Oak Park, Georgia

Oak Park, Georgia
City
Location in Emanuel County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 32°22′15″N82°18′36″W / 32.37083°N 82.31000°W / 32.37083; -82.31000
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Emanuel
Area [1]
• Total	7.22 sq mi (18.71 km2)
• Land	7.07 sq mi (18.30 km2)
• Water	0.16 sq mi (0.41 km2)
Elevation	259 ft (79 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	512
• Density	72.45/sq mi (27.97/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	30401
Area code	478
FIPS code	13-57232 [2]
GNIS feature ID	0332536 [3]
Website	www.oakparkga.org

Oak Park is a city in Emanuel County, Georgia, United States. The population was 484 at the 2010 census, ^[4] up from 366 in 2000. By 2020, its population was 512.

History

The town was originally named Sol, Georgia from June to August 1880 then the town name was changed to Horace, Georgia. The town name was later changed to Oak Park, Georgia in 1904.

In 1914 a murder–suicide committed by local farmer J.A. Eubanks got national news coverage. ^{[5] [6]} He murdered his wife and two daughters with an axe, set fire to some farm buildings, and shot himself in the head. Before killing himself, he woke a neighbor and told them what he had done. He did leave a suicide note. ^[5] Several structures were destroyed in the fire, including houses of others. He had even cut the rope for the well bucket to keep the fire from being put out. ^[6]

In a December 14, 1934 municipal election, Oak Park elected a mayor and five-person town council composed entirely of women. ^[7] The election of an all-woman government was a first for Georgia, and novel enough that the event was covered by Associated Press ^[7] and United Press ^[8] news stories, both calling it "Petticoat Rule". ^{[7] [8]} It was not a surprise to the town however, as the all-woman slate had been nominated by men when the previous mayor retired ^[8] and no men volunteered to replace him. ^[7]

Some in the town apparently dissented, as the jail was set ablaze the night before the election ^[8] and dynamite blasts were set off after it, damaging buildings. ^[7] Despite that, Mrs. Solomon S. Youmans (the wife of a local physician) was elected mayor, and the council consisted of Mrs. J.D. Tyson, Mrs. G.C. Corbin, Mrs. J.J. Powell, Mrs. G.C. Williamson and Miss Ada Belle Thompson. ^[8]

Geography

Oak Park is located in southern Emanuel County at 32°22′15″N82°18′36″W / 32.37083°N 82.31000°W / 32.37083; -82.31000 (32.370747, -82.309915), ^[9] along U.S. Route 1. Interstate 16 passes through the northern part of the town, 3 miles (5 km) north of the original town center, with access to US 1 from Exit 90. I-16 leads east 77 miles (124 km) to Savannah and west 88 miles (142 km) to Macon, while US 1 leads north 18 miles (29 km) to Swainsboro, the Emanuel County seat, and south 11 miles (18 km) to Lyons.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Oak Park has a total area of 7.2 square miles (18.7 km²), of which 7.1 square miles (18.3 km²) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km²), or 2.17%, is water. ^[4]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	144		—
1920	195		35.4%
1930	291		49.2%
1940	208		−28.5%
1950	308		48.1%
1960	302		−1.9%
1970	226		−25.2%
1980	256		13.3%
1990	269		5.1%
2000	366		36.1%
2010	484		32.2%
2020	512		5.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [10]

Oak Park racial composition as of 2020 ^[11]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	380	74.22%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	24	4.69%
Native American	3	0.59%
Asian	1	0.2%
Other/Mixed	18	3.52%
Hispanic or Latino	86	16.8%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 512 people, 238 households, and 166 families residing in the town.

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Oak Park town, Georgia". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
5. "Georgia Farmer Murders Family; Shoots Self". The Charlotte News . Charlotte, North Carolina. Associated Press. March 20, 1914. p. 1. Archived from the original on November 21, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018– via newspapers.com.
6. "In Maniacal Fury Man Slays Four". The Atlanta Constitution . Atlanta, Georgia. March 21, 1914. p. 5. Archived from the original on November 21, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018– via newspapers.com.
7. "Petticoat Rule Supplanting Men in Georgia Town". Palm Beach Post-Times. Palm Beach, Florida. Associated Press. December 15, 1934. p. 1. Archived from the original on November 21, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018– via newspapers.com.
8. United Press (January 2, 1935). "Petticoat Rule is Adopted by Georgia Town". Mount Carmel Item. Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania. p. 5. Archived from the original on November 21, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018– via newspapers.com.
9. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
10. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
11. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2021.

External links

• "City of Oak Park official website". Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2020.