Cofield’s Corner

Published 6:45 am Wednesday, March 6, 2024

By John Cofield

From Oxford’s first day in 1836, North Lamar has been the main drag. Southbound northerners of all stripes have topped the plateau in front of Ammadelle and headed for the Square.

On horseback, on ox-drawn carts, in Model As and Ts, all the way to Double Decker buses, they’ve been coming and coming. Each generation of the town’s kids has their memories of North Lamar.   

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From Granddad Cofield’s collection, taken in 1915, a shot of the town’s first garage was to lead a large number of auto-related businesses on the west side of the street. 

The Oxford Eagle shot of the new sidewalk coming in shows many signs of well-remembered old businesses. 

And finally at the end of the block stood J. B. Kelly’s Standard Station. Ice-cold Cokes on steaming summer afternoons will always live there. As will all the fine folks who lived their business lives there on the west side of North Lamar.