| |
|
A charming, tree-lined and waterbound village with a population of 726, Oxford, which was once Maryland's largest port, is still important in boat building and yachting. It is a protected harbor for watermen who harvest oysters, crabs, clams, and fish, and for boaters from all over the bay. A Short History of Oxford
Early citizens included Robert Morris, Sr., agent for a Liverpool shipping firm who greatly influenced the town's growth; his son Robert Morris, known as the "financier of the Revolution"; Jeremiah Banning, sea captain, war hero, and statesman; The Reverend Thomas Bacon, Anglican clergyman who wrote the first compilation of the laws of the "patriarch of Maryland" and "father of statehood" and Colonel Tench Tilghman aide-de-camp to George Washington and the man who carried the message of Cornwallis' surrender to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. The American Revolution marked the end of Oxford's glory. Gone were the British ships with their variety of imported goods, and tobacco was replaced by wheat as a cash crop. Businesses went bankrupt, cattle grazed in the streets, and the population dwindled. After the Civil War, Oxford emerged from its "long slumber" of nearly 100 years to a new prosperity signaled by completion of the railroad in 1871 and improved methods of canning and packing which opened national markets for oysters from the Chesapeake's bountiful beds. Business was booming, houses were going up everywhere, and tourists and boaters were arriving in droves. But it was not to last. In the early part of the 20th century, the oyster beds played out, the packing houses closed, other businesses went bankrupt, and the railway and steamships eventually disappeared. Oxford became a sleepy little town inhabited mainly by watermen who still worked the waters of the Tred Avon. Oxford today is still a waterman's town, but is enjoying a new resurgence based on tourism and leisure activities. Its quiet charm, fresh air, summer breezes, and clean water provide a haven from the hustle and bustle of city life for boaters, weekend visitors, and summer residents.
Points of Interest The Oxford Community Center - The Oxford Community Center, a pillared brick schoolhouse saved from the wrecking ball by the town residents, is a gathering place for the community for meetings, classes, lectures, dinner theater and performances by the Tred Avon Players. Oxford Museum - Morris Street Tred Avon Yacht Club - N. Morris St. & The Strand. founded in 1931, the present building, completed in 1990, replaced the original structure. Oxford-Bellvue Ferry - N.Morris St. & the Strand. Started in 1683, this is believed to be the oldest privately owned ferry in the United States. Its first keeper was Richard Royston, whom the Talbot County Court 'pitcht upon' to run a ferry at an unusual subsidy of 2,500 pounds of tobacco. Service has been continuous since 1836, with power supplied by sail, sculling, rowing, steam, and modern diesel engine. Many now take the ride between Oxford and Bellvue for the scenic beauty. How To Get To Oxford
From 95 South, take 896 to Rt.301 South. Remain on 301 for about 45 - 60 minutes. From 301 take 213 to Rt. 50 East. Remain on Rt. 50 to the Town of Easton. You will pass the airport on the right. About a quarter of a mile past the airport, take a right on Rt.322, the Easton By-Pass. At the fifth traffic light, take a right turn onto Rt.333, Oxford Road. Remain on Rt. 333 approximately 11 miles. Oxford Yacht Agency is the first marina on the right as you enter town. Caution!! Obey the speed laws in Oxford, they are very strict! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oxford is one of the oldest towns in Maryland. Oxford marks the year 1683 as its official founding, for in that year Oxford was first named by the Maryland General Assembly as a seaport and was laid out as a town. In 1694, Oxford and a new town called Anne Arundel (now Annapolis) were selected the only ports of entry for the entire Maryland province. Until the American Revolution, Oxford enjoyed prominence as an international shipping center surrounded by wealthy tobacco plantations.