In the event you’re looking for a street journey that sparks dialog lengthy after the trip is over, the fast, two-hour drive from Oxford to Corinth, Mississippi, delivers on each degree. Alongside the route, households will encounter literary landmarks, pivotal Civil Conflict websites, a storied school campus, and the form of small-town hospitality that invitations you to decelerate and embrace the previous.

Oxford: A Spirited School City Steeped in Phrases

Oxford will attraction you with its conventional, very walkable city sq. anchored by the stately 1872 Lafayette County Courthouse. From morning espresso to night cocktails, locals and guests alike linger right here — buying, debating literature, and, in fact, speaking soccer.

Named after Oxford, England, the city was based with nice literary aspirations. Literary giants William Faulkner, John Grisham, and Tennessee Williams every left their mark right here, lending the city an mental curiosity that continues to this present day.

No go to is full with out a while at Sq. Books, broadly thought-about one of many most interesting unbiased bookstores within the South. Unfold throughout three areas — Sq. Books, Sq. Books Jr., and Uncommon Sq. Books — the expertise invitations you to browse curated cabinets, learn employees suggestions, and settle into cozy corners. It’s straightforward to think about Faulkner himself peering over your shoulder, urging you to find your subsequent nice learn.

Simply steps away, Neilson’s, the South’s oldest division retailer (opened in 1839), continues to impress generations of consumers. From clothes to house décor, the shop is as a lot a residing museum as it’s a retail vacation spot.

Rowan Oak: Inside Faulkner’s World

Marker figuring out Rowan Oak, the place William Faulkner lived and wrote / Picture by Mira Temkin

A brief drive away lies Rowan Oak, Faulkner’s house and the place he wrote his Nobel-prize profitable novels. The home, stored a lot because it was throughout Faulkner’s lifetime, provides an intimate glimpse into the creator’s thoughts. What a thrill to see his desk and typewriter! (Admission is $5, money solely.)

Owned by the College, take the Bailey Woods Path from the home to the campus, particularly lovely within the fall.

Ole Miss: The place Historical past, Youth, and Objective Converge

Statue of hero James Meredith on the Ole Miss campus / Picture by Mira Temkin

The College of Mississippi, affectionately generally known as Ole Miss, infuses Oxford with a youthful vitality. Strolling the picturesque campus, it’s straightforward to think about future potentialities. Even youthful kids needs to be inspired to see school as an attainable subsequent step, strolling by lecture rooms the place studying shapes lives.

One of the highly effective stops is the statue of James Meredith, who built-in the college in 1962 underneath federal safety. His braveness opened doorways for generations of African American college students. Meredith later graduated from Ole Miss and earned a regulation diploma from Columbia College, and his legacy stays a cornerstone of the campus’s identification.

Greek life thrives right here, with practically 30 sorority and fraternity homes lining the streets, whereas Vaught-Hemingway Stadium fills with greater than 68,000 followers on recreation days — a sea of crimson, navy, and powder blue.

Singing the Blues on Campus

The Blues Assortment at Ole Miss / Picture by Mira Temkin

Blues lovers ought to head to the J.D. Williams Library, house to the world’s largest archive, together with B.B. King’s private assortment. Curated by Greg Johnson, the gathering reveals Mississippi’s large affect on American music. Johnson shared that Mississippi has extra Grammy winners than some other state: “As the primary college to have a Blues Assortment, college students get uncovered to blues on campus and perceive the roots of so many fashionable genres.”

Don’t miss the Dwelling Blues Journal marker (now produced there) referred to as “Documenting the Blues,” honoring the publication that continues to doc the style’s legacy.

The place to Keep and Eat in Oxford

The Graduate Lodge, close to City Sq., in Oxford / Picture by Mira Temkin

Keep close to all of the motion at the Graduate, steps from the Sq.. The lodge blends collegiate fashion with consolation, welcoming college students and company alike. Seize espresso at Cabin 82, then head to the rooftop Coop for sweeping views and craft cocktails.

Different family-friendly lodging embrace The Inn at Ole Miss with a seasonal out of doors pool or Tru by Hilton, which incorporates complimentary scorching breakfast and free wifi.

Begin the day at A Massive Unhealthy Breakfast and also you gained’t be hungry for lunch. Belief me, the parts are that vast, providing Southern favorites like shrimp and grits, biscuits, and BIG hash browns. When you’re in the identical buying middle, cease in Chicory Marketplace for natural juices, meals, and specialty coffees. Have dinner at Metropolis Grocery that showcases refined Southern delicacies. Saint Leo, simply off the Sq., impresses with wood-fired Italian dishes — the Quick Rib Ragu is unforgettable.

A Massive Unhealthy Breakfast to start out your day / Picture by Mira Temkin

Head to Corinth: The Crossroads of the South

Named after the traditional Greek metropolis, Corinth as soon as stood on the intersection of two very important rail traces. Corinth’s location made it one of the crucial strategically essential areas of the U.S. Civil Conflict. Each Union and Accomplice forces fought fiercely for management, incomes it the nickname “The Crossroads of the South.” Immediately, Corinth’s preserved downtown and welcoming locals make it straightforward to discover on foot.

For these driving an RV, it’s free to park your car in a single day on the Crossroads Museum by way of Harvest Host.

Strolling By Civil Conflict Historical past

Climb on the railcar and fake to drive / Picture by Mira Temkin

Start on the Corinth Civil Conflict Interpretive Middle, a part of the Shiloh Nationwide Army Park in Tennessee, the place historical past unfolds by multimedia displays and considerate design. Outdoors, a symbolic water characteristic traces troop actions, its mild stream connecting previous and current in a deeply transferring means.

A couple of blocks away, the Crossroads Museum occupies the city’s historic practice depot. Children can climb aboard a railcar, whereas adults discover displays celebrating railroads, native tradition, and wartime historical past. Close by, a brilliant crimson caboose and Civil Conflict cannon make excellent photograph opps.

An Genuine Style of the South

Corinth’s most well-known dish is the Slugburger, a Despair-era basic named for its five-cent value (“slug”). Immediately, it’s a beloved native custom. Attempt one at Borroum’s Drug Retailer and Soda Fountain, the oldest working drugstore in Mississippi. Pair it with a milkshake and discover the small in-house museum curated by proprietor Camille Borroum Mitchell, considered one of Ole Miss’s first feminine pharmacy graduates.

One other must-stop is Abe’s Grill, a Corinth establishment for greater than 50 years. Open weekdays till early afternoon, Abe’s serves hearty breakfasts, juicy burgers, and beneficiant hospitality. Seize a counter seat, admire the partitions full of memorabilia, and benefit from the feeling of being welcomed like household.

Coca-Cola, Tradition, and Braveness

Coca Cola is an All-American favourite / Picture by Mira Temkin

The Corinth Coca-Cola Museum, housed in a restored Nineteenth-century constructing, is a fizzy time capsule crammed with classic bottles, indicators, and memorabilia celebrating the enduring model. Children will love the soda fountain and searching on the previous signage. 

Maybe probably the most transferring web site is the Corinth Contraband Camp, the place practically 6,000 previously enslaved individuals started their journey to freedom. Managed by the Nationwide Park Service, the location honors those that constructed houses, discovered to learn, earned wages, and fashioned a group. Many males later joined the U.S. Coloured Troops, shaping the course of the struggle. Strolling the grounds, the tales of resilience and hope linger lengthy after you permit.

Study post-Civil Conflict historical past at Corinth Contraband Camp / Picture by Mira Temkin

A Easy however Memorable Mississippi Highway Journey

From Oxford’s literary soul to Corinth’s hard-won freedom tales, this Mississippi street journey provides households excess of sightseeing — it provides perspective, dialogue, and a deeper understanding of America’s previous.

For extra info, try the official websites for Oxford and Corinth.

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Mira Temkin is a Chicago-based journey author who makes a speciality of multi-gen and skip journey for households. Her tales cowl locations throughout the globe with an emphasis on studying in regards to the world. Her tales have appeared in Orbitz, Travelocity, Discover.com, and extra. She may be reached at [email protected]. 

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