Oxford Square Historic District | Oxford MS

The Oxford Courthouse Square Historic District in Oxford, Mississippi, is both the literal and symbolic heart of the city. It stands as a layered blend of Southern history, architecture, commerce, and culture, anchored by the Lafayette County Courthouse at its center. Walking through the district, you feel the rhythm of Oxford itself - a small town with the soul of a cultural capital.

Early Origins and the Courthouse

Oxford was founded in 1837 with the explicit hope of becoming a seat of learning, modeled after the academic tradition of Oxford, England. The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) opened in 1848, only a mile from the square, giving the town its defining character as a university city. The courthouse square was laid out from the beginning as the civic core.

The original Lafayette County Courthouse, built in the 1840s, was destroyed in 1864 when Union troops set fire to much of Oxford during the Civil War. The courthouse that dominates the square today was built in 1871–1872. Its style is a mixture of Greek Revival and Italianate, marked by tall windows, a classical portico, and a clock tower that rises above the square. This courthouse not only serves as the county’s seat of justice but also stands as a symbol of Oxford’s rebirth after devastation.

Architectural Character of the Square

Encircling the courthouse is a ring of commercial and civic buildings, most dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They are typically two stories tall, built of brick with stucco finishes, and many feature iron balconies or ornamental cornices. These structures reflect the prosperity that returned to Oxford after Reconstruction.

Notable details include:

Cast-iron storefronts with decorative columns.

Wide display windows on the ground floor, recalling Oxford’s days as a regional mercantile hub.

Upper floors with tall, narrow windows, often framed in arched or pedimented styles.

The square’s layout makes it both intimate and grand. The courthouse sits in the middle of a grassy plaza shaded by oaks, while streets radiate outward, lined with shops, offices, and cafes.

Businesses and Landmarks

Several businesses and institutions on the square have become landmarks in their own right.

Neilson’s Department Store: Established in 1839, it is the oldest continuously operating department store in the South. Surviving war and fire, it is still a functioning store and a reminder of Oxford’s commercial resilience.

Square Books: A nationally known independent bookstore founded in 1979. It has grown into three locations around the square, and hosts readings, literary events, and book festivals. For many visitors, stepping inside feels like entering Oxford’s intellectual living room.

The Lyric Theater: Originally a livery stable in the 1800s, later converted into a movie theater, it now serves as a music and performance venue. Its neon marquee glows against the historic facades, bridging past and present.

City Hall and William Faulkner Statue: Near the square stands a bronze statue of William Faulkner, Oxford’s most famous literary son. Faulkner often used the square and courthouse as models in his fictional “Jefferson” of Yoknapatawpha County.

Cultural and Social Life

The square has always been more than just a commercial hub; it’s Oxford’s cultural stage. During the day, university students mingle with locals over coffee or shop in boutiques. In the evening, the district comes alive with music spilling from bars, diners enjoying Southern food on patios, and people gathering for community events.

Oxford’s annual Double Decker Arts Festival, held each spring, transforms the square into a vibrant outdoor gallery and concert ground. Named for the city’s iconic red double-decker bus, the festival draws tens of thousands of visitors. The courthouse lawn fills with artists’ booths, live music, and the smell of barbecues and crawfish boils.

On quieter days, the square has a slower rhythm - footsteps on brick sidewalks, the sound of the courthouse bell, and conversations drifting out of bookstores and cafes.

Preservation and Identity

In 1980, the Oxford Courthouse Square Historic District was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This recognition ensures its preservation, but more importantly, it acknowledges the square’s role as the cultural heart of north Mississippi. Local preservation commissions now regulate changes to the buildings, protecting the scale and character of the district.

Yet the square is not a frozen monument. It continues to evolve - restaurants open in old storefronts, boutiques replace general stores, and tech startups sometimes share walls with century-old law offices. Oxford has found a way to balance growth with preservation, making the district feel alive rather than museum-like.

Visitor’s Experience

A visit to the Oxford Square Historic District is best enjoyed on foot. A typical walk might begin at the courthouse lawn, circling outward to admire the storefronts and iron balconies. Stops at Neilson’s and Square Books anchor the commercial and literary history, while a glance at the Faulkner statue and a peek inside The Lyric add cultural layers.

Small discoveries make the experience memorable: the faint lettering of a 19th-century advertisement on a brick wall, a porch balcony hung with seasonal banners, or a shop window dressed with Ole Miss colors on a football weekend. At night, string lights across balconies and music from nearby bars create an almost European atmosphere, though unmistakably Southern.

Closing Impression

The Oxford Courthouse Square Historic District embodies Mississippi’s contradictions and charms: a place scarred by war but rebuilt with ambition, rooted in tradition yet shaped by literature, preserved for history yet pulsing with modern life. To stand in the square is to feel Oxford’s layered identity - small town, cultural capital, and living stage of the South’s story.