OXFORD MISSISSIPPI

Our first field trip took place in July. I had never ventured into the quaint little town. Oxford is a relatively short drive from Memphis and should be on everyone’s list of something to see.

Town Square: An old timey square of restaurants, bookstores and shops. The courthouse is even in the middle of the square. Soo cute! Books on the Square takes you back in town to a time before mega bookstores with no personality. Neilson’s Department Store decor is stuck in a 1970’s time warp.

Ole Miss: Intended to first stop in town square, but due to poor signage, we drove right past it and visited one of the South’s finest institutions of higher education. Speed limits were posted as 18 mph-one of my lucky numbers. Counted 15 confederate flags flapping in the breeze.

Ole Miss Museum: A bizarre collection of OK-ish paintings (did you know that Kurt Vonnegut painted?), ancient Greek pottery, and turn of the century scientific implements. The museum does not tell a cohesive story of anything in particular, but the stuff was cool to look at and is an excellent value because of free admission and parking.

Rowan Oak: The highlight of the trip was William Faulkner’s home. The house is tucked away in a residential neighborhood that even the town-folks don’t know about. After driving around for some time, we stopped at a gas station (not far from the house) for directions. The GPS kept telling us that “you have arrived at your destination”, but alas it was off by a mile. The gas station attendants did not know what I was talking about. The Mexican construction workers either did not understand English or know where the house was. Finally, a UPS driver gave me directions. Can you believe that we were 2 minutes from the place? It is clear that even though the house is open to the public, they don’t really want a lot of traffic there.

The house is well preserved with original furnishings. Lots of Faulkner’s stuff still on display. Many of his awards where there for us to see. It really gave you a sense of who he was and the life that he lived. In the end, the Mexican construction crew was working next door to Rowan Oak and had no clue that they were digging up the sewer so close to greatness.

Recommendation: A must see on a sunny day.