Rowan Oak (William Faulkner Home) | Oxford MS

Rowan Oak, the former home of William Faulkner in Oxford, Mississippi, is one of the most evocative literary landmarks in the American South. Tucked into a grove of cedars and oaks about a mile south of Oxford’s courthouse square, the house reflects both the quiet dignity of the Old South and the restless imagination of the man who lived there.

History of the Estate

The house was originally built around 1844 by Colonel Robert Sheegog, an Irish planter. Its design follows the Greek Revival style common in antebellum Mississippi, with a symmetrical façade, white clapboard siding, and broad verandas. The property was known simply as “The Bailey Place” before Faulkner purchased it.

William Faulkner bought the house in 1930 for $6,000. By then he had published several novels but was still struggling financially. Naming it “Rowan Oak” (a reference to the mythic Rowan tree, symbol of peace and security), Faulkner began restoring the neglected house and grounds. It became his primary residence until his death in 1962.

Architecture and Grounds

Rowan Oak is a two-story, clapboard Greek Revival house with a four-columned front portico. The structure is simple yet stately, with wide hallways, high ceilings, and broad windows that bring in natural light.

Surrounding the house are 29 acres of woods, pastures, and gardens, offering a sense of seclusion. Cedar-lined paths and open fields form part of the landscape, where Faulkner often walked, rode horses, and sought inspiration. Behind the house lies a stable, barn, and other outbuildings that recall the site’s agricultural past.

Inside Rowan Oak

Stepping inside feels like entering a preserved snapshot of Faulkner’s life. Many rooms remain as they were when he lived there:

The Study: Perhaps the most famous room in the house. On the plaster walls of his office, Faulkner outlined the plot of his novel A Fable in pencil - the notes are still visible today. His typewriter, riding boots, and hunting gear remain in place.

Library and Living Spaces: Shelves hold books, many worn from use. Family photographs, personal artifacts, and even his daughter Jill’s belongings contribute to the lived-in feeling.

Dining Room and Bedrooms: Furnished simply, with an understated Southern domestic style. The house was not extravagant; Faulkner invested more in the land and in the solitude it offered than in luxury.

Literary Significance

Rowan Oak is more than a home; it is the physical embodiment of Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha County - the fictional setting of much of his work. From this quiet house, Faulkner wrote masterpieces such as Light in August, Absalom, Absalom!, and Go Down, Moses.

The atmosphere of Rowan Oak seeps into his novels: the interplay of decay and endurance, the weight of history, and the timeless rhythms of Southern life. Visitors often remark that the house itself feels like a character out of his stories - dignified yet weathered, proud yet scarred by the past.

After Faulkner’s Death

When Faulkner died in 1962, his family maintained the property for a time. In 1972, the house and grounds were purchased by the University of Mississippi, which undertook preservation efforts. It is now operated as a house museum, open to the public for tours.

The university has taken care to retain the authenticity of the home - it is not over-curated but rather presented as if Faulkner might walk back in at any moment.

Visiting Rowan Oak Today

Rowan Oak sits at the end of Old Taylor Road, reachable by a shady walking path or a short drive from the square. Visitors enter through a tree-lined avenue that sets the tone of retreat and quiet.

Inside, self-guided tours allow guests to move at their own pace. The surrounding grounds are free to walk, and many locals and students use the trails that pass through Bailey Woods, linking Rowan Oak with the University of Mississippi Museum.

The experience is sensory as much as intellectual: the creak of wooden floors, the smell of old books and cedar, the stillness of the house surrounded by birdsong. For admirers of Faulkner, it feels like stepping into the very soil of his imagination.

Closing Impression

Rowan Oak captures both the man and the myth of William Faulkner. It is a Southern home that survived war, neglect, and time, only to become a sanctuary where one of America’s greatest writers shaped his fictional world. Visiting it today offers more than a history lesson; it provides a glimpse into the creative solitude that gave rise to some of the most enduring literature of the 20th century.