Historic Homes Abound in Oxford

According to City Manager Tommy Morrow, these days in Oxford what's oldis new again.

City leaders offer incentives for downtown business owners to teardown false facades and reveal the old brick and limestone that's hiddenunderneath. A law firm moved into the old Orpheum Theater, but thebuilding still boasts the classic marquee. The real treasure of Oxford'sblast from the past is the old high school which is now City Hall.

Before the renovation some said the school should be torn down butothers, such as building supervisor Mark Fulcher, saw a diamond in therough.

And there are plenty of other examples of Oxford's spirit ofpreservation.When the Post Office erected a new building across the street 30 yearsago, Oxford Baptist Church bought the old structure converting it to children'sclassrooms and nurseries.

Pastor Steve Bolton says the building is just what the church needed.

Some thought the city's 147 year old jail had outlived it's usefulness,but now it's a county museum. Museum employee Pam Thornton says thebuilding might have been torn down.

The love of history spills outside the old prison walls these days. Morrow says downtown Oxford is now becoming an exhibit unto itself.

Oxford is located about an hour north of Raleigh.

Reporter:Rick Armstrong