For $10 and an hour of time, tourists and life-long residents alike can take a ride down memory lane and explore Oxford’s history. Hop aboard the Double Decker bus 2 p.m. this Friday and get ready to see, as Faulkner called it, our “little postage stamp of native soil.”
For the past six years, Jack Mayfield has been the official tour guide for the Double Decker bus tour. He is a fifth generation Oxonian who attended Ole Miss in 1969. He graduated with a degree in banking and finance then continued to receive his master’s in history in 1993. History has always been a passion for Mayfield.
“As a child, I enjoyed reading history and found my hometown was full of it,” Mayfield said. “So, many things have happened here and many of them are watersheds of American history.”
As the tour guide, he said he loves educating everyone on Oxford’s rich history.
“I try to portray Oxford and Ole Miss in the best light that I can,” Mayfield said.
The tours are about an hour long, but can last up to two hours if people want to stop and visit sights such as Rowan Oak or the Lamar House. They begin at 2 p.m. on football weekend Fridays. When many families come to town on football weekends, they are able to enjoy a fun Double Decker bus ride through the bustling town.
This opportunity allows students to take their parents on a tour and even gives opposing fans an opportunity to see the highlights of Oxford in a short amount of time.
Staying true to Southern hospitality, all fans are welcome aboard the Double Decker bus. The tour is a great way for opposing fans to become tourists and enjoy the beautiful scenery that Oxford has to offer. Mayfield said he loves to show people Oxford for the first time, and he encourages everyone to visit the Grove the following day. Opposing fans who have met people on the tour usually get together to eat and drink in the Grove.
“The only ones we don’t like are the ones who wear purple and gold,” Mayfield said laughing. “I say those LSU fans are the most obnoxious people, and they smell like corn dogs.”
The bus can fit about 65 people— even more if people do not mind sharing their seat with a third person. On the one-hour tour, the bus does not make any stops, but drives slowly through Oxford as Mayfield explains the history.
He said puts extra emphasis on certain historical events that he feels really shaped Oxford, such as the riots of 1962. Trying to fix perceptions, he sets the record straight by explaining the Meredith events in detail.
“I try to show that the people who caused the riots were not Ole Miss students, but outside people who came to Oxford after General Edwin Walker made an announcement on the radio,” Mayfield said.
The tour also covers history starting with the Chickasaw Indians and ending with more recent news like the building of the Center for Manufacturing Excellence.
There is a lot of history in this town, and there is no one more equipped to tell the story than Mayfield. His dedication to Oxford and its history is unwavering and he is able to share that with all walks of life.
Before the big game on Saturday, take a ride on the big Double Decker bus to learn about the town and University. Along with many others, Mayfield will reveal some of Oxford’s secrets, and the stories will unfold right before your eyes. With something for everyone, this tour will not disappoint.
“It is the best way to get the history of Oxford in a very short time,” Mayfield said. “You come away loving Oxford, like most students and retirees who have lived here for most of our lives.”
