A lot has happened since 1848, what was then University High School (now of course known as Oxford High School) was built around the late 1950s is fixing to be moved to a new location along Sisk Avenue. William Faulkner lived here, New York Giants QB Eli Manning lives here (during the off season) and played at Ole Miss. The South's oldest documented store (J.E. Neilson Co. or "Neilson's") is two years away from celebrating its 175th year of business. It basically saved Oxford from the Great Depression years and acted as a bank as of course most of the banks were closed because of the Depression.
Today, I'm also celebrating my 23rd Birthday. 23 years as opposed to 175 isn't a lot, but it has been a long time to live and hope to live a lot longer. Graduated from Oxford High School in 2007 but it really seems I never left. Finally going to finish up at Ole Miss soon (I've never been a guy to take more than 4 classes and be effective in all of them). Like everyone, I've had my fair share of ups and downs, sports will do that. Met a great number of friends during my 23 years on Earth, the last 20 I've spent in Oxford.
It would just seem appropriate that Oxford's "Birthday" (or the day they simply decided to celebrate it on) is on the same day as my Birthday - Oxford High's #1 fan, helper, person, whatever nickname is there for me. Lots of memories have happened right here in Oxford, at OHS, at Ole Miss, at my church, at the old soccer fields next to the airport where I scored the Game-winning goal in a U12 Match to be one of the two Oxford youth Soccer teams to be represented in Tupelo for the regional round of the Kohl's Cup. Broke my leg in 2nd Grade playing Soccer playing Goalkeeper. Enough about my memories...
There is a time capsule next to City Hall that is not to be opened for a while (I got to check when but I know it is not anytime soon), maybe we should put a 25 year capsule together to be opened when 2037 gets around, Oxford's 200th Birthday. That's just an idea to spread around because 200 is such a big milestone and it would already give us an event of something to do when number 200 comes around.
Happy Birthday Oxford! It has been a great 175 years - well the last 20 anyways, when we get to 200 and 48 in 2037, I'll be sure to share the big cake with you!
| |