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Oxford

Oxford is a center for Southern culture and has been described by USA Today as "a thriving New South arts Mecca." Nestled among the rolling hills, the aroma of wisteria and the historic town square accent life in the town.
    
Oxford is best known for the art and literature produced here. Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner resided in the town and used its people and places as the inspiration for his fictional world of Yoknapatawpha County. Rowan Oak, his antebellum mansion, still remains intact and is open for tours.
    
Oxford continues to serve Faulkner's legacy well. A strong literary community remains here, with a roster including John Grisham and Willie Morris. Each year the town hosts two internationally recognized literary conferences. The Faulkner Conference draws visitors from around the globe, and the Oxford Conference for the Book attracts some of the most respected writers in the United States.

 The University of Mississippi (better known as Ole Miss) is an integral part of Oxford life. Ole Miss has seven major schools of study, and students over age 65 can take up to four hours each semester for free. The university's various museums include exhibits ranging from classic Roman and Greek antiquities to B.B. King's personal album collection.
     
The University Artist Series holds several major productions featuring world-renowned classical performers, and the school's Festival of Southern Theater premiers plays to an audience of national theater critics. The campus is also the site of fierce athletic matchups between the Ole Miss Rebels and other Southeastern Conference teams.
    
A major regional medical center is located in Oxford, which draws superb doctors and health care professionals to the area. The town also boasts several home health agencies to meet specialized medical needs.
     
The Oxford Double-Decker Arts Festival rolls into town every spring. You'll find plenty of food, music and arts at this bus stop.
    
The Fourth of July is a real blowout with festivities including a parade, musicians, dancers and artists. And there's always a party at the blues clubs and restaurants on Beale Street a little over an hour away in Memphis.
    
Oxford is also blessed with scenic natural surroundings. One of the best locations for fishing and water sports, Sardis Lake is a 15-minute drive from downtown, and three reservoirs are within 50 miles. Hunters, hikers and other assorted nature lovers can take comfort in the fact that Oxford is almost completely surrounded by Holly Springs National Forest. 
    
OxfordNamed as one of "The 50 Best Small Southern Towns" by Sweitzer & Fields , Oxford has several area courses, and a local golf course community makes many golfers' dreams come true by making it possible to really live on the fairway of a Jim Fazzio designed golf course.

Read what people like yourself have to say about Oxford:

Jim and Marge McCauley left the hustle and bustle of Memphis/Atlanta for the rolling hills of Lafayette County and Oxford's unique blend of culture and cosmopolitan living."

Mississippi Living: Why did you choose Oxford, Mississippi, for your retirement?

The McCauley's: After 27 years in the hotel industry we wanted a little smaller/slower pace. Our daughter graduated from Ole Miss, so we knew Oxford and the community. When close friends retired and bought a large parcel of land just outside Oxford, they invited us to share the land. It was a perfect match for our retirement lifestyle.

Mississippi Living: What do you like best about your new home?

The McCauley's: First of all, it's a large parcel of land that is secluded with a great fishing lake for our family. There are only two houses on the lake, ours and our good friends who bought the original property. We have three children, five grandchildren who all live within fifty miles. We built a country home that is designed for large family gatherings, and dinner parties with friends, which happens often.

Mississippi Living: Have there been any surprises?

The McCauley's: The only surprise is the large array of activities that are available. Jim writes novels and plays which have been published and produced. He also serves as Vice Chairman of the Oxford Tourism Council and Conference Center. Marge is a Master Gardner and very active in the Oxford Garden Club, The Cosmopolitan Club, and various church activities. We are also season ticket holders for Ole Miss football, basketball, and baseball. If that's not enough, we attend Ole Miss theater events, Oxford theater events, and are active in the arts council. When we get over-involved, we travel around the country and world which only reminds us why we love living in Oxford, MS.

Facts and Figures
Population:
18,008
Hospital Beds:
217
Physcians:
100+
Average cost of Home:
$202,890
Average Cost of a New 2,000 sq. ft. Brick Home on a
half-acre lot:
$249,000
Tax on $100,000 Home with Homestead Exemption:
(under age 65): $1,898.40
(65 and older): $1,374.01
Places of Worship:
100+
Denominations Represented: 22
Commercial passenger air service available in Tupelo (50 miles east) and Memphis (70 miles northwest).

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Oxford-Lafayette County Econ. Dev. Foundation
299 West Jackson Avenue
P.O. Box 108
Oxford, MS  38655
Phone: 662-234-4651
1-800-880-6967
Fax: 662-234-4655
E-mail: retire@oxfordms.com
Website: www.oxfordms.com

 
 
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