Ozark, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Ozark is a city in and the county seat
of Dale County
, Alabama
, United States
. In 1990
the city population was 12,922. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 15,119.
Ozark along with the city of Enterprise
, are principal cities of the Enterprise–Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area
, which includes all of Dale and Coffee
counties. Fort Rucker
, the primary flight training base for Army Aviation
, abuts Ozark.
in Arkansas
.
The first known European settler in Ozark was John Merrick Sr., a veteran of the Revolutionary War
, in 1822. In honor of him, the town was named Merricks. It was later changed to Woodshop, which was its name when the town received its post office. The first appearance of the name Ozark was in 1855, when the citizens requested a name change.
The county seat was moved from Newtown
to Ozark 1870.
Region.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 34.5 square miles (89.4 km²) of which 34.2 square miles (88.6 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) (0.70%) is water.
of 2000, there were 15,119 people, 6,126 households, and 4,233 families residing in the city. The population density
was 441.5 PD/sqmi. There were 6,955 housing units at an average density of 203.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 68.28% White
, 28.30% Black
or African American
, 0.67% Native American
, 0.70% Asian
, 0.05% Pacific Islander
, 0.46% from other races
, and 1.53% from two or more races. 2.08% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 6,126 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples
living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,330, and the median income for a family was $38,633. Males had a median income of $30,236 versus $19,564 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,984. About 14.8% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.0% of those under age 18 and 18.0% of those age 65 or over.
. Schools located in the city are Carroll High School (grades 9 through 12), Carroll Career Center (grades 9 through 12), D.A. Smith Middle School (grades 6 through 8), Harry M. Mixon Elementary School (grades 1 through 5), Joseph W. Lisenby Elementary School (grades 1 through 5) and Mamie Thompkins School (Kindergarten).
There are three private schools in Ozark - Harvest Christian School, Dale County Christian School, and Eastgate Christian Academy (all grades K through 12).
Post-secondary education is available at Enterprise State Community College's Alabama Aviation Center at Ozark. Programs are offered in in Aviation maintenance technology.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Dale County
Dale County, Alabama
Dale County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General Samuel Dale. As of the 2010 census the population was 50,251...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1990
United States Census, 1990
The Twenty-first United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 248,709,873, an increase of 9.8 percent over the 226,545,805 persons enumerated during the 1980 Census....
the city population was 12,922. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 15,119.
Ozark along with the city of Enterprise
Enterprise, Alabama
Enterprise is a city in the southeastern part of Coffee and Dale Counties in the southeastern part of Alabama in the Southern United States. The population was estimated to be 25,909 in the year 2009....
, are principal cities of the Enterprise–Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area
Enterprise-Ozark micropolitan area
The Enterprise–Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in southeastern Alabama, anchored by the cities of Enterprise and Ozark...
, which includes all of Dale and Coffee
Coffee County, Alabama
Coffee County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General John Coffee. As of 2010 the population was 49,948. Its county seats are Elba and Enterprise....
counties. Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker is a U.S. Army post located mostly in Dale County, Alabama, United States. It was named for a Civil War officer, Confederate General Edmund Rucker. The post is the primary flight training base for Army Aviation and is home to the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence and...
, the primary flight training base for Army Aviation
Army aviation
Army Aviation refers to aviation-related units of a nation's army, often described as an air corps. These units are generally separate from a nation's dedicated air force, and usually comprise helicopters and light support fixed-wing aircraft....
, abuts Ozark.
History
The Ozark area was originally inhabited by the Creek Indians. It is said that Ozark received its name after a traveller thought it reminded him of the Ozark MountainsThe Ozarks
The Ozarks are a physiographic and geologic highland region of the central United States. It covers much of the southern half of Missouri and an extensive portion of northwestern and north central Arkansas...
in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
The first known European settler in Ozark was John Merrick Sr., a veteran of the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, in 1822. In honor of him, the town was named Merricks. It was later changed to Woodshop, which was its name when the town received its post office. The first appearance of the name Ozark was in 1855, when the citizens requested a name change.
The county seat was moved from Newtown
Newton, Alabama
Newton is a town in Dale County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census its population was 1,708. Once the county seat of Dale County, Newton lost this distinction to nearby Ozark in 1870, and is now a small farming community. The city currently forms a part of the Enterprise-Ozark...
to Ozark 1870.
Geography
Ozark is located at 31°26′53"N 85°38′31"W (31.448169, -85.642009). It is part of the WiregrassWiregrass
The name wiregrass may refer to:* Poaceae grasses** Aristida , especially A. stricta , A. junciformis and A...
Region.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 34.5 square miles (89.4 km²) of which 34.2 square miles (88.6 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) (0.70%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 15,119 people, 6,126 households, and 4,233 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 441.5 PD/sqmi. There were 6,955 housing units at an average density of 203.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 68.28% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 28.30% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.67% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.70% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.05% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.46% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.53% from two or more races. 2.08% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 6,126 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,330, and the median income for a family was $38,633. Males had a median income of $30,236 versus $19,564 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,984. About 14.8% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.0% of those under age 18 and 18.0% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Ozark is served by the Ozark City SchoolsOzark City Schools
Ozark City Schools are based in Ozark, Alabama. They consist of Thompkins Early Childhood Center, Lisenby Elementary School, Mixon Elementary School, D. A. Smith Middle School, and Carroll High School.-External links:*...
. Schools located in the city are Carroll High School (grades 9 through 12), Carroll Career Center (grades 9 through 12), D.A. Smith Middle School (grades 6 through 8), Harry M. Mixon Elementary School (grades 1 through 5), Joseph W. Lisenby Elementary School (grades 1 through 5) and Mamie Thompkins School (Kindergarten).
There are three private schools in Ozark - Harvest Christian School, Dale County Christian School, and Eastgate Christian Academy (all grades K through 12).
Post-secondary education is available at Enterprise State Community College's Alabama Aviation Center at Ozark. Programs are offered in in Aviation maintenance technology.
Radio Stations
- WAQGWAQGWAQG is a radio station licensed to the community of Ozark, Alabama, USA, and serving the Dothan, Alabama, area. The station is owned by the American Family Association. It airs a Contemporary Christian music format....
91.7 FM (Contemporary Christian) - WJRLWJRL-FMWJRL-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Fort Rucker, Alabama, USA. The station, which began broadcasting in 1974, is currently owned by Magic Broadcasting and licensed to Magic Broadcasting Alabama Licensing LLC....
103.9 FM (Sports talk) - WOABWOABWOAB is a radio station licensed to serve Ozark, Alabama, USA. The station, which first signed on in 1967, is still owned and operated by original license holder Ozark Broadcasting Corporation....
104.9 FM (Adult standardsAdult standardsAdult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens... - WOZKWOZKWOZK is a radio station licensed to serve Ozark, Alabama, USA. The station, which began broadcasting in 1953, is owned by Ozark Broadcasting Corporation....
900 AM (MOR) - WQLSWQLSWTXK is a radio station licensed to serve Pike Road, Alabama, USA. The station, established in 1968, is currently owned and operated by Frontdoor Broadcasting, LLC.WTXK broadcasts a sports format to the Montgomery, Alabama, area...
1210 AM (GospelGospel musicGospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
)
Notable residents
- Wilbur JacksonWilbur JacksonWilbur Jackson is a former American football running back for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round of the 1974 NFL Draft out of University of Alabama by the 49ers. He played five seasons for San Francisco, and then three years with the...
– National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing... - Byron MitchellByron MitchellByron Tarone Mitchell was an American boxer of height in the super middleweight division.-Amateur career:Mitchell was the 1996 National Golden Gloves Middleweight champion.-Pro career:...
- former super middleweightSuper middleweightSuper Middleweight is a boxing and Muay Thai weight division that has a weight limit of 168 pounds .- 1960s–1983 :There was interest in a division between Middleweight and Light Heavyweight in the late 1960s, the mid-1970s, and the early 1980s...
boxingBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
champion. - Steve McLendonSteve McLendonSteve McLendon is an American football nose tackle and defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Troy.-Pittsburgh Steelers:McLendon was signed by the Steelers as an...
- Nose Tackle/Defensive EndDefensive endDefensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
, Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...