Northeast Oakland Historical Museum

08/31/2026

More historical markers going up!!

08/27/2026

125 Years Ago - The Birth of Oxford Football

Oxford football has a long tradition of playing tough, and it all started over a century ago.

In 1898, there was talk of organizing a high school football team in Oxford, but the idea came too late in the year to get a team on the field.

Oxford wasn’t about to let Pontiac have all the fun. In September 1901, the village organized its first high school football team. The Wildcats wasted no time making an impression, traveling to the local field in Romeo for their first game, and coming home with a 5–0 victory.

Football quickly caught on in Oxford, and before long, the team was making headlines. After claiming the Oakland County Championship, The Oxford Leader proudly declared:

“Oxford need not depend on its baseball season, the High School football eleven are making an enviable record.”

By 1928, Oxford was competing in the newly formed Tri-County League, alongside Rochester, Romeo, Richmond, Imlay City and Utica. That season, under Coach Garrison, Oxford’s “tough boys” dominated the competition, piling up 176 points while allowing just 14.

Oxford would go on to claim three Tri-County League championships before the league was discontinued. The team later captured both the South Central League Championship and another Tri-County Championship.

More than a century later, the names and faces may have changed, but the tradition remains.

Tonight, a new generation of Oxford football players takes the field adding another chapter to a story that began in 1901.

🏈 Go Wildcats!
Pictured below is the 1902 team photo.

To see more historic photos, stop by the museum:

Thursdays & Saturdays 1-4pm
1 North Washington Street
Oxford, MI 48371
(248) 628-8413
Oxford-Museum.org
[email protected]

Credit: Information obtained through various articles from the Oxford Leader. Photos belong to the Northeast Oakland Historical Museum. Information compiled by Drew Holt

Oxford Community Schools
Village of Oxford
Charter Township of Oxford

08/26/2026

Back to School — Oxford Then & Now!

As Oxford students head back to school this week, we’re taking a ride back in time to the 1940s!

This wonderful photo shows Oxford students riding their new school bus, a glimpse of what the school day looked like for local children generations ago.

The buses may have changed, but the tradition of riding the school bus to start another school year remains the same.

From all of us at the Northeast Oakland Historical Society & Museum, we wish Oxford students, teachers, staff, and families a safe, happy, and successful school year!

GO WILDCATS!

Village of Oxford
Oxford Community Schools
Charter Township of Oxford
Oxford Chamber of Commerce

08/24/2026

Join us for our 2026 Oxford Cemetery Tour on Sunday, September 27th! Get tickets before they sell out!

08/23/2026

Preserving Oxford’s great history, one marker at a time! Congratulations to C.J. Carnacchio, creator and administrator of the Oxford township historical marker program. We are proud to partner with you!

08/23/2026

08/22/2026

Another important historical marker went up in our community today!

08/21/2026

A Little Paint, A Lot of History

Oxford, 1956. Two men, a bucket of paint, and a very important job - putting the finishing touches on downtown parking.

Before digital parking meters, traffic apps, and perfectly painted lines from a machine, there was a couple of guys doing it the old-fashioned way: one stripe at a time.

It’s easy to overlook little moments like this, but they’re the details that bring history to life. This photograph captures not just downtown Oxford, but the people who helped shape what it looked like every day. Even a parking line has a story.

Pictured are Dick Lambertson and Perry Leach.

To see more historic photos, stop by the museum:

Thursdays & Saturdays 1-4pm
1 North Washington Street
Oxford, MI 48371
(248) 628-8413
Oxford-Museum.org
[email protected]

08/20/2026

08/14/2026

🇺🇸 STORIES FROM THE STONES: REMEMBERING OXFORD HEROES 🇺🇸

The Northeast Oakland Historical Museum is pleased to announce our 2026 walking Cemetery Tour, a unique and immersive journey into the lives of the men and women who helped shape Oxford and supported our nation during times of war.

In honor of America 250 and Oxford 150, this year’s tour will bring to life the remarkable stories of Oxford heroes whose lives were shaped by war, service, and sacrifice. The tour will feature many Civil War veterans, along with other inspiring stories of courage, dedication, and service to their community during times of conflict.

During this approximately 60-minute walking tour, Northeast Oakland Historical Museum members will bring these individuals to life by portraying them in character and sharing their stories of service, sacrifice, family, hardship, and life in Oxford.

Come discover the people behind the names carved in stone and learn how their lives connected to some of the most important moments in American history.

🇺🇸 TOUR INFORMATION

📅 Sunday, September 27, 2026

⏰ Tour Times:
1:00 PM • 1:30 PM • 2:00 PM
2:30 PM • 3:00 PM • 3:30 PM

👥 Limited to 12 people per tour

🎟️ Tickets: $25 per person

📍 Tours depart from the Northeast Oakland Historical Museum
1 North Washington Street, Oxford

🚌 A bus will transport guests to the cemetery and return them to the museum following the tour.

🎟️ Tickets can be purchased online using the link below:

https://events.getlocalhop.com/stories-from-the-stones-remembering-oxford-heroes/event/xgYsh2zEZR/

This event is a fundraiser, with all proceeds supporting the continued preservation, education, and programming efforts of the Northeast Oakland Historical Museum.

🪦 The stones tell us their names. The stories tell us who they were.
Charter Township of Oxford
Village of Oxford
Downtown Oxford - DDA