Why is Auburn called the "Loveliest Village on the Plains"? (and is it?)
Heading to Auburn, Alabama for the matchup with Texas A&M this Saturday? You're bound to enjoy your day on the lovely campus.
One of the best monikers for a Southeastern Conference campus is Auburn University’s, which proclaims the space to be the “loveliest village on the plains.”
Those who love Auburn stand by the phrase, and many people simply refer to Auburn as “the Plains” because of it.
But what does it mean?
And is it true?
The term dates back to 1770 when Oliver Goldsmith wrote a poem called “The Deserted Village.” Goldsmith was an Irishman writing about an Irish town he loved dearly, and began with these words:
Sweet Auburn, loveliest village of the plain,
Where health and plenty cheared the labouring swain,
Where smiling spring its earliest visit paid,
And parting summer's lingering blooms delayed,
Dear lovely bowers of innocence and ease,
Seats of my youth, when every sport could please,
How often have I loitered o'er thy green,
Where humble happiness endeared each scene!
The poem goes on to describe other reasons whey the village of Auburn is so lovely (including its landscapes, its people, and his memories of it), and when the town of Auburn, Alabama was first founded its leaders found inspiration from the poem.
(Read the entire poem at the Poetry Foundation website.)
The term was used in reference to the city in east Alabama from its founding in 1836, and it spilled into references to the university as well (which was founded in 1856). Today, it’s a phrase that Auburn alumni, students, and fan use proudly to show their love for the city and school.
But is the phrase true? Is it the loveliest “village” in the South?
There are many beautiful campuses and towns across the Southeastern Conference, the South, and the nation, but Auburn has to be one of the loveliest. It’s often listed among the most attractive campuses in national polls, and Auburn has been listed as one of the best small towns in America.
And there are plenty of things on campus that are well, quite simply, lovely.
(And this comes from an Alabama alum and fan. I recognize beauty when I see it.)
The area coming into campus is lush and green and generally non-commercial; pastures border many parts of campus, and forests are just a few miles away.
The downtown area is quaint, filled with businesses and restaurants that fit the “lovely” description. Grab a famous lemonade at Toomer’s Drugs or a coffee at Well Red (a combination coffee shop and bookstore); shop at the local boutiques; visit Toomer’s Corner, where fans gather after an Auburn win, and take a picture at the War Eagle mural wall.
Be sure to walk around campus to truly understand why it’s considered so lovely. Its gorgeous grounds are perfect for a leisurely walk, and if you’re there on game day be sure to take a picture in front of Samford Hall. The red brick school administration building (built in the 1880s and renovated in 1971) is front-and-center to the campus. The building itself (with its unique architecture and tall clock tower atop it), the lawn in front of the building, the walkway to the building, and the brick Auburn University sign on S. College Street are all popular places to take photos on game day and any day.
Also on campus—just across the street from Samford Hall—is the Rane Culinary Science Center, a beautiful building featuring a rooftop garden and bar, microbrewery, coffee roastery, food hall, hotel, and fine dining restaurant. (Check out this article on everything it has to offer, from Garden & Gun.)
And if you’re going to a football game, be sure to enjoy a walk around Jordan-Hare Stadium and the surrounding complex.
Auburn is also home to many lovely dining establishments—from the retro student favorite Momma Goldberg’s deli (get the nachos) to the elegant Acre (a farm-to-table, multiple James Beard Award nominee).
To experience everything the area has to offer, explore some of its lovely natural spaces. The 14-acre Donald E. Davis Arboretum on campus is open year-round and features native Alabama plants (from oaks to gorgeous azaleas) and two miles of walking trails. Just a few miles outside of town is the underrated Chewacla State Park, which features 696 acres with a 26-acre lake, swimming area, playgrounds, modern campground, beautiful cabins, picnic areas, hiking trails, and a beautiful waterfall.
Have you been to the Auburn campus? Would you agree that it lives up to its namesake’s praise?
(Learn more about the city of Auburn at the Auburn-Opelika visitors page.)
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Auburn welcomes No. 15 Texas A&M to campus on Saturday for a 6:30 p.m. matchup. The game has plenty of implications, with Auburn fighting for bowl eligibility and te Aggies fighting to say in the mix for the SEC championship and College Football Playoff. If you can’t make it to the game in-person, you can watch it on ESPN.