Discover Oxford: Culture, Campus and Unique Paths

Oxford combines literary heritage, university history, blues and varied trails to create a destination with many different facets. Families who want to combine cultural discoveries with outdoor activities will find inspiration here, as will travellers focusing on music, film or history. A holiday apartment in Oxford can serve as a base for days with completely different rhythms.

Culture and History Around the Campus

A good place to start is the University of Mississippi Museum. Its permanent collections include 19th-century scientific instruments, American art, Southern folk art, as well as Greek and Roman antiquities. Temporary exhibitions expand this range to include art, history and culture from Mississippi and beyond. This means a museum visit can be shaped in very different ways depending on your interests.

The Ole Miss campus also tells the story of Oxford’s history. Red-brick buildings and tree-lined paths define its appearance. Completed in 1848, the Lyceum is the only surviving one of the University of Mississippi’s five original buildings. The Civil Rights Monument stands between the Lyceum and the John D. Williams Library. It comprises a life-size statue of James Meredith and a 17-foot-high limestone portal.

Literature enthusiasts can visit Rowan Oak, the historic home of Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner. The house was built in 1844 and acquired by Faulkner in 1930. Another prominent location is The Square, the city’s cultural and economic centre since Oxford was incorporated in 1837. It is home to Square Books, among other establishments, an independent bookshop founded by Richard and Lisa Howorth in 1979. Square Books hosts more than 150 author events each year.

Blues, Film and Theatre Culture

Oxford is closely connected to Mississippi’s musical history. A Mississippi Blues Trail marker on the central Square commemorates the diverse blues activity in Lafayette County. The “Documenting the Blues” marker at the University of Mississippi covers the Blues Archive, the magazine Living Blues and other forms of blues research. The Fat Possum label is also part of the city’s history: it was founded in Oxford in 1991.

The Lyric Oxford hosts concerts, charity events, private parties and wedding celebrations. The building was converted into a theatre in the 1920s for live performances and silent films and was originally a horse stable owned by William Faulkner’s family in the early 20th century. For film enthusiasts, OxFilm offers film workshops and screenings in Oxford throughout the year to promote film as an art form in Oxford and northern Mississippi.

Trails for Active Days

The Bailey Woods Trail connects Rowan Oak and the University Museum along a trail approximately 3,000 feet long and is designated as a National Recreation Trail. This trail is temporarily closed due to bridge repairs. When planning your trip, it is therefore important not to treat this trail as a currently available hiking option.

Lamar Park offers another opportunity for outdoor activity. The open-air arboretum features green spaces, walking paths, garden elements and a peaceful lake. The South Campus Rail Trail consists of a network of singletrack trails next to the Ole Miss campus. It is easily accessible by bicycle from downtown Oxford; access is via the railway embankment at the end of Chuck Mullins Drive or Front Street.

Which Type of Traveller Is Oxford Suited To?

Those who appreciate museums, literature and architecture can focus on the University of Mississippi Museum, Rowan Oak, the Lyceum and the campus. Music and film fans will find further distinct themes in the blues markers, Fat Possum, The Lyric Oxford and OxFilm. For a trip with family members interested in both active pursuits and culture, museum visits, historic sites and trails can be incorporated into different daily itineraries. When choosing a holiday apartment, it is therefore worth deciding on the desired focus of the trip and viewing Oxford as a culturally diverse base.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lafayette.