Editing Oak Ridge, Missouri

{{For|the community in Pemiscot County|Oak Ridge, Pemiscot County, Missouri}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Oak Ridge, Missouri
|settlement_type          = [[Village]]
|nickname                 = Lizard Lick
|motto                    =

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|image_map = Cape_Girardeau_County_Missouri_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Oak_Ridge_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Oak Ridge, Missouri
|image_map1               = 
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|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Missouri]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Missouri|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Cape Girardeau County, Missouri|Cape Girardeau]]
|government_footnotes     = 
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|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
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|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
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|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=August 28, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 1.53
|area_land_km2            = 1.53
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.59
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.59
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 237
|population_density_km2   = 154.77
|population_density_sq_mi = 401.02

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|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name="GR3"/>
|elevation_ft             = 594
|coordinates              = {{coord|37|29|59|N|89|43|47|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 63769
|area_code                = [[Area code 573|573]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 29-53786<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2396826<ref name="GR3">{{GNIS|2396826}}</ref>
|website                  = 
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'''Oak Ridge''' is a village in the southern part of [[Apple Creek Township, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri|Apple Creek Township]] in [[Cape Girardeau County, Missouri|Cape Girardeau County]], [[Missouri]], United States. The population was 237 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. It is part of the [[Cape Girardeau, Missouri|Cape Girardeau]]&ndash;[[Jackson, Missouri|Jackson]], MO-[[Illinois|IL]] [[Cape Girardeau-Jackson metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

==Etymology==
As the name implies, the village is built on a high ridge, which is a [[drainage divide]] between the [[Apple Creek (Mississippi River tributary)|Apple Creek]] and [[Whitewater River (Missouri)|Whitewater River]] [[Drainage basin|watersheds]], and surrounded by oak trees. The pioneers' mocking name for the settlement was Lizard Lick.<ref name="shs.umsystem.edu">State Historical Society of Missouri: Cape Girardeau County Place Names, 1928-1945 http://shs.umsystem.edu/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_cape_girardeau.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331203339/http://shs.umsystem.edu/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_cape_girardeau.html |date=March 31, 2016 }}</ref>

== History ==
Andrew Ramsay and Alexander Giboney settled in the area around Ramsey Creek in 1795. The community of Oak Ridge was organized in 1852 by John M. Wilson, who purchased the land at $2.50 per acre and established a store and a bar. The town was named for the natural surroundings.<ref name="shs.umsystem.edu"/> Oak Ridge had a population of approximately 300 in 1888.<ref>A Directory of Towns, Villages, and Hamlets Past and Present of Cape Girardeau County, Missouri Compiled by Arthur Paul Moser{{cite web |url=http://thelibrary.org/lochist/moser/girardpl.html |title=A Directory of Towns, Villages, and Hamlets of Missouri |access-date=September 18, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130916103412/http://thelibrary.org/lochist/moser/girardpl.html |archive-date=September 16, 2013 }}</ref> The town is home to a Methodist church and a Baptist church dating from the 1860s, and was once home to a Presbyterian church. The first high school in Southeast Missouri was established in Oak Ridge in 1874.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.semissourian.com/blogs/fromthemorgue/entry/64117/| title=10th Anniversary Edition: Oak Ridge |publisher=Southeast Missourian | date=November 17, 2015}}</ref>

== Education ==
Oak Ridge's high school began classes on November 4, 1874, at a frame building contained four rooms.  This building was used until 1923 when a brick building was built.  However, this building burned during an electric storm in 1932.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.semissourian.com/blogs/fromthemorgue/entry/79519|title=Oak Ridge defends its high school|access-date=November 23, 2023}}</ref>  The [https://web.archive.org/web/20060816072826/http://www.showme.net/ork12/ Oak Ridge R-6 School District] is a small, public secondary education facility that runs throughout much of northern Cape Girardeau County. With an average yearly enrollment of 350 students in grades K-12, it is one of the smaller public schools in Southeast Missouri. Its school colors are blue and white, and its mascot is the blue jay. Athletics at ORHS consist of boys’ basketball, girls’ basketball, girls’ volleyball, boys’ baseball, girls’ softball, cross country, and cheerleading.

For adults aged 25 and older in Oak Ridge, 66.9% possess a high school diploma as their highest educational attainment, 15.9% have less than high school and 14.7% possess a bachelor's degree or higher educational degree while 2.5% of the population possesses a post-graduate or professional degree.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the village has a total area of {{convert|0.57|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land. The village lies approximately ten miles northeast of [[Jackson, Missouri|Jackson]].<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=July 8, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112090031/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=January 12, 2012 }}</ref><ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 180
|1890= 111
|1900= 252
|1910= 256
|1920= 274
|1930= 187
|1940= 185
|1950= 202
|1960= 175
|1970= 181
|1980= 252
|1990= 202
|2000= 202
|2010= 243
|2020= 237
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020 Census">{{cite web|title=2020 Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2953786|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=July 8, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 243 people, 90 households, and 63 families residing in the village. The [[population density]] was {{convert|426.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 107 housing units at an average density of {{convert|187.7|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the village was 94.24% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.41% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 2.47% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 2.88% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.23% of the population.

There were 90 households, of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.0% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.08.

The median age in the village was 38.2 years. 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.3% were from 25 to 44; 24.7% were from 45 to 64; and 13.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 56.0% male and 44.0% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 202 people, 82 households, and 63 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|549.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 94 housing units at an average density of {{convert|255.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.02% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.99% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.50% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 0.50% from two or more races.

There were 82 households, out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.0% were non-families. 18.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the town the population was spread out, with 20.8% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 30.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,188, and the median income for a family was $41,875. Males had a median income of $34,167 versus $16,635 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $18,310. About 5.3% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including none of those under the age of 18 and 6.7% of those 65 or over.

==References==
<references />

==Further reading==
* Douglas, Robert Sidney.  ''History of Southeast Missouri''.  Reprint ed.  [[Cape Girardeau, Missouri|Cape Girardeau]]: Ramfre, 1961.
* "Tenth Anniversary Edition: 1904-1914." Cape Girardeau Republican.
* ''History of Oak Ridge, Missouri: 1852-1942''. Prepared by students of history in Oak Ridge High School under the direction of *R.L. Ford, Superintendent of Schools. 1942.
* One Hundredth Anniversary History of the Oak Ridge United Methodist Church: 1873-1973.
* Reverend T.H. Jenkins, History of Oak Ridge Baptist Church: 1864-1901.
* One Hundredth Anniversary History of Oak Ridge Baptist Church: 1864-1964.
* One Hundred and Twentieth Anniversary History of the Oak Ridge Baptist Church: 1864-1984.
* Farmers Institute Catalogue, 1933.

==External links==
* [http://www.showme.net/oakridge/ Oakridge at ShowMe.net]

{{Cape Girardeau County, Missouri}}

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[[Category:Villages in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri]]
[[Category:Cape Girardeau–Jackson metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Villages in Missouri]]