By Harold Brummett
Denmark Star Route

Last week I attended the Coffee and Conversations at the Chamber of Commerce. This is a monthly event and the speakers are interesting and varied. Rosie Vassallo received my RSVP and my spot was assured.

The flier sent out said a “short talk on the history of Oxford, changes through the decades and a casual Q and A on Faulkner and history of Oxford.” It was that, only too short.

Never having paid much attention to the Cofields aside from admiring the photos and appreciating the history they preserved, I discovered the latest edition of Cofields (John) has continued the work of a photographic historian. John Cofield graciously presented two books of his work to the Chamber for newcomers to look through and get a feeling of Oxford as it was before.

As John Cofield told stories he led me through memories and discoveries of times past in Oxford that had become dormant through disuse. John Cofield spoke of people and places I knew or knew of and stories unknown to me. I laughed to myself when John Cofield told about not only knowing what a particular building is now, but what it was. My sister and I frequently guide each other not with current names and places but locate new businesses using old landmark names. It is what we know best.

There were folks in attendance who were not from Oxford or Lafayette County who are interested in our history and that is fine, one should know something about where you are living now. As newcomers look at our past, remember it is not just quaint, charming, picturesque, peculiar, or even bizarre. To us whose very atoms are made up of hill country red clay it simply is and the memories through stories still alive.

Deborah Freeland was there taking photos. I had become acquainted with Deborah back in the 1970’s while Angie and I were undergraduates. Deborah spoke with kindness of the interview she had with my Dad Audley for her work on World War 2 veterans. While age has taken its toll on me, Deborah is as pretty and gracious as I remembered.

Pam Swain (President and CEO of the Chamber) and I spoke as the meeting ended. I very much appreciated the series and thanked her for her efforts. The coffee from Velvet Ditch was delicious and added just the right atmosphere for reminiscing.