Founded in the early 1850s, Oxford was the first city in Calhoun County to be incorporated, in 1852.

Since 1970, Oxford has annexed large amounts of land to the south and west, including the communities of Coldwater and Bynum.

The new town became incorporated on August 16, 1899, as Hobson City, taking the name of a naval hero of the Spanish–American War.

[7] Oxford lies among the foothills at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Nearby Cheaha Mountain is Alabama's highest point and offers expansive views of the surrounding wilderness and the city below.

Much of the city's southern border is shared with the Talladega National Forest.

U.S. Route 78 also runs through the city and connects it to Cleburne County, paralleling I-20.

The city's growth in recent years can be attributed mainly to the presence of Interstate 20 and Oxford's central location between Atlanta and Birmingham.

Oxford features a mayor-council form of government, though the mayor actually dictates the daily running of the city.

[12] Areawide Community Transportation System provides local bus service on an hourly schedule in Oxford.