Let us face it, navigating a college town like Starkville as a freshman is hard. Really hard.

Starkville is a town with a rich history and a close, passionate community. It seems as though everyone you meet is a local and knows the ins and outs of every corner they turn. As a freshman, you are constantly being pulled from one direction to the next with the best and worst places to go to. It can get overwhelming quickly. 

Even when you have spent a year living in Starkville, some roads and restaurants still seem to pop up, although they may have been there the entire time. However, there are some things even long-time Starkvillians do not know. Starkville is rich in its lore, and there are things still to learn about our college town even after spending a lifetime here. So, to give you a leg up, here is a list of some of the best details of Starkville’s lore.

Johnny Cash arrested in Starkville

On May 11, 1965, Cash was arrested while “picking flowers” on private property and taken into custody by the Oktibbeha County Jail for the night. Cash had just played a show at Mississippi State University and left the show inebriated, roaming around to pick flowers for his wife. Depending on who you ask, the real reason Cash was arrested is a much different story, one that is altered each time it is told.

Cash memorialized the night in his song “Starkville City Jail.” The cell Cash spent a night in is currently a supply closet.

Located on the corner of Mississippi 182 and Jackson Street, at a stop on the Mississippi Country Music Trail, Starkville has its own marker for the incident, giving ode to the night Cash spent in our county jail. 

Fistulated cows at the College of Veterinary Sciences

Fistulated cows, or “holey” cows, are cows with a surgically-placed hole called a fistula on their side, allowing immediate access to the rumen, their largest stomach compartment. The process of fistulating the cows is said to be similar to gauging ears. 

At the College of Veterinary Sciences, these fistulated cows serve as dietary research tokens. Often, these cows will go on show during open houses and turn into an amazing display of scientific ability to the Starkville community. 

When cows are fistulated, their digestive process, nutrient absorption and overall biome health can be examined. Once their cannulas are placed and healed, an entire human arm is able to fit inside of the hole. Students and children alike are offered to feel inside, and many take the opportunity.

The fistulated cows at MSU are open for veterinary students to research and experience during their study.

The George Hall infirmary and campus tunnel system

George Hall has not always held the Department of Philosophy at MSU. Initially, it served as a campus infirmary, and in 1918, when the Spanish flu hit, an influx of sick students were treated and died in the building.

Due to the number of student deaths from the Spanish flu, a morgue and embalming station were temporarily set up in the basement, a place that some students say is haunted by the dead to this day.

While George Hall is easily seen and known by students, the massive tunnel system underneath campus is not as familiar. These tunnels connect the union, drill field and other surrounding buildings together. 

The tunnels are said to be old steam tunnels, and currently serve as storm drains that are dangerous to traverse. Some tunnels are said to lead to the legendary “dragon room” underneath the library, a room connected by small, claustrophobic crawl space tunnels with a large dragon mural underground.

Traveling in these tunnels is currently not allowed and results in severe disciplinary action.

Gordon Ramsey’s “Hotel Hell” episode

Chef Gordon Ramsey, infamous for his strict culinary critiques, featured the local inn Hotel Chester in his series, “Hotel Hell,” where he sets out to turn failing establishments around. 

In season 2, episode 4, Ramsey traveled to Starkville in an attempt to put the historic Hotel Chester back on its feet after years of management and financial struggle. The episode is a cult favorite, with people from outside of the state flocking to Starkville just to meet the lively and friendly hotel staff featured in the episode.

During the episode, Ramsey was able to help the management get the hotel back to its prior condition, and it stands strong as a historical monument in Starkville to this day.

If you want to stay at Hotel Chester, you can choose from a bachelor queen, king or the Gordon Ramsey Deluxe King for $232 a night.

The “moon sycamore” tree

In 1971, when Apollo 14 launched up into space and landed on the moon, it carried 500 tree seeds inside of it. One of those seeds has been planted into a full grown tree on our very own campus, gaining the title of the “moon sycamore.”

The tree sits right inside of the junction, seemingly the same as any other tree on campus. Upon closer look, a plaque sits next to it, detailing its transportation to the moon before finding home on campus.

12 trees were planted in total, one for each astronaut that accompanied the mission, with some at the Kennedy Space Center. Each year, MSU collects seed bulbs from the moon sycamore and sells them to further add to the Campus Beautification Fund.

As you begin to settle into USA Today’s Best Small Town in the South, do not let the wave of information coming from every direction overwhelm you. Take the time to breathe the town in, and after no time, you will know the place like the back of your hand.

However, if you ever feel lost in an unfamiliar place, read up on Starkville’s history and take a walk around town. Its character might speak to you.