THE 2022-2023
ESSENTIAL CITY GUIDE
THE 2022-2023
ESSENTIAL CITY GUIDE
Lafayette County grew 17.9 percent (55,813 residents) from 2010 to 2020, seeing an increase of 8,462 new residents over the last decade. The growth rate of 1.6 made Lafayette County one of the fastest growing counties in the state.
Lafayette County is tied with Lamar County for having the second-highest population growth in Mississippi.
6500
According to the 2020 Census, Oxford saw the largest increase with 6,500 new residents over the last 10 years among Lafayette County municipalities. The average yearly growth for cities and towns in Lafayette County was 1.08. Toccopola saw an increase of 40 new residents and Taylor saw an increase of 33 residents. The town of Abbeville saw a decrease of 47 residents.
The city of Oxford has more than doubled its population over the last 20 years, although much of this has been due to annexation. In 2018, Mayor Robyn Tannehill and the Board of Supervisors signed off on the city's largest annexation to date, nearly doubling the square mileage of the city. Oxford is the 12th-largest city in Mississippi with a population of 22,531. Officials project Oxford will reach a population of 24,994 by 2023.
There are plenty of ways to get to Lafayette County and plenty of ways to take the occasional getaway. No matter what you do or where you go, Oxford offers the perfect blend of small-town seclusion with big-city access, making it an ideal location.
BY HIGHWAY:To Memphis (75 miles):
• Highway 6/278 West to 1-55 at Batesville
• Highway 7 North to Highway 78 West at Holly Springs
Go through Memphis to reach Little Rock, Ark. (another 135 miles), Nashville, Tenn. (215 miles) or St. Louis, Mo. (285 miles).
To Tupelo (50 miles):
• Highway 6/278 East
Go through Tupelo to reach Starkville-West Point-Columbus area (about 60 miles) or Birmingham, Al. (another 140 miles).
To Jackson (160 miles):
• Highway 6/278 West to 1-55 at Batesville
• Highway 7 South to 1-55 at Grenada
Go through Jackson to reach Gulfport (another 160 miles), New Orleans, La. (185 miles), or Pensacola, Fl. (250 miles).
BYAIR:
You can reach the Memphis International Airport from Oxford in less than an hour and a half.
Many people take Highway 7 North to Holly Springs, then take Highway 78 West to Memphis.
Southwest Airlines now services flights from Memphis, aling with Frontier, Delta, Allegiant, Air Canada, Vacation Express, American Airlines and United Airlines, as well as several smaller operating carriers. For more information, visit www.mscaa.com.
Private pilots and charter planes may fly out of the Airport at Ole Miss. The airport also serves local flight instructors and their students. For more information, call 662-234-2036 or visit www.olemiss.edu/depts/airport.
Aside from public transportation, the city also has several taxi and limo services available to provide transportation around town and even to the Memphis International Airport.
Oxford-University Transit, or OUTransit for short, has become a mainstay in the city for locals and college students. With inexpensive fares, plenty of routes and consistently outstanding service, there's no better way to get around.
With an annual ridership of 1.5 million passengers, OUT is the most utilized transit system in Mississippi. OUT is supported by MDOT and RATP Dev. By helping students get to class and Oxfordians transverse the city, OUT is an integral part of Oxford's infrastructure and mobility. OUT is zero fare until September 30, 2022.
OUT is dedicated to providing affordable, comprehensive transit services. Though OUT often offers free rides to all riders, there is usually a ride fare.
Non-student riders can typically expect to pay a $1 bus fare with free transfers.
CITY ROUTES
The OUT Blue lines run east to west. Blue East line runs from Courthouse Square to Brittany Woods. Blue West line runs from the Square Parking Garage to West Oxford Loop.
The OUT Red lines run north to south. Red North line runs from the Old Armory Pavilion to as far north as Highland Square. Red South line runs from the Old Armory Pavilion to the North Mississippi Regional Center.
The OUT Teal line runs from the Square Parking Garage to the Observatory.
CAMPUS SHUTTLES (Run only on the University of Mississippi campus)
The OUT Rebel Red and Rebel Blue lines run from the Student Union to the Observatory.
The OUT Bronze line runs from the Jackson Avenue Center to the ROTC.
The OUT Gold/SOC line runs from South Campus Parking to the Observatory.
STUDENT HOUSING
The OUT Green OTR line runs from the Archive Apartments to the Observatory.
The OUT Hathorn line runs from Campus Walk to the Observatory. The OTR Express line runs from Faulkner Flatts to the Observatory. The OUT Orange line runs from Thacker Heights to the Observatory.
The OUT Brown South line runs from Millers Landing to the Student Union.
The OUT Brown North line runs from Anderson Road to the Student Union.
SATURDAY ROUTES (Run only on Saturdays)
The OUT Purple Line West route runs from the Kennon Observatory to The Hub.
SPECIAL ROUTES
ours Safe Ride line runs from the Square Parking Garage to Rebel Frat Row at the University of Mississippi.
Per Ride Fare Adult Elderly Disabled Student (K-12) Paratransit
$1.00 $0.50 (65+ with proof of age) $0.50 (with OUT disability card) $0.75 (with school ID) $2.00 (with OUT disability card)
Children (*under 38 inches) -Free (with fare-paying adult) *Height of farebox
Ole Miss Student & Faculty - No Charge (with Ole Miss ID) *Transfers Free
Monthly passes are available at the OUT office located at 409 McElroy Drive.
Going out and being active with a disability can be difficult. OUT provides paratransit transportation services for riders with special needs.
All paratransitvehicles are wheelchair accessible and equipped with necessary equipment
Rides may be scheduled by phone or in-person at the OUT Facility. Call for more information at 662-234-3540.
For more information on Oxford-University Transit, OUTransit routes and passes, visit www.outransit.com.
Power, lights, water, gas, sanitation, and communications. Everything you need to set up your home or business in the LOU Community.
ELECTRICITY:
•Oxford Utilities (inside city limits), 300 McElroy Drive, 662-232-2373
• North East Mississippi Electric Power Association (outside city limits), 10 Private Rd 2050, 662-234-6331
•The Tennessee Valley Authority (to business customers and local power companies), 865-632-2101
WATER
•Oxford Utilities (inside city limits), 300 McElroy Drive, 662-232-2373
•Oxford Water Department, 662-232-2399
•Oxford Water Treatment, 662-232-2398
•College Hill Water Association, 3 County Road 128, 662-832-7039 (Billing), 662-816-9196 (Emergency/Leaks)3 County Road 12
• North East Mississippi Electric Power Association (outside city limits), 10 Private Rd 2050, 662-234-6331
• Centerpoint Energy, 26 Mason St, Laurel, Mississippi 39440, 801-371-5417
•AmeriGas Propane, 662-234-5521
• Mid-Valley Pipeline Company, 1001 College Hill Road, 662-234-4114
SANITATION &WASTE
• Oxford Environmental Services, 107 Courthouse Square, 662-232-2325 or 662-232-2359
• Oxford Sewer Department, 662-232-2397
• Oxford Wastewater Treatment Plant, 662-232-2396
•The Lafayette County Solid Waste Department, 300 North Lamar Boulevard, Suite #103, 662-236-2535
Residential Drop Off (within Oxford):
• Oxford Municipal Center, 717 Molly Barr Road
• Oxford Fire Station #3, 139 MS Highway 7 South
• Cannon Nissan, 479 MS Highway 6
BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY DROP OFF
• City of Oxford Landfill, Pea Ridge Road (County Road 321)
COMMUNICATION & INTERNET
•AT&T, 1805 West Jackson Avenue, 662-234-6441
• MaxxSouth, 1901 Jackson Avenue West, Suite B, 800-457-5351
• NE SPARC, 10 Private Road 2050, 662-238-3159
Lafayette County is not immune to natural disasters. Severe thunderstorms that produce lightning and hail are common in the late spring and early summer months. Winter storms, including ice storms, are possible, as well as flash flooding and even earthquakes.
The Lafayette County and Oxford emergency management agencies encourage each and every new family who moves into Lafayette County to purchase a Specific Area Message Encoding NOAA All-Hazards Radio for weather and disaster warnings and information. Both agencies will help in the selection and programming of these radios if you have questions on what to purchase or on the use of the radio. In Oxford, tune into 1630 AM for emergency information.
Lafayette County and the City of Oxford have installed community storm shelters at most county fire stations and city buildings. The shelters are to remain empty, open and unlocked. Not meant for long-term sheltering, they're a place to take cover in the event of severe wind storms, severe lightning or tornadoes. Each set of shelters holds 38 people, but as many as 60 can squeeze in if need be. Shelters are for humans and guide dogs only.
Tornado warning sirens are located throughout the Oxford city limits and on the University of Mississippi campus. These sirens are tested every Wednesday at noon, weather permitting. Lafayette County currently has 27 sirens placed around areas like Taylor, Abbeville and Harmontown. A link to a map of the locations of the county sirens and shelters can be found on the EMA page of the Lafayette County website: LafayetteCOMS.com.
Ifyou have any questions or need more information on specific emergencies or volunteer opportunities, call Oxford Emergency Management Director at 662-816-7649 or Lafayette County Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Quarles at 662-234-5667.
The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors meets on the first and third Mondays of each month at 5 p.m. and 9 a.m., respectively, in the Supervisors Board Room on the second floor of the Lafayette County Chancery Building.
District1
District2 District3
662-801-6431 662-816-0840 662-816-9984 blarson@ ligillespie@ drikard@ lafayettecoms.com lafayettecoms.com lafayettecoms.com
District4
662-816-8109 cmclarty@ lafayettecoms.com
President
Districts
662-801-1669 mike@robertsbenefits.com
662-236-2717
Brent Larson Larry Gillespie David Rikard Chad Mclarty Mike Roberts David O'Donnell CountyLawyer LisaCarwyle CountyAdministratorThe Board of Aldermen meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. in City Hall.
OXFORD MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Robyn Tannehill Mayor 662-232-2340 robyn@oxfordms.net
Rick Addy Ward I 662-816-7425 rick@ addyphotography.net
Mark Huelse Ward 2 662-236-3977 mrhoxford@gmail.com
Brian Hyneman Ward 3 662-234-4000 bhyneman@ hickmanlaw.com
Kesha HowellAtkinson Ward4 662-380-1110 khatkinson4@gmail.com
Preston E. Taylor Ward 5 662-234-0938 prestontaylor04@ aol.com
Jason Bailey Ward 6 662-513-9990 ward6oxfordms@ gmail.com
John Morgan At-Large 662-236-7137 johnfnms@aol.com
The public spaces in Oxford and Lafayette County are welcoming to all and the places you go for official business.
OXFORD CITY HALL
107 Courthouse Square
662-236-1310
662-232-2312
(City Clerk)
LAFAYETTE COUNTY COURTHOUSE
142 Courthouse Square
662-234-4951
(Circuit Court)
LAFAYETTE COUNTY CHANCERY BUILDING
300 North Lamar Boulevard
662-234-2131
(Chancery Clerk)
662-234-5562
(TaxAssessor/Collector)
LAFAYETTE COUNTY BUSINESS COMPLEX
72 F.D. "Buddy" East Parkway
662-234-5231
LAFAYETTE COUNTY & OXFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY
401 Bramlett Boulevard
662-234-5751
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
401 McElroy Drive
662-234-5615
House District 13 424 Massengill Road
Hickory Flat, MS 38633
662-815-5000
smassengill@house.ms.gov
Senate District 9 113 Sivley Street Oxford, MS 38655
662-832-6950
nboyd@senate.ms.gov
House District 10 7 County Road 140 Oxford, MS 38666
bwilliamson@house.ms.gov
House District 12
P.O. Box 585
Oxford, MS 38655
662-202-7093
deweese@house.ms.gov
House District 23
House District 5 P.O. Box 1018 P.O. Box 942 Bruce, MS
Holly Springs, MS 38915 38635
jfaulkner@house.ms.gov
662-983-7358
jbeckett@house.ms.gov
House District 8 214 South Ward St. Senatobia, MS 38668
662-562-6527
jlamar@house.ms.gov
Rep. Steve Masengill (R) Sen. Nicole Akins Boyd (R)Glenn Boyce Chancellor 123 Lyceum 662-915-7111 chancellor@olemiss.edu
Noel E. Wilkin Provost, Executive Vice Chancellor 150 Lyceum 662-915-5317 nwilkin@olemiss.edu
Jim Zook Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications and Marketing 313 Lyceum 662-915-7008 jzook@olemiss.edu
Charlotte Fant Pegues Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs 238 Lyceum 662-915-7705 cfant@olemiss.edu
Denise Knighton Interim Registrar 104 Martindale 662-915-7792 cfant@olemiss.edu
Wendell Weakley President & CEO, UM Foundation Brandt Memorial House 662-915-3845 wendell@umfoundation. com
Kirk Purdom Executive Director of Alumni Affairs Triplett Alumni Center 662-915-7375 kirk@olemiss.edu
Keith Carter Interim Athletic Athletic Director, Deputy AD of Development 662-915-6684 jkcarter@olemiss.edu
Brent Marsh Dean of Students 246 Lyceum 662-915-7705
Inaddition to opening accounts and making deposits and withdrawals, FNB helps our customers with:
• Issuing personalized debit cards INSTANTLY onsite
• Sending and receiving wires
• Ordering foreign currency
• Notary services and more!
Did you knowthat FNB offers extended hours with our interactive teller machine (iTM) which connects customers to a live bank teller on the screen? On weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to noon, our iTM tellers can assist customers with nearly all the functions as a lobby teller, including deposits, withdrawals, check cashing, account transfers and loan payments.
We love wherewe live, so it's important for us to give back. FNB offers free online financial education for ALL community members through our partner Enrich. Safely explore a variety of financial topics, watch videos, enroll in courses and much more. To access Enrich resources, visit fnboxford.com or scan the QRcodewith your smartphone.
Walk around Oxford and you will find history at every turn, from a downtown Square with 19th century architecture to a famous author who's presence can still be felt. ·
BARNARD OBSERVATORY
CEDAR OAKS
CIVIL RIGHTS MEMORIAL
COLLEGE HILL PRESBYTERIAN
CONFEDERATE CEMETERY
DOWNTOWN SQUARE
THE LAFAYETTE COUNTY
COURTHOUSE
L.Q.C. LAMAR HOUSE
ROWAN OAK
SAINT PETER'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH & CEMETERY
THE CUMBERLAND PRESBY.TERIAN CHURCH, ALSO KNOWN AS SOUTH STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
,,
WILLIAM FAULKNER'S GRAVE
www.burns-belfry.com/index.php
The old Burns Methodist Episcopal Church built in 1910 holds both state and local landmark status in testimony to its many years of service to the African American community. Following its recently completed restoration, it has begun a new era of community service as the Burns-Belfry Museum & Multicultural Center. It offers a professionally designed museum exhibit on African American history from slavery through Civil Rights. A short video accompanies the remarkable history of the building.
www.fordcenter.org
•(662) 915-7411
This grand venue seats as many as 1,058 in its main hall to see Broadway touring companies, world-class symphonies and legendary performers. Friends ofthe Ford Center members receive early notice for season tickets and can take part in special receptions before events or during intermission.
www.oxfordarts.com
•662-236-6429
Home to the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council and the local arts community, the Powerhouse hosts classes, exhibits, performances and more in the former Oxford Electric Department headquarters. It is also the host to the monthly Art Crawl which takes art lovers on a tour of local galleries on the Double Decker bus on the fourth Tuesday in January through October at no cost. It's located on University Avenue, across South 14th Street from Newk's restaurant.
www.squarebooks.com
(662) 236-2262
Oxford's famous independent bookstores hosts frequent readings by authors and serves as home base for the local literary community. The first Square Books opens 9 a.m.- 9 p.rn. all week, and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday, and has a large literary fiction section and southern fiction and history collection. Square Books Jr., Square Books extended children's book and toy store, is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays, from 12 p.m.-5 p.m. on Sundays, and hosts story-time every Wednesday and Saturday at 10 a.m. Off Square Books, an offshoot of Square Books, hosts Thacker Mountain Radio most Thursdays during the fall and spring. TMR is a live radio show featuring weekly author readings and a wide array of musical performances from the Square. The free show is taped and broadcast every Thursday at 6 p.m. during the fall and spring and rebroadcast every Saturday night on Mississippi Public Radio. For more information on the show, visit www. thackerrnountain.com. Off Square Books opens weekdays 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sundays 12 p.m.-5 p.m. and hosts most of the author events, readings, talks and signings.
UNIVERSITY MUSEUM
www.museum.olemiss.edu (662) 915-7073
The university's Mary Buie Museum and Kate Skipwith Teaching Museum are host to an eclectic blend of collections, with permanent holdings of about 11,000 items as well as special exhibits. The museum's education department hosts afterschool and summer programs for children. The University Museum also operates the Walton-Young Historic House adjoining the museum on University Avenue. A walking path connects the museum property to Rowan Oak through Bailey's Woods. The University Museum is open to the public 10 a.m. -6 p.m. Tuesday
through Saturday and is closed on Monday and regular University holidays.
The oldest building on the University of Mississippi campus, this iconic building, completed in 1848, was the only survivor of the original buildings to the University. Ionic Greek Revival style architecture, the building has become a trademark at the University of MS. CIVIL RIGHTS MONUMENT/ FREEDOM TRAIL MARKER» The Freedom Trail marker and the Civil Rights monument commemorating the events that took place during the integration of Ole Miss is located behind the Lyceum. This moving statue beautifully honors James Meredith, the rstAfrican American student to attend Ole Miss and commemorates the progress the University has made since the tragic and historic events that took place in 1962.
THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF SOUTHERN CULTURE
southernstudies.olemiss.edu
(662) 915-5993
Housed in Barnard Observatory on the University of Mississippi campus, The Center for the Study of Southern Culture promotes regional studies and, as the first center of its kind in the nation, serves as a model for future centers in other regions. Its projects include the award-winning Encyclopedia of Southern Culture and publication of Living Blues magazine, the gospel music magazine Rejoice!, and in addition cohosts the annual Faulkner Conference. The observatory displays a changing photographic exhibit throughout the year. A marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail honoring the Living Blues magazine, produced at the University of Mississippi is also located on this site.
Just to the south of the University's Tad Smith Coliseum is a modest walled lawn with a single monument at the center. Here lie around 700 Confederate dead from the Battle of Shiloh in 1862. During the Civil War, the buildings of Ole Miss became hospitals for the battle
wounded, and the casualties were thus buried here. At one time the cemetery had individual markers but groundskeepers removed them to mow and forgot where they belonged.
www.firstregional.org • 662-234-5751
A member ofthe First Regional Library System, the public library offers a large book, periodical, video, DVD and books-on-tape collection. The library also conducts many programs for adults and children. The public library has consistently scored one ofthe highest circulation rates in the state of Mississippi, and the First Regional system has the highestranked circulation of all library sys-
terns in the state. Library hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and Sundays from 2 to 5 p.m.
Southside Gallery, on the south side ofthe Square, has hosted some ofthe country's foremost painters, sculptors and photographers since it opened in 1993.
Art2Frame Gallery & Custom Framing, located on Heritage Drive, and The Frame Up/Basement Gallery, located on the Square, hosts exhibits and offer custom framing.
On campus, Meek Hall Gallery130 showcases the work ofstudents, faculty and alumni. Local artists display their work at
AJAX
some ofthe antiques malls around town, and at shows hosted bythe Oxford Artists Guild. Many local restaurants and coffee shops and the occasional Square business will also showcase the work of local artists on their walls as monthly exhibits. Water Valley, a 20-minute drive south, is also home to galleries such as Yalo Studio and Bozarts Gallery.
Residents ofthe Oxford community can also become members ofthe library atthe University of Mississippi. Hours vary by semes- ter. For more information, call the library at 662-915-7091.