Oak Ridge

History

The town is home to Oak Ridge Military Academy, a private, co-educational, college-preparatory military boarding school. Founded in 1852, it is the third-oldest military school in the nation still in operation, and it is the official military school of North Carolina, as designated by the state legislature. Until the late 1990s, the Oak Ridge area was mostly rural farmland with numerous tobacco farms. However, since its incorporation as a town in 1998, Oak Ridge has seen rapid growth in its population. Many of the area's farms have been sold to developers and turned into upper-class housing developments, and several shopping centers have been built along the NC 68 corridor, especially at its intersection with Oak Ridge Road (NC 150), near the military academy. Each Easter weekend from 1945 to 2013, the community hosted a popular horse show. The Jesse Benbow House II, Guilford Mill, and Oak Ridge Military Academy Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Oak Ridge is located in northwestern Guilford County. It is bordered to the north by Stokesdale, to the east by Summerfield, and to the west by Kernersville. North Carolina Highway 150 (named "Oak Ridge Road") leads east to Summerfield, and west to Kernersville. North Carolina Highway 68 is the main north–south highway through town, and leads north to US 158 in Stokesdale, and south to Interstates 73 and 40 on the west side of Greensboro; downtown Greensboro is southeast of Oak Ridge. Piedmont Triad International Airport is south of the center of Oak Ridge. NC 68 south of I-73 connects the town to High Point, while I-73 connects to central Greensboro. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.92%, is water.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Northwest Guilford High
  High · Greensboro · 1,991 students · 20.5:1 ratio
• Southwest Guilford High
  High · High Point · 1,662 students · 18.5:1 ratio
• Western Guilford High
  High · Greensboro · 1,444 students · 19:1 ratio
• Cornerstone Charter Academy-CFA
  Other · Greensboro · 1,337 students · 16.9:1 ratio
• Phoenix Academy - Primary Elem Upper
  Other · High Point · 1,258 students · 19.7:1 ratio
• Southwest Guilford Middle
  Middle · High Point · 1,101 students · 19.3:1 ratio
• Northwest Guilford Middle
  Middle · Greensboro · 950 students · 18.3:1 ratio
• Southwest Elementary
  Elementary · High Point · 806 students · 16.8:1 ratio