Ozark

History

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

Race & ethnicity