"[5] 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.

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.

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.

[6] 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.

School attendance was very low that day, as rumors had spread earlier that week of a shooting being about to occur.

The suspect, a 15-year-old sophomore student,[7] reportedly fired between 15 and 20 bullets in a chemistry room and did not resist arrest.

Local happenings such as athletic events, downtown fairs, scarecrow competitions, school plays, the annual Steamback golf outing at Oxford Hills and concerts garner a large turnout throughout the year and are reported in the weekly newspaper of record since 1898, The Oxford Leader.

The Oxford Wildcat logo is visible around the town, prominently on one of the three water towers.

In the 2010–2011 year, Oxford High School moved from the Flint Metro League to the Oakland Activities Association.