Ozark, Alabama

Ozark is a city in and the county seat of Dale County, Alabama. As of the 2020 census, Ozark had a population of 14,368.

Ozark is the principal city of the Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area, as well as a part of the Dothan-Ozark Combined Statistical Area. Ozark was originally a part of Enterprise–Ozark micropolitan area before being split, and for a longer while was part of the Dothan-Enterprise-Ozark combined statistical area but Enterprise later became its own separate primary statistical area in later censuses. Fort Rucker, the primary flight training base for Army Aviation, abuts Ozark.

History

thumb|Flag of Ozark from 1999 to 2024

The Ozark area was originally inhabited by the Muscogee people. It is said that Ozark received its name after a traveler visited and was reminded of the Ozark Mountains 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 Newton to Ozark 1870.

Ozark is home to four sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the Claybank Log Church, the Samuel Lawson Dowling House, the Old Train Depot, and the J. D. Holman House.

Geography

Ozark is part of the Wiregrass Region.

Major highways that run through the city include U.S. Route 231 and Alabama State Routes 27 and 249. US 231 runs northwest to southeast through the city, leading northwest to Troy and southeast to Dothan. SR 27 leads east to Abbeville and southwest to Enterprise.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of of which is land and (0.70%) is water.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, Ozark has a humid subtropical climate (abbreviated Cfa).

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Ozark had a population of 14,368. The median age was 43.8 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.7% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 84.3 males age 18 and over.

84.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 15.1% lived in rural areas.

There were 6,099 households, including 3,651 families, in Ozark. Of all households, 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 38.6% were married-couple households, 19.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 36.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. but does not include Ozark.

There is one private school in Ozark, Harvest Christian School for K-12.

Post-secondary education is available at Enterprise State Community College's Alabama Aviation Center at Ozark. Programs are offered in aviation maintenance technology.

Image:Carroll_at_District.JPG|Carroll High School Band 2009

Image:Carroll_Football_2007.jpg| Carroll High School Marching Band "Pride of the Wiregrass" 2007

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Media

Radio stations

WDBT 103.9 FM (News/Talk)
WOAB 104.9 FM (Adult standards)
WOZK 900 AM (MOR)

Newspaper

The Free Press (1896–1900)
The Southern Star- weekly

Notable people

Bobby Bright, former mayor of Montgomery, Alabama and former U.S. Congressman for the 2nd District of Alabama
Mary Tarver Carroll, writer and clubwoman
Steve Clouse, state representative
Larry Donnell, tight end for the New York Giants
Wilbur Jackson, National Football League running back (1974–1982), SF49ers, Washington Redskins
Meg McGuffin, Miss Alabama 2015
Steve McLendon, nose tackle/defensive end, Pittsburgh Steelers
Byron Mitchell, former super middleweight boxing champion
Marc Ronan, Major League Baseball catcher
Naseeb Saliba, co-founder of Tutor-Saliba Corporation
Josh Savage, professional football player
Henry B. Steagall, former U.S. Congressman for the 3rd District of Alabama and Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Banking and Currency