• Newspaper
  • Community

  • History

    Founded in 1876. A weekly publication until 1972, when it became a Monday-Friday afternoon daily. Owned by Boone Newspapers Inc. since 2014.

    Our Mission

    To produce exciting, top-quality news publications focusing on people and events that affect the Lafayette-Oxford-University community;

    • To bend over backwards to meet the needs of our advertisers;
    • To report news accurately and without bias;
    • To edit and publish with integrity and with the best interests of our community in mind;
    • To operate at a profit level that allows us to fairly compensate our employees, reinvest in our organization and stand independent from outside influences;
    • To do what we say we will do;
    • And, above all, to treat our readers, advertisers and employees as we would like to be treated ourselves.

    Circulation

    Published Monday through Friday afternoons; Sunday mornings beginning in September 2014 Daily Circulation: 6,000

    Community involvement

    Staff members involved with United Way, Relay for Life, Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development, local schools and local churches

    Awards

    The EAGLE has won numerous Mississippi Press Association and AP individual and staff awards for writing, photography, layout and design, special publications and general excellence.

  • Market

    Oxford is part of a community that includes Lafayette County and the University of Mississippi. The LOU community has a diverse economic base with a mix of industrial, agricultural and retail businesses in addition to being the home of the University of Mississippi.

    Population

    Oxford: 20,088

    Lafayette County: 49,495

    University of Mississippi – Oxford campus: 18,794

    Climate

    Oxford experiences a typical Southern climate with warm, humid summers and mild winters. The average temperature ranges from 30 to 51 degrees in January to 70 to 91 degrees in July. The average annual precipitation is 59.5 inches.

    Major Employers

    University of Mississippi, Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi, Winchester, FNC, SWM, Caterpillar

    Education

    There are two public school districts — Oxford City Schools and Lafayette County Schools — that serve the community along with Regents of Oxford, Oxford University School and Magnolia Montessori School. Oxford is home to the main campus of the University of Mississippi and to a branch campus of Northwest Mississippi Community College.

    History

    Oxford, Mississippi was incorporated in May of 1837, and was built on land that once belonged to the Chickasaw Indian Nation. Lafayette County was one of 13 counties created in February of 1836 by the state legislature. Lafayette was named for the Marquis de Lafayette, the young French aristocrat who fought alongside the Americans during the Revolutionary War. The Mississippi Legislature voted in 1841 to make Oxford the home of the state’s first university, the University of Mississippi. Oxford resident, T.D. Isom had recommended naming the city after Oxford, England, in hopes that it would one day become a university town. The University of Mississippi opened its doors in 1848 to 80 students and has since become a landmark of Oxford and one of the nations finest public universities.

    Culture

    Nobel Prize winning author William Faulkner made his home in Oxford and found inspiration in the people and places of Oxford and Lafayette County which he fictionalized in his Jefferson and Yoknapatawpha County. Oxford has been featured in publications such as Conde Nast Traveler, Budget Travel, Southern Living and Garden and Gun. Many writers have followed in Faulkner’s footsteps, making Oxford their home over the years and adding to the literary reputation Oxford has become renowned for. Touted as the “Cultural Mecca of the South,” creativity abounds in Oxford as musicians, artists and writers alike find inspiration in Oxford’s rich history, small town charm and creative community. Over the years, Oxford has also been known for offering exceptional culinary experiences at the many restaurants in the community. From down-home cooking to upscale culinary creations, Oxford is a food lovers’ delight.

    Recreation

    The Oxford area offers a number of recreational opportunities including hunting, fishing, golf, boating and following Southeastern Conference athletics at the University of Mississippi.

    Area Information

    Visit Oxford at visitoxfordms.com or 662-232-2477 and 1-800-758-9177