Round 2: Oxford, MS vs. Yellow Springs, OH
Welcome to the second round of the sixth annual Strongest Town Competition! This contest is our annual celebration of the towns and cities across North America who are building stronger communities, even in times of uncertainty and change.
We’re down to our top eight contestants, and for this round, we asked them to cut back on the text and instead send us five photos, with a caption for each explaining how it illustrates the strength of their city.
Check out the photo submissions from two of our elite eight contenders below, and cast your vote at the bottom of the page!
Voting closes at 12pm CDT on Thursday, March 25th.
OXFORD, MS
Entry submitted by: Mayor Robyn Tannehill, Bart Robinson, Ben Requet, Jon Maynard
Cultural Connection
Oxford is a haven for the arts and a cultural mecca for Mississippi and the Southeast. From the authentically local to the renowned and global, Oxford past and present is home to artists, academics, writers, and musicians. For over two decades the City of Oxford has supported our burgeoning arts scene with the Double Decker Festival, held annually in April. Centered around the historic Courthouse Square, more than 60,000 visitors come to Oxford to choose from the myriad options of local and regional art, to enjoy live music, and to enjoy the many tasty selections from local food vendors. Meanwhile the many classical drama and music options offered at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts satisfy another range of entertainment opportunities. Our eclectic live music scene and variety of arts events happening almost daily provide locals, visitors, and our college students with inspiration and joy in this creative community, and so many reasons to come downtown! This rich diversity of talent makes us #OxfordStrong!
Photo Credit: Visit Oxford
Beauty and Brains
The University of Mississippi, affectionately known as Ole Miss, is a central feature of Oxford, Mississippi’s landscape. Oxford chose its name in the hopes to be the future location of the state's flagship university in the 1830’s. We won that contest in 1848 and the ongoing cooperative growth of the university and the community has created a symbiotic and complementary beauty and intellectual achievement. Frequently on the list of the most beautiful college campuses, the aura surrounding the university extends into the adjoining charming neighborhoods and the nearby historic commercial heart of Oxford. The common thread that defines our town and gown relationship is, and has always been, attracting the best and brightest students, including 27 Rhodes Scholars and 24 Fulbright Scholars, and leading researchers across the arts and sciences, business, and professions like engineering and pharmacy. Beyond the acclaimed Center for the Study of Southern Culture; the university has led research to reduce noise in high-performance jet engines, and earned recognition for its work to assess the safety and authenticity of botanicals in the U.S. market. The university blends expertise to deliver cross-training in major disciplines. Established with the help of the Toyota manufacturing facility in nearby Blue Springs, Mississippi, the Center for Manufacturing Excellence educates students in accounting, business and engineering to lead in the manufacturing space. The Croft Institute for International Studies challenges students with an interdisciplinary curriculum of language, culture and the global economy to launch graduates into careers in diplomacy, national security, NGOs, and international business. Beauty and brains – that’s Ole Miss. Our town and gown relationship makes us #OxfordStrong!
Photo Credit: Robert Jordan/Ole Miss Communications
Building Equity Through Housing
Oxford is working to create solutions for affordable and workforce housing. After the adoption of our master plan, Vision 2037, Oxford established an Affordable Housing Committee guided by a diverse Executive Committee representing all major community stakeholders, providing the City imaginative and balanced guidance in the adoption of evolving housing policies in an ever-changing and challenging market that serves local citizens, students, retirees, and second-home owners. Meeting the challenge of lower income citizens, Belle Rivers, consisting of lease-to-own townhomes with affordable rents reserved for middle to lower income Oxonians, is one piece of a strategy to ensure a resilient economy and work towards the goal of quality housing options for all of our neighbors. This ongoing commitment to providing a wide range of housing options for all our citizens makes us #OxfordStrong!
Photo Credit: Stewart Rutledge/Belle Rivers
The Perfect Trail Mix
The Yokona Sculpture Trail is a partnership between the City and the University to provide a rotating series of sculptures from regional artists along the nearly two miles of walking paths at Lamar Park. Oxford prides itself on the accessibility and abundance of its active, and attractive, routes to everyday destinations. Whether along the Yokna Sculpture Trail, Bailey’s Wood National Recreation Trail (located in the heart of Oxford between the University and the home of William Faulkner), over 35 miles of hand-built mountain bike trails, or along the quick but lovely walk from the Grove to the Square, Oxford’s trails and walkways offer diverse options for recreation and transportation to all Oxonians. Our many options for healthy and safe routes to work and play make us #OxfordStrong!
Photo Credit: Bruce Newman, Oxford Eagle
Let Me Tell You Our Story
From Main Street entrepreneurs to technology developers, Oxford has set its sights on growth from the inside out. We firmly believe in sustainable economic development built on our homegrown strengths. Our community has produced a world renowned and successful independent bookstore initially capitalizing on the works of such local writers as William Faulkner and John Grisham; but now known for championing a wide and diverse world of books from adult fiction, to regional nonfiction, to rare books, to a magical separate children’s bookstore. An entire “Conference on the Book” has evolved around Square Books. James Beard Award winning chefs and restaurants abound in our small city. The Southern Foodways Alliance has evolved and offers an annual festival celebrating the many cultural iterations of southern cuisine. Building on local success, some of our business owners have expanded to become national restaurant chains and technology companies that have revolutionized the mortgage industry and contract restoration business. Banks and insurance companies have begun to rely on the technology developed in Oxford, Mississippi. Our community has created amazing growth while still maintaining the uniquely intellectual and funky mix of multi-cultural Southern hospitality for which Oxford, Mississippi has become known. In 2020, policom.com ranked Oxford’s economy as the 8th strongest micropolitan economy in the United States. Our economy is #OxfordStrong!
Photo Credit: Thomas Graning/Ole Miss Communications
YELLOW SPRINGS, OH
Entry submitted by: Raven Behrens, Johnnie Burns, Denise Swinger, Marianne MacQueen, Brian Housh, Josue Salmeron, Judy Kintner
Maintain Village Vitality
A strong Village Value is to “Be a welcoming community of opportunity for all persons regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, economic status, mental/physical ability or religious affiliation.” The annual YS Pride Week celebration is a colorful, music-filled and joyous event that welcomes all Villagers and visitors from other communities to “Find Yourself Here.” The Village attracts over 300,000 visitors annually through festivals such as Street Fair, Springsfest, Porchfest, Art on the Lawn, and many other special events. Yellow Springs has long been a place where diverse relationships, ideas and families are embraced, highlighted by being among the first communities in Ohio to recognize same-sex marriage as well as to declare “Racism as a Public Health Crisis.”
Photo Credit: Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce
Promote Sustainable Growth
Yellow Springs, founded in 1804, is unique mix of rural and urban, with a thriving downtown and eclectic neighborhoods surrounded by preserved farmland, with Antioch College as the inspiration for the cultural and intellectual impetus that led to the Village becoming a “destination.” As a destination, the Village is located along Little Miami Scenic Trail where the heart of downtown offers a variety of art, jewelry, clothing and book stores, coupled with a variety of restaurants, coffee shops, and anchored by a full-service grocery store, a pharmacy and hardware store. Often listed as one of the “Coolest,” “Most Beautiful,” and “Best College” small towns to visit, the Village is surrounded by Glen Helen Nature Preserve, John Bryan State Park and Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve. To support the innovative and creative community, we must deliver best-in-class services, while being a model employer, promoting diversity, and leading with a responsible and sustainable fiscal model. The Village Team is focused on repairing and maintaining our infrastructure, requiring us to be innovative about securing funding through grants and working with neighboring communities.
Photo credit: Antioch College
Ensure Social Justice
Yellow Springs “intentionally promotes anti-racism, inclusion, equity and accessibility through Village policies, procedures and processes.” Council’s Arts and Culture Commission worked with local artist Migiwa Orimo, who held workshops for local youth to create a protest wall highly visible to those driving through our downtown. Our progressive approach to policing includes a dedicated social worker, the first in Ohio. Our Justice System Collaborative Commission continues to bring forward meaningful anti-racism initiatives, collaborating with a diversity of organizations and individuals.
Photo credit: The Village of Yellow Springs
Live, Work & Play
The Village Team operates under a system of Values. These six Village Values inform decision-making in all aspects of government. The Village of Yellow Springs is known for being “Everyone’s Favorite Place.” This is why people of all backgrounds enjoy our vibe. Many who have attended our annual Street Fairs ultimately move to town because they fall in love with our walkable/bikeable downtown—a Bike Friendly Community and a Buckeye Trail Town. Mutual respect is critical to engender a sense of safety for all residents and visitors of Yellow Springs. This underscores the importance of appreciating the diversity of the individuals who live in and interact with our Village.
Photo credit: John Wehner
Deepen Environmental Resiliency
The “Spring” that gives the Village its name carries a legend that those who drink from The Spring are destined to return. Yellow Springs is committed to its Village Value to “Seek, in all decisions and actions, to reduce the community’s carbon footprint, encourage sound ecological practices and provide careful, creative & cooperative stewardship of land resources.” The Village’s 87% green energy portfolio, our active promotion of community solar, and our designation as a Wildlife Habitat Community highlight our meaningful efforts to counter climate change. Implementing our Active Transportation Plan is critical to meeting our Climate Action Plan goals.
Photo credit: The Yellow Springs News
