While the area of Starkville has been inhabited for over 2,100 years, modern Starkville is known as Mississippi’s college town thanks to local Mississippi State University. The university and its students are two of the biggest influences in town; the university provides excellent attractions and facilities, and the students drive local cultural events.
A jet charter airport in Starkville takes visitors to a university town with something new to check out every day of the week. Swing a club at the top-30 ranked Mississippi State University Golf Course, take in a Bulldog’s football game and listen to the infamous Maroon Band, or wander through the MSU Campus Tree Trail with over 10,000 tree species.
Take in the past at a variety of spots in Starkville. Ulysses S. Grant’s Presidential Library houses documents that cover key periods of 19th century United States ranging from the Mexican War to the Gilded Age. Learn about civil rights leaders at Starkville Unity Park where plaques dedicated to Douglas L. Conner, Martin Luther King Jr., and more are hung aside a timeline of civil rights events.
A visit to the south isn’t complete without some quality home cooking. Soup lovers unite for the annual winter SOUPer Bowl where visitors can savor innovative soups created by local chefs. The King Cotton Crawfish Boil piles up fresh crawfish, corn, and potatoes in this judged competition.
To experience everyday Starkville, wander through the Starkville Community Market for fresh produce or stroll through the Cotton District to see the birth of “New Urbanism.”