The Square has been the heart of the town of Oxford since the town was founded back in 1837. The county which surrounds it was named Lafayette after Revolutionary War hero Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier - the Marquis de Lafayette. Oxford took its name from the English home to Oxford University in the hopes it would help secure them a new state university, which it did in 1848 when the University of Mississippi or “Ole Miss” opened its doors. Ole Miss shut its doors during the Civil War when 135 of its 139 students enlisted in the Confederate Army. Sadly, all 135 were killed, most in the battle at Gettysburg. The town was occupied by Union forces during the war, and much of it was burnt to the ground in 1864. The town and university were rebuilt after the war, and both would go on to thrive, creating one of the wealthiest and most vibrant communities in the State of Mississippi. Today, The Square is still the heart of town and university life, with restaurants, shops, bars and one of the best bookstores in the country. I had a great visit to Oxford, and really fell in love with the photogenic central square. I hope you enjoy these photos of beautiful Oxford Square. Click on any image to enlarge it, and please contact me if you are interested in purchasing or licensing any of these images.
Hi Everyone, I hope this week’s This Week finds you all well. It’s almost February and I see spring at the end of the tunnel. It’s been a good week out here on the road, my first full week in Mississippi, with plenty of things to keep me occupied. I’ve visited some cool small towns, learned somefascinating history, eaten at some wonderful restaurants and caught up with friends old and new. It’s been good to be back on the road. Before I get started recapping my week for you, I want to give a big Thank You Shout Out to Todd, one of my subscribers, who sent me a huge list of recommendations for my time in Mississippi. Many thanks, Todd, your recommendations will come in really handy in the weeks ahead.
After leaving y’all last week, I did make my way out to the tiny town of Jacinto. The town was founded in 1836 and named for the Battle of San Jacinto in the Texas Revolution. It became the county seat of Tishomingo County and a stately two-story courthouse was built. In 1869, Tishomingo County was divided into three counties, Tishomingo, Alcorn and Prentiss, and the county seat of the new, smaller Tishomingo County was moved to Iuka. The town declined to the point where the courthouse was sold for scrap. Thankfully some concerned citizens stepped in to save the courthouse and the town. Nothing is open there in the winter, but it was still neat to wander around the courthouse and some of the buildings. It was really quiet and pleasant and there are a few houses and cars around so it’s not quite a ghost town, but it’s close. I did get a bit of a scare when I stood on my tip-toes to get a glance through the window and saw a life-like mannequin inside the courthouse. My heart jumped out of my chest.
From Jacinto, I headed down to Brices Crossroads Battlefield and wanted to visit the small Mississippi’s Final Stands Interpretive Center but unfortunately they had recently sustained some tornado damage…
It’s been a fairly quiet week out here on the road this week. The weather has warmed back up again and the shorts and T-shirts are back on. Halloween stores are still popping up though, and the live haunted houses that have proliferated in recent years are starting to open. I have seen the borders on the leaves in some trees starting to take on some color as well. As for me, I’ve made my way down the far western edge of Ohio and am writing to you today from Covington in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. I finished my 2nd Ohio podcast this week (find it HERE), and will be wrapping up my final posts about the Buckeye State in the next few days. I’ve also been doing some planning and trying to figure out where the next few weeks will take me as I begin my journey through the Bluegrass State.
