Oxford, Alabama
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Oxford, Alabama | |||
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| Nickname: Crossroads To The Future | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Alabama | ||
| Counties | Calhoun, Talladega | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Leon Smith | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 18.3 sq mi (47.4 km²) | ||
| - Land | 18.2 sq mi (47.2 km²) | ||
| - Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 656 ft (200 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - Total | 14,592 | ||
| - Density | 800.1/sq mi (308.9/km²) | ||
| Time zone | Central (UTC-6) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | Central (UTC-5) | ||
| ZIP code | 36203 | ||
| Area code(s) | 256 | ||
| FIPS code | 01-57576 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0160330 | ||
| Website: www.oxfordalabama.org | |||
Oxford is a city in Calhoun and Talladega Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. At the 2000 census the population was 14,592, but is now estimated to be near or surpassing 20,000. Oxford is one of two urban centers/principal cities of and included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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[edit] Geography
Oxford is located at 33°35'49.578" North, 80°50'19.972" West (33.597105, -85.838881)[1].
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.3 square miles (47.4 km²), of which, 18.2 square miles (47.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.38%) is water.
Oxford lies among the foothills at the southern end of the Blue Ridge mountains. Nearby Mount Cheaha 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.
Major bodies of water include Oxford Lake, Lake Hillabee, and Choccolocco Creek, which bisects the city.
[edit] History
Oxford, which was originally known as Lickskillet, was the first city in Calhoun County to be incorporated. It was founded in the early 1850s.
Anniston and Oxford citizens drew scorn from the nation during the American civil rights movement. Freedom Riders arriving in Anniston on May 14, 1961 were confronted by an angry mob of Anniston and Oxford citizens. Deciding not to make a stop, they attempted to leave, but the bus's tires had been slashed, and not far from town it had to stop. Someone threw a fire-bomb and the protesters inside were beaten by an angry mob as they fled the burning bus. Such acts of violence prompted President John F. Kennedy to provide federal protection to ensure the riders safety on their journey to Jackson, Mississippi. [1][citation needed]
Since 1970 Oxford has annexed large amounts of land to the south. In 1970 it was all in Calhoun County but today it includes areas in Talladega County.[2]
[edit] Government
Oxford features a Mayor-Council form of government. Mayor Leon Smith is currently serving his sixth term, having been elected to the post in 1984. The five-member Council includes T. Boice Turner (Place 1), June Land Reaves (Place 2), Mike Henderson (Place 3), Greg Thrower (Place 4), and Steven Waits (Place 5). Henderson serves as the Council President. The mayor and council members are elected to four-year terms (coinciding with presidential election years). [2]
[edit] Education
Oxford's public schools are administered by the Oxford City School System. There are currently four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. The privately operated Trinity Christian Academy is located in Southwestern Oxford.A new Freshman Academy is in the building process and is scheduled for opening January 2009. The official Board of Education website is Oxford City Schools.
The school system is generally well-regarded. Oxford High School boasts an enrollment exceeding 1,000 students. In an autumn tradition, the Yellow Jacket football team spends Friday nights competing in front of large crowds at Lamar Field. Past attendance at the games has exceeded 10,000, and the crowd can be heard for miles around.
[edit] Economy
The city has seen rapid growth in recent years, attributed mainly to the presence of Interstate 20 and the city's pro-business climate. Oxford has come to be viewed as the area's retail center.
[edit] Challenges
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 14,592 people, 5,734 households, and 4,231 families residing in the city. The population density was 800.1 people per square mile (308.9/km²). There were 6,280 housing units at an average density of 340.5/sq mi (131.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.46% White, 9.88% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.78% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 1.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 5,734 households out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% are married *couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,397, and the median income for a family was $47,891. Males had a median income of $34,838 versus $21,897 for females. The per capita income for the city was $28,923. About 6.8% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Points of Interest
- Quintard Mall
- Oxford Exchange
- Oxford Lake Park
- Cider Ridge Golf Club [3]
[edit] Media
- WVOK-FM 97.9 (Adult Contemporary)
- WVOK-AM 1580 (Oldies)
- WTDR-FM 92.7 (Country)
- Oxford Independent (weekly, free newspaper)
[edit] References
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ old borders based on Andriot, John L. Township Atlas of the United States (McLean, Virginia: Andriot Associates, 1979) p. 17
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Oxford, Alabama is at coordinates Coordinates:
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