I grew up in the small town of Foxworth, Mississippi. After graduating from West Marion High School, I moved to Oxford to attend the University of Mississippi. This was such a contrast to my usual, slow, and relatively simple and quiet upbringing. While attending Ole Miss, I realized how many people had no idea where Foxworth is. I was absolutely shocked that there were people who had never heard of Foxworth before. I found myself oftentimes defaulting to saying I was from Columbia (which many would often confuse with Columbus) or saying that I’m from “near the Hattiesburg area.” It took a few years after college, but I began to proudly say “I’m from Foxworth” as I realized that while the town may be small, it has oh so much to offer.
If You Blink, You’ll Miss It
Pump your breaks, and slow down. If you blink, you may miss it. Foxworth is a town — small and mighty — embodying sweet, southern hospitality. In 2020, the population of Foxworth was 503, and in 2023, the population was 670. It is located in Marion County, which was established by South Carolina natives John and William Lott and named after the Revolutionary War hero, General Francis Marion. Its next-door neighbor is Columbia. Foxworth and Columbia are separated by the Pearl River bridge on Highway 98.
Things to do— in Foxworth? Absolutely!
While Foxworth is a small town, it has a few fun places that people love to frequent. The list of places is headlined by Cha Cha’s Snowballs and Frozen Custard. It is summertime and the heat is sweltering, so there’s nowhere better to visit than this local favorite. Swing by for a snowball, frozen custard, energizing teas, and other delicious treats. My personal favorites are a vanilla custard with brownies on top and a strawberry shortcake/strawberry cheesecake snowball with ice cream (also known as a “humdinger”) topped with cream.
This “snowball stand” started off only selling snowballs. Since then, it has evolved to sell the abundance of treats we love today. It has also expanded physically, adding another section of the, once-small franchise. Cha Cha’s is known for its eye-catching yellow exterior. Feel free to grab and go, run through the drive-through, or enjoy your snack on the patio while watching traffic flow in Foxworth.
If you’re a nature lover or just want to check out one of the prettiest places the state has to offer, I recommend visiting Mississippi’s own Grand Canyon — Red Bluff.
Red Bluff is over 150 feet deep, half a mile long, and nearly one mile wide. The geological spectacle has been a popular destination for people all over the state for decades. It grows with every rainstorm — expanding in depth, length, and width with each raindrop. It’s even begun to take out much of the road nearby.
Rounding out my top three things to do in Foxworth is visiting The Ford House. This house is the oldest standing house in the Pearl River Valley. It was built by a Methodist preacher and South Carolina native John Ford upon his arrival in 1805.
Did you know?
Here’s a fun fact about Foxworth that I learned in high school: Did you know that Foxworth used to be called “West Columbia”? Yes, many years ago, there was no separation between Columbia and Foxworth. It was all one city. Named after Frank W. Foxworth, the small town was established in the early 1800s.
Foxworth is home to many communities such as Morgantown, Sandy Hook, and Little Rock. Many may see growing up as a “small-town girl” as a crutch. Some may see it as unremarkable; however, there are a ton of pros to being from a small town, like the lovely Foxworth. There’s something special about being from a smaller city where you are apt to see at least one of the same people you saw the day before. While Foxworth is small in size, it is larger than life, itself, with love, hospitality, and fun.
