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University of Mississippi

William Nichols based the 1848 Lyceum on an Ionic temple near Athens, and Barnard Observatory was modeled on the observatory at Pulkovo in Russia.

  • 4Buildings
  • 3Traditions
  • 1844Oldest · Rowan Oak
  • 1939Newest · Kennon Observatory

Planning the visit

  • Fly intoTupelo Regional Airport (TUP)

    Tupelo Regional Airport, east of Oxford, has a few daily flights. Memphis International Airport, to the north, is the nearest major airport.

  • Getting aroundWalking / Oxford-University Transit

    The Circle and the Grove sit at the center of a walkable campus. Oxford-University Transit buses link campus with the town.

  • Colors and teams

    The school colors are cardinal red and navy blue, and the teams are the Rebels.

4 buildings to stamp

  1. The Lyceum

    The Circle, University, MS 38677

    English architect William Nichols designed the Lyceum, the first building on the campus, completed in 1848. It served as a hospital in the Civil War and as the federal headquarters during the 1962 riot.

    Built
    1848
    Architect
    William Nichols
    Style
    Neoclassical Revival
    Today
    Administration
  2. Barnard Observatory
    Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Barnard Observatory

    Barnard Observatory, University, MS 38677

    Completed in 1859 for Chancellor Frederick Barnard, this Greek Revival observatory was meant to hold the world's largest refracting telescope. The Civil War stopped the purchase, and it now houses the Center for the Study of Southern Culture.

    Built
    1859
    Style
    Greek Revival
    Today
    Center for the Study of Southern Culture
  3. Kennon Observatory
    Photo: Brandonrush (talk), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    Kennon Observatory

    Kennon Observatory, University, MS 38677

    Built in 1939, this observatory has two copper-roofed domes and is aligned exactly east to west. A tube in the south wall lets the noon sun reach the floor only on the equinoxes.

    Built
    1939
    Architect
    R. W. Naef
    Style
    Classical
    Today
    Astronomical Observatory
  4. Rowan Oak
    Photo: Wescbell (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Rowan Oak

    Old Taylor Rd, Oxford, MS 38655

    William Faulkner lived in this primitive Greek Revival house, built in 1844, from 1930 until his death in 1962. The university has owned it since 1972 and keeps it open to visitors.

    Built
    1844
    Architect
    Robert Sheegog
    Style
    Greek Revival
    Today
    Historic House Museum

3 traditions to check off

Stamped! keeps these as a checklist, so you can tick each one off on the visit.

  • Walk of Champions

    Before every Saturday home game, the team walks through the Grove from the Walk of Champions arch, a 1998 gift from the unbeaten 1962 team. Fans line the path to cheer them on.

  • Civil Rights Monument

    Between the Lyceum and the library, a life-size statue of James Meredith, the first Black student admitted to the university, stands with a limestone portal carved with the words Courage, Knowledge, Perseverance and Opportunity.

  • The Grove

    This 10-acre park shaded by oaks sits at the center of campus. Stroll through it, and on game days hear the Pride of the South play its pregame show at the Grove stage.

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