Oxford (Ohio)

Oxford is a small town in Butler County in Southwest Ohio. It is best known for being home to Miami University. Recognized as a Public Ivy, which describes state-funded public universities with academic programs akin to the Ivy League schools, Miami University has a body of more than 16,000 students in a town with a summer population just over 10,000. The City of Oxford's predecessor, College Township, was founded one year after Miami University was established in 1809. Miami was the second university in the United States west of the Appalachian Mountains (after Ohio University (1804) in Athens).

Get in

Oxford is 30 miles northwest of Cincinnati, 35 miles southwest of Dayton and about 5 miles east of the state boundary separating Ohio and Indiana.

By plane

By car

Oxford is probably one of the most difficult cities in Ohio to locate by car. Oxford is most easily accessed:

  • Off of I-70 west of Dayton via the Eaton exit heading southbound on US-127 and then westbound on SR-73 or
  • Off of I-70 west of Dayton via the Eaton exit heading southbound on US-127 and then southbound on SR-732 or
  • Via I-275 (Cincinnati outer belt) using the Colerain exit and heading northbound on US-27

By bus

Barons Bus Lines provides transportation connecting Miami University with Indianapolis, Indiana and Cincinnati, Ohio. The fare is $10 one way and runs 365 days a year. Barons Bus Lines connect directly to Grey Hound buses that travel across the country, making travel to and from Oxford by bus relatively simple .

Get around

By foot

Oxford is a small town that can be easily traversed by foot. From the eastern edge of the Miami University campus to the western edge of Uptown Oxford, one could walk the distance in less than 30 minutes.

By bus

BCRTA is the bus system in Oxford. Transportation can be provided around campus, to off-campus housing, and Uptown. There are also routes that travel to the regional branches of Miami University. Students, faculty, and staff may ride freely by displaying their University ID cards and all public passengers must pay $2 for fare. During fall, spring and winter terms the BCRTA buses run daily. Transit is greatly reduced during the summer months.

See

As in most U.S. college towns, much of the art and cultural amenities are provided by the university. In Oxford, these include:

  • 🌍 Miami University, ☏ +1 513 529-1809. 212 Roudebush Hall, campus is primarily comprised of red-brick Georgian style buildings and broad lawns. Founded in 1809, this Public Ivy university named in honor of the Miami Native American tribe, was established 100 years before the City of Miami, Florida. At one time it was the fourth largest university in the U.S., behind Harvard, Yale and Dartmouth, and became known as the "Yale of the Early West". Accordingly, Miami's Elliott and Stoddard Halls, near the center of the academic quad, were modelled after Yale's Connecticut Hall. 
    • Center for American and World Cultures. 
    • 🌍 Freedom Summer '64 Memorial. Located on Miami's historical Western Campus, this memorial commemorates civil rights workers who trained here in 1964. Three of these workers were later found murdered in Mississippi. (updated Aug 2017)
    • 🌍 Miami University Art Museum, 801 S Patterson Ave. (updated Aug 2017)
    • 🌍 Karl Limper Geology Museum. (updated Jul 2019)
    • 🌍 William Holmes McGuffey Museum, 401 E Spring St (At Miami University), ☏ +1 513 529-8380. Written by educator William H. McGuffey, the Eclectic McGuffey Reader was the primary material used to teach reading to five generations of Americans. A sculpture in his honor stands in front of McGuffey Hall near the northeast corner of Spring Street and Campus Avenue across from the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity house. (updated Aug 2017)
    • 🌍 Differdange Castle. (updated Jul 2019)
  • 🌍 Dewitt Log Homestead (DeWitt Cabin). listed on the National Register of Historic Places (updated Jul 2019)
  • Lorenzo Langstroth Cottage. a National Historic Landmark (updated Jul 2019)
  • Black Covered Bridge, State Route 732 at Corso Rd. A 206-foot span built in 1869 over Four Mile (Talawanda) Creek. This is the only covered bridge in Butler County that has remained in its original location (restored in 2000). Bicentennial marker and explanation on site. (updated Jul 2019)
  • 🌍 Pugh's Mill Covered Bridge. (updated Jul 2019)

Do
  • 🌍 Hueston Woods State Park (Located just to the north of Oxford in College Corner.). The park, operated by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, is composed of almost 3,000 acres in Butler and Preble counties. Visitors enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, fishing in and canoeing on Acton Lake, and golf. (updated Jul 2017)
  • You're Fired!, 6 North Beech St, ☏ +1 513-523-2734. A fun place to go and get artsy. Pick an already made piece to paint and let You're Fired! do the rest. Just make sure you leave yourself enough time to pick it up (about 7 days). 
  • Oxford Farmer's Market, Uptown, ☏ +1 513-505-5238. May-Nov: Saturdays 8AM-noon. Local Goods 
  • 🌍 Oxford Community Arts Center, 10 South College Ave, ☏ +1 513-524-8506. 10AM-6PM. Located in the historic Oxford College for Women building, the OCAC is a home for community artists and arts organizations. free. 
  • Green Beer Day. (updated Jul 2019)
  • 🌍 Oxford Memorial Park Pavilion. On the northeast corner of High and Main Streets is the former home to the Oxford water tower (a bygone symbol of the town) and now provides an amphitheater for concerts and other performances. (updated Jul 2019)
  • 🌍 Martin Luther King Jr. Park (on the northwest corner of High and Main Streets). It has dancing water fountains that provide enjoyment for children (both by viewing and playing in them). (updated Sep 2019)

Sports

The Miami RedHawks compete in NCAA Division I college sports, mostly in the Mid-American Conference. Since the MAC does not sponsor men's ice hockey, that team instead plays in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. Sports fans are also attracted by Miami's reputation as the Cradle of Coaches, having served as a rung (either as a player or coach) in some of the most momentous coaching careers including: Earl Blaik, Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, Bill Arnsparger, George Little, Weeb Ewbank, Sid Gillman, Ara Parseghian, Bo Schembechler, John Pont, Bill Mallory, Jim Tressel, Joe Novak, Ron Zook, Dick Crum, Randy Walker, Terry Hoeppner, Sean Payton, and Sean McVay.

  • Football - Yager Stadium, 30,012 capacity seating, the team that raised Super Bowl Champion Big Ben Roethlisberger!
  • Basketball - Millett Hall, 9,200-seat arena, names like Wally "World" Szczerbiak, five-time NBA champ Ron Harper (twice with Lakers and thrice with Bulls), Randy Ayers (of NCAA basketball coaching fame including the Ohio State Buckeyes) and Wayne Embry (of NBA management fame including the Cleveland Cavaliers) made their mark playing b-ball at Miami before the NBA, coaching and other achievements.
  • Baseball - McKie Field opened in 2002.
  • Hockey - ice arena opened in 2006-2007 and too many professional hockey alumni to name.

Visit the official site or the unofficial fan site .

Buy

Eat

Uptown Oxford is a charming five block district with a variety of restaurants, including fine dining, pizza parlors, sub shops and college pubs.

Drink

Oxford has typically provided at least 1 bar for every 1,000 students at Miami University. The nightlife is very active Thursday through Saturday night, when most of the bars remain open until 2AM. At most places, if there is live music, expect a cover charge. Because Oxford was once known for its St. Patrick's Day celebrations, Spring Break now always occurs the week of March 17th. However, St. Patty's proxy, Green Beer Day, occurs the Thursday before Spring Break.

Bars
  • 🌍 Brick Street, 36 E High St, ☏ +1 513-523-1335. M-Th 9PM-2:30AM, F Sa noon-2:30AM, Su closed. If you are looking for a place to eat, a few drinks with friends, some amazing entertainment, or to let loose with some dancing, Brick Street is the place. There is something going on every night of the week: theme nights such as 90's Night, big-name bands, and local DJs. (updated Jul 2019)
  • 🌍 Mac & Joe's, 21 E. High St (rear; enter from the alley), ☏ +1 513-523-8018. Historically a pub with frequently scheduled Poetry readings. (updated Jul 2019)
  • 🌍 Steinkeller, 15 E High Street (basement), ☏ +1 513 524-2437. German-style bar and restaurant (mostly American bar food) with a wide selection of German beers. (updated Jul 2019)
  • 🌍 O'Pub, 10 W Park Pl, ☏ +1 513 461-9032. Beer, wine, liquor, music. (updated Jul 2019)
  • 🌍 Circle Bar, 15 E High St (Green Alley Door, Near Mac & Joe's), ☏ +1 513 529-2232. Sports, darts, White Russians. (updated Jul 2019)
  • 🌍 Skipper's Pub & Top Deck, 121 E High St, ☏ +1 513 523-0066. Munchies, liquor & beer. (updated Jul 2019)
  • 🌍 The Wood's, 17 N Poplar St, ☏ +1 513 524-2277. Sports bar. (updated Jul 2019)

Coffee & tea

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range

Bed & Breakfast

Connect
  • 🌍 Oxford Post Office. (updated Sep 2019)

Read
  • The Miami Student. The nation's oldest college newspaper which can be found throughout Oxford and on Miami's campus. (updated Jul 2017)
  • The Oxford Press, 15 S Beech St, ☏ +1 513 523-4139. A local newspaper serving Northwestern Butler County. (updated Jul 2017)

Listen
  • 🌍 WMUB, 230 Williams Hall (88.5 FM), ☏ +1 513 529-5885. (updated Jul 2019)
  • WMSR (Red Hawk Radio). 24/7. Miami's own student-run online radio. (updated Jul 2019)

Go next
  • Cincinnati - most destinations can be reached in one-half to one hour.
  • Dayton - about a 45-minute drive.
Routes through Oxford
Richmond ← Liberty ←  N  S  → Northgate → Cincinnati


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