Oxford - Pros & Cons - Let Me Have It ! ! ! (Gulfport: condos, buying a home)

[scd0903]

Folks,

I drove through Oxford tonight and it was pretty dark but from what I could see and what I could tell.....it seemed like a pretty cool little town. The quaint downtown and of course the University.

I would consider it for buying a home to relocate my family (wife & 3 kids - grades 6 through 10) if I could get some more information on what it is like to actually live there rather than drive through one night.

Give me your perspective/opinion please. How is the arts scene? How about outdoor activities? Hiking? Biking?

How are the public schools? I don't think I could swing private.

Please chip in with your opinion - - positive or negative.

Thanks folks!!!

-scd0903

[Mr.Sippi]

Con: Home of Ole Miss

[hanna]

It isn't a cheap place to buy a house.

I don't know about the schools; I don't have kids.

I have lived here three years and am trying desperately to get out. It might be better to live here if you have a family, but without, it is pretty much a craphole. The university dominates the town. The square may be quaint but it isn't worth the trouble. It is dominated by stores catering to the wealthy college students and alumni. Very little is accessible to those that actually live here. Developers have taken over the town (and the town has let them) with overpriced condos being built everywhere from ditches to, well, ditches. Despite the university, very little by the way of culture or variety. Decent amount of restaurants, but little variety in said restaurants. Plus, many of them cater to the wealthy students and alumni.

Traffic is congested and annoying. Students driving oversized, overpriced cars. Multi-family units being built on single lots, a town/city government that realized too late that the growth in the area was unchecked -- all of these things lead to too much traffic on streets not built to handle that much traffic.

There is an art scene, but it is pretty 'eh'. There is a music scene but it is pretty 'eh'. In my opinion, Oxford is one big 'eh.' There are better places out there. Lots of them.

There are many more cons in my opinion.

Pros...

It may be better if you have a family. It is a small town if that is what you want. Two movie theatres.

Um, right now I can't think of any.

The biggest issues: unchecked growth, overpriced housing, condos galore, complete and absolute lack of choices.

I could not, in good faith, ever recommend someone move here.

[Willy99]

Lived there for six months while attending college. I knew from day one, though, that I had to get out ASAP. I'm originally from the MS Coast and while Biloxi/Gulfport isn't exactly LA or New York, I just couldn't take the absolute lack of culture there. You have the town square, sure, and many Ole Miss Alumni will try to sell you on that alone; honestly, there isn't much else unless you're there in some correlation with the university. I transferred to USM in Hattiesburg and found it to be much more my kind of place, in fact, I stayed there for nearly six years and I still miss it every once in awhile.

[eddie gein]

The pros of Oxford are the town square and the beautiful campus. For a town of 10,000 Oxford has quite a bit going on. Not many towns of 10,000 possess a state's flagship University. It is a really pretty spot. Very genteel and very preppy.

The cons of Oxford include the fact that after about a month you have done all there is to do there. Fortunately, Memphis isn't too far away for things to do.
However Oxford seems kind of off the beaten path for most of Mississippi being so far north.

Probably not a bad place if you have a family but if you are singal and over 25 years old you would pretty much be considered a fossil.

[Meriwether]

Oxford is nice in the summer when the students have left and traffic is not so congested. It really offers a lot for a small town, including good restaurants, good music and good schools. The lack of outdoor activities is it's major drawback.

[AppalachianAngler]

Originally Posted by Willy99

Lived there for six months while attending college. I knew from day one, though, that I had to get out ASAP. I'm originally from the MS Coast and while Biloxi/Gulfport isn't exactly LA or New York, I just couldn't take the absolute lack of culture there. You have the town square, sure, and many Ole Miss Alumni will try to sell you on that alone; honestly, there isn't much else unless you're there in some correlation with the university. I transferred to USM in Hattiesburg and found it to be much more my kind of place, in fact, I stayed there for nearly six years and I still miss it every once in awhile.

I go to school at OM in Oxford so I guess I'm a bit biased, but Oxford has plenty of more culture than Hattiesburg and USM. That post could not be more wrong. Oxford was named the "New Arts Mecca of the South" by USA Today a few years ago. The University generally has good speakers (authors), concerts in the Grove & at the Ford Center, etc. Square Books has amazing authors and there is a lot of history in Oxford. Proud Larry's and the Library get a lot of "mid-size" acts as well, but you will generally have to deal with a lot of drunk college kids.

Overall Oxford is not the greatest place, but for a town its size in Mississippi it is your best bet. The only thing I don't like is the traffic is horrible. It is very congested for a town its size. The square is very quaint, but it is expensive. However, there are plenty of local spots that have great down home food for cheap (Handy Andy's BBQ, The Beacon).

As far as the outdoors goes - it isn't great, but none of Mississippi is unless you like duck hunting/deer hunting, or bass fishing on the lake. Oxford has Avent Park (nice scenic walking trail + disc golf), Wall Doxey is about 20 minutes up the road near Holly Springs, and Sardis Lake is only a 10-15 minute drive, Puskus Lake is about the same distance.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by AppalachianAngler

I go to school at OM in Oxford so I guess I'm a bit biased, but Oxford has plenty of more culture than Hattiesburg and USM. That post could not be more wrong. Oxford was named the "New Arts Mecca of the South" by USA Today a few years ago. The University generally has good speakers (authors), concerts in the Grove & at the Ford Center, etc. Square Books has amazing authors and there is a lot of history in Oxford. Proud Larry's and the Library get a lot of "mid-size" acts as well, but you will generally have to deal with a lot of drunk college kids.

Overall Oxford is not the greatest place, but for a town its size in Mississippi it is your best bet. The only thing I don't like is the traffic is horrible. It is very congested for a town its size. The square is very quaint, but it is expensive. However, there are plenty of local spots that have great down home food for cheap (Handy Andy's BBQ, The Beacon).

As far as the outdoors goes - it isn't great, but none of Mississippi is unless you like duck hunting/deer hunting, or bass fishing on the lake. Oxford has Avent Park (nice scenic walking trail + disc golf), Wall Doxey is about 20 minutes up the road near Holly Springs, and Sardis Lake is only a 10-15 minute drive, Puskus Lake is about the same distance.

AA, from your posts in the Tennessee forum I just assumed you lived in Tennessee. I'm an Ole Miss alum myself. Hotty Toddy!

I think Oxford is a fantastic place, at least by Mississippi standards. Oxford city schools are excellent.

I don't understand why someone would move to a town with 10,000 people and a university with 13,000 students and expect it to be like Atlanta. It's a SMALL SOUTHERN TOWN. But considering that, there's a LOT to do, and there is a surprisingly large variety of restaurants. And so what if the restaurants cater to wealthy college students? It just means that the restaurants are GOOD. And because of Oxford's wacky liquor laws, there are no "bars" in Oxford, liquor can be served only in restaurants. So many "bars" actually serve wonderful lunches.

And I agree with Meriwether, Oxford in the summer is wonderful. Well, other than the oppressive Mississippi heat and humidity.

The ONLY thing I wish Oxford still had is the Hoka. It was the coolest, and I mean COOLEST restaurant in town and had a funky little arthouse movie theater that showed foreign movies that you couldn't find anywhere else in the state, or even Memphis. And it was always packed. I don't know why it closed.

[AppalachianAngler]

Originally Posted by JMT

AA, from your posts in the Tennessee forum I just assumed you lived in Tennessee. I'm an Ole Miss alum myself. Hotty Toddy!

The ONLY thing I wish Oxford still had is the Hoka. It was the coolest, and I mean COOLEST restaurant in town and had a funky little arthouse movie theater that showed foreign movies that you couldn't find anywhere else in the state, or even Memphis. And it was always packed. I don't know why it closed.

JMT,

Hotty Toddy! Are you originally from Knoxville or do you just live there now? I grew up in East TN, and my parents still live there. Fortunately I still get to go back for winter breaks, summer, etc.

I got here a little late for the Hoka, but I have definitely heard of it. It is featured in Beanland's "Rising from the Riverbed" DVD. I think Ron Shapiro owned it - he still lives in town and tries to get into politics every now and then.

[Mr.Sippi]

Funny you compare lack of culture and you are from the Coast, and now Hattiesburg. Whats culture to you? Honky Tonks and Casinos?

Originally Posted by Willy99

Lived there for six months while attending college. I knew from day one, though, that I had to get out ASAP. I'm originally from the MS Coast and while Biloxi/Gulfport isn't exactly LA or New York, I just couldn't take the absolute lack of culture there. You have the town square, sure, and many Ole Miss Alumni will try to sell you on that alone; honestly, there isn't much else unless you're there in some correlation with the university. I transferred to USM in Hattiesburg and found it to be much more my kind of place, in fact, I stayed there for nearly six years and I still miss it every once in awhile.