University of Mississippi - Ole Miss Yearbook (Oxford, MS)

Page 31 text:

county-wide referendum passed in the late 60s that legalized the sale of alcohol. Hardware and grocery stores disappeared as restaurants and bars opened. Wal-Mart and other superstores moved into town as locally-owned stores struggled to compete. Oxford was growing. It was a trend that had been waiting a very long time to happen, said Howorth, who attributes the rapid growth of the town to Oxford ' s lack of prosperity prior to the new liquor laws. Oxford became the place it was destined to be. Now, 40 years since the city legalized alcohol, the Square seems to have found its form. It ' s arguably Oxford ' s greatest and most well-known feature. Pictures and paintings of the Old South architecture are staples of nearly every art gallery, home, and condo in town. Where else are you going to find so many pictures of the same place in different mediums and formats, said junior biology major James Howard Evans. For such a small town, it ' s very significant that we have such a centralized, defining location of shops, restaurants, and bars. Unlike most downtown areas, which tend to decline as the rest of the city flourishes, the Oxford Square has somehow managed to maintain it ' s relevance through all of the growth and changes that have taken place in the town. Now, nearly a century after Will Lewis ' s father was taken in by the Neilsons and first began working at their store, the Square is still the cultural center of Oxford, the pride of its people. It ' s a very vibrant place to be, said Lewis, I see all walks of people, I enjoy interacting with the students and I see the old families too. If I had to be in a city, well, I ' m just not sure I could do that. It ' s a great spot, agreed Howorth. Maybe it ' s not very different from anywhere else, but it ' s a nice, comfortable place. Richard Howorth is the owner of Square Books and native Oxonian Will Lewfe, krj|wn to many as the town historian The Square ■ 27

Page 33 text:

If you ask someone who is not from Ole Miss what they know about our school, you will probably get responses like, It ' s a party school, They dress up for football games, or Everyone is in the Greek system. And, while many of those stereotypes about the university are true to some degree, Ole Miss and Oxford have much more to offer. One response that you probably won ' t hear from most people is, Oxford has a really good music scene. But we do. Venues like Proud Larry ' s and The Lyric (which is highlighted on the following page) have consistently been bringing more prominent artists to our small town including Girl Talk, MGMT, and Snoop Dog. Less commercialized venues like the independently run Cat ' s Purring Dude Ranch are also pulling in lesser-known artists and offer a more intimate, inexpensive way to experience good music. Oxford just has another side to it that people often miss, said junior journalism major Peyton Thigpen, who plays in a band of three every Sunday at Emeligh ' s Kitchen on the square. I think a large part of it is many people come to Ole Miss to get a liberal arts education, he said. I think that demographic has a certain sense of creativity associated with it, and that has led to this unique culture. OXFORD IS AN ABSOLUTELY Oxford also boasts a record label, Fat Possum Records, and a recording studio, Sweet Tea Recording Studio, which have significantly contributed to the music scene. Artists ranging from acclaimed blues musician Buddy Guy to the popular alternative rock band Modest Mouse have spent time in our small town to record albums. Oxford offers intimacy, and that attracts people in the music industry to come down and check it out, said senior hospitality management major Hunter Evans, who interned for Fat Possum. The art and music community has been here much longer than the Greek life, but I feel that is has been overshadowed. Along with bringing in artists, Oxford also has produced a fairly steady outflow of musicians and bands that have enjoyed success. Sanders Bhohlke ' s music was featured on an episode of Grey ' s Anatomy, and Young Buffalo recently embarked on their first proper tour. The Oxford music scene is amazing. The local talent that comes out of here is world class, said senior managerial finance major Tim Burkhead, who is head of production at the Lyric. Look at Oxford in comparison to the rest of the state, he said. Oxford is an absolutely beautiful diamond in a dust storm of tradition. Town of Sound ■ 29