2024}}</ref>

===Museums and other points of interest===
* [[Quaker Farms Historic District]]
* Wooster Sawmill and Gristmill Site
* [[Twitchell-Rowland Homestead Center and Museum]]
The people of Oxford and the Oxford Historical Society were honored with a Connecticut Trust Preservation Award in 2012 for preservation efforts with respect to the Twitchell-Rowland Homestead.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cttrust.org/12635 |title=Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation |access-date=March 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316151920/http://cttrust.org/12635 |archive-date=March 16, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Parks and 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 {{convert|10.4|mi|adj=on}} [[Larkin State Park 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.<ref name=cjhnyt>Hughes, C.J., [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/realestate/01living.html?scp=2&sq=Oxford,%20Connecticut&st=cse "How Green Is Their Valley"], "Living In/" feature, November 1, 2009, Real Estate section, page 7, ''The New York Times'', retrieved December 3, 2009</ref>

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.<ref>[http://www.oxfordgreens.com/ The Golf Club at Oxford Greens Public Golf Course]. Oxfordgreens.com. Retrieved on August 16, 2013.</ref>

[[File:Southford Falls I.jpg|thumb|Southford Falls in Oxford and Southbury is a popular spot with photographers and hikers.]]

==Education==
Oxford has two elementary schools, one middle school, and a high school.
* Quaker Farms School: 550 students in grades K through 2; 
* Great Oak School (formerly Oxford Center School): 499 students in grades 3 through 5;
* Oxford Middle School (formerly Great Oak Middle School): 501 students in grades 6 through 8;
* [[Oxford High School (Connecticut)|Oxford High School]]: 554 students in grades 9 through 12.

Great Schools ranks Oxford Public Schools a 9 out of 10, or Excellent.<ref>[http://www.greatschools.org/school/rating.page?id=3130&state=CT Oxford High School - Oxford, Connecticut - CT - School overview]. Greatschools.org (May 10, 2013). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.</ref> 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).<ref name=cjhnyt/>

Oxford High School is a member of the [[Naugatuck Valley League]], or NVL, for athletics.

==Media==
Local newspapers include:
* ''[[Connecticut Post]]'' of Bridgeport.
* ''[[Republican-American]]'' of Waterbury.
* ''[[New Haven Register]]'' of New Haven.
* ''Voices'', a free publication distributed in over 20 towns in Fairfield, New Haven and Litchfield counties.

Local media broadcasting stations are:
* [[WTNH]]-New Haven
* [[WTIC-TV]]-Hartford
* [[WVIT]]-Hartford
* [[WFSB]]-Hartford

The local cable provider is Comcast of Western Connecticut, located in Seymour.

==Infrastructure==

===Transportation===
[[File:Oxford Airport.JPG|thumb|right|Waterbury-Oxford Airport]]
The town is bisected by [[Connecticut Route 67]] that begins in [[Woodbridge, Connecticut|Woodbridge]] and ends in [[New Milford, Connecticut|New Milford]]. [[Connecticut Route 188|Route 188]] runs through the Quaker Farms section of town. Other major roads in town are [[Connecticut Route 34|Route 34]] along the [[Housatonic River]] (and which crosses the Housatonic into Monroe via the [[Stevenson Dam Bridge]]) and [[Connecticut Route 42|Route 42]] in the eastern section of town.

[[Waterbury-Oxford Airport]], with the second largest runway in Connecticut<ref name="autogenerated2">[http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?A=1380&Q=260076 ConnDOT: Waterbury-Oxford Airport<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> is located in Oxford and Middlebury. The airport, which is owned and operated by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, has become one of the largest and fastest growing corporate aviation centers in the [[Northeastern United States|Northeast]].<ref name="autogenerated1">{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20111004133823/http://www.oxcstudies.com/documents/draft_noise_study/Executive%20Summary%20%28Draft%20Noise%20Study%20-%20May%202008%29.pdf]}}</ref> There are 252 aircraft based at the airport, with 80 of those aircraft being large corporate business jets.<ref name="autogenerated2" /><ref name="autogenerated1" />

== Notable people ==
<!--consensus reached to standardize this heading per WP:WikiProject Cities/US Guideline -->

* [[John Lyman Chatfield]] (1826{{ndash}}1863), U.S. Civil War colonel
* [[Barbara Hershey]] (born 1948), actress<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2fQRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EfADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6630,7564992&dq=barbara+hershey&hl=enlm The Spokesman-Review - Google News Archive Search<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
* [[Orson Hyde]] (1805{{ndash}}1878), leader in the early [[Latter Day Saint movement]] and member of the first [[Quorum of the Twelve|Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]]
* [[Kurt Kepshire]] (born 1959), former pitcher for the [[Saint Louis Cardinals]]
* [[Ottilie Lundgren|Ottilie Pauline Wilke Lundgren]] (1907{{ndash}}2001), victim of the [[2001 anthrax attacks]]
* [[Andrew Leete Stone]] (1815{{ndash}}1892), pastor, author, and Civil War chaplain
* [[Elliot M. Sutton]] (1841{{ndash}}1908), politician ([[List of mayors of Burlington, Vermont|mayor of Burlington, Vermont]],<ref>{{cite news |date=March 5, 1908 |title=Death of E. M. Sutton |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35321417/em-sutton-obituary-1908/ |work=Burlington Daily News |location=Burlington, VT |page=1 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |ref={{sfnRef|"Death of E. M. Sutton"}}}}</ref> member of the [[Vermont Senate]])

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Connecticut}}
* [http://www.oxford-ct.gov/ Town of Oxford official website]
* [http://www.oxfordlib.org/ Oxford Public Library]
* [http://www.oxford-historical-society.org/ Oxford Historical Society]
* [http://www.oxfordpublicschools.org/ Oxford Public Schools]
{{Connecticut}}
{{New Haven County, Connecticut}}
{{Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, Connecticut}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Oxford, Connecticut| ]]
[[Category:Towns in New Haven County, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Naugatuck River Valley]]
[[Category:Towns in the New York metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Towns in Connecticut]]
[[Category:Towns in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, Connecticut]]