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• The Historic Oxford Courthouse - Located in the heart of the
city, the Square. Burned by federal troops in 1864, it was rebuilt after the
war and is scheduled to undergo an extensive restoration. Visitors are
allowed to browse the building on their own. The courtroom upstairs is a
step back in time. Lafayette Courthouse
• Rowan
Oak, Old Taylor Road, 662-234-3284. The home of Nobel Prize winning
author William Faulkner. This historic home and grounds located just blocks
from the Square. Faulkner even wrote part of a novel on the wall of his
bedroom, later uncovered during a renovation. Walking tours available. Free
admission, but donations accepted.
Rowan Oak, Home of William Faulkner
• Oxford Cemetery, Here are buried such notables as William Faulkner
and LQC Lamar, Confederate Ambassador to Russia, and Mississippi's only US
Supreme Court Justice. Tradition calls for visitors of Faulkner's grave to
leave a pint of Wild Turkey.
• The Grove, Located on the campus of the University of Mississippi,
or Ole Miss as it is affectionately known. During the early Spring it has
the appearance of a nicely manicured park, but during football season it
turns into the most revered tailgating locale in all of college football.
Sports Illustrated rates tailgating in the Grove, a multi-acre green space
in the heart of the Ole Miss campus, as one of America's premier college
events, placing it No. 3 on a list of 100 things to do before graduating.
Bring your "refreshments" and your Sunday best. See the "Cope" section below
for an important rule while tailgating.
• Southside Gallery, 150 Courthouse Square (on the square),
662-234-9090. An intimate collection of changing art pieces located in the
heart of Oxford, The Square. Free admission. This is a nice stop if you are
browsing the Square during the day or if you are waiting on a table at
night.
• University Museum,
5th & University Avenue, (662) 915-7073. Tu-Sa 9:30AM-4:30PM, Su 1-4PM,
Closed Mo & most University Holidays. Features Greek and Roman antiques,
19th Century scientific instruments, the Theora Hamblett collection, a
growing Southern folk art collection, and other temporary exhibits. There is
an unpaved natural trail that leads from the museum parking lot to Rowan Oak
(Faulkner's home). It is an easy walk that will give you a glimpse of an
old-growth Mississippi forest, and it will also give you an idea of the
jungle that the first settlers here had to clear in order to build their
plantations.
• Ole Miss Blues Archives, Ole Miss Campus, (662) 915-7753. The
world's most extensive collection of blues recordings and related material.
If you are a blues enthusiast, this is the Mecca of recorded blues. Even B.B.
King recorded a live album (Live at Ole Miss) in the Grove.
• The Lyceum, The first building on the Ole Miss campus. Seen as a
symbol of the University. Used as a Confederate hospital during the Civil
War. The front columns contain bullet holes from the integration of James
Meredith. An extensive renovation occurred in 2000-2001. Stop by the
Chancellor's office located on the first floor, and someone will be glad to
give you a tour of the beautiful building. Even the friendly Chancellor
loves to meet visitors.
• Ventress Hall, A 19th century Victorian building on the edge of
The Grove. Originally used as a library, now the home of the College of
Liberal Arts. Inside is a huge stained glass window depicting a battle scene
from The War(unless otherwise specified, "the war" in the deep South means
the one taking place between 1861 and 1865). The window was commissioned by
the Delta Gamma Sorority from the Tiffany Glass Company to honor the
University Greys, a company comprised completely of Ole Miss students that
suffered 100 percent casualties at the battle of Gettysburg. The turret
contains a winding staircase filled with graffiti over 100 years old. Legend
has it that William Faulkner got intoxicated, climbed to the top of the
turret, and began shouting "Hotty Toddy"--the school's unofficial
cheer. However, this is likely merely a legend, but a darn good one. A
member of the staff inside would be happy to give you a brief tour.
Barnard Observatory • Barnard
Observatory, Another antebellum building on campus that was
originally built to house the world's largest telescope. It is widely
believed among locals that the telescope was being shipped during The War
when it was captured by Yankee troops and sent to Northwestern University.
However, it is more likely that the University could no longer afford to pay
for the telescope after the war began, and Northwestern bought it instead.
The building was never used as an observatory and is now home to the
and hosts small exhibits.
• Confederate Cemetery, Located behind Tad Smith Coliseum on the Ole
Miss campus. It is the resting place of more than 700 Confederate dead,
mostly from the Battle of Shiloh. University buildings were used as
hospitals and headquarters of both Union and Confederate forces between 1862
and 1865. All those buried here perished on the grounds of the University.
While many names are known(they are etched on a monument in the center of
the cemetery) most buried here are unknown soldiers. Union dead were once
buried here as well, but long ago moved to a national cemetery. One of
Oxford and Ole Miss' lesser known sites, it is a must see for Civil War
Buffs.
• UM
Department of Archives and Special Collections. A must for any
Faulkner aficionado. Located in the J.D. Williams Library, it houses
over 300 manuscript collections, the William Faulkner Collection,
University archival collections, Mississippi State documents, and in the
Mississippi Collections over 20,000 volumes of Mississippian. Soon moving to
the beautifully restored and historic Bryant Hall. |