Oak Ridge, Louisiana

Oak Ridge is a village in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 124 at the 2020 census.

History
The earliest inhabitants of the area were different Native American societies that existed prior to European contact. Between 1540 and 1685 a multimound site with an adjoining central plaza was built. Since its archeological discovery, the area has come to be known as the Jordan Mounds. It is believed that by 1700 the site was abandoned, likely due to contact with explorers like Hernando de Soto.

Morehouse Parish was formed in 1844 after the result of an increasing population in the area. It is thought that a small farming community was formed near Oak Ridge's modern location around this time. Cedars Plantation is considered the oldest surviving structure not just in the town, but the whole parish, built in 1840. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 19, 1976. It had been abandoned in 2008 after the last homeowner passed away, but in 2010 a proposal was created in order for the property to be restored.

Not much is known about the towns early history, but one surviving relic is a small wooden jail that is estimated to have been built in 1850. Simply known as the "Oak Ridge, Louisiana Jail", it is believed to be the last surviving pre-Civil War wooden jail in the state. The existence of this jail hints at the fact that Oak Ridge may have served an administrative purpose for the parish at the time. It is written that "the parish sheriff would use this jail to lock up free and enslaved men." The jail was eventually donated and now sits at the Louisiana State University - Rural Life Museum in Baton Rouge.

Oak Ridge was incorporated as a village in 1882.

The Bank of Oak Ridge opened its doors in 1910.

The towns' population peaked in 1940 at 373 individuals. Since then it has seen a consistent decline with an estimated population of only 117 people as of 2022.

Geography
Oak Ridge is located in southern Morehouse Parish at 32.62361°N, -91.77444°W (32.623659, -91.774355). U.S. Route 425 passes through the village, leading north and west 16 mi to Bastrop, the parish seat, and south 10 mi to Rayville.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.99 sqmi, all land.

The Jordan Mounds are located one mile north of the village.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 142 people, 63 households, and 38 families residing in the village. The population density was 143.2 PD/sqmi. There were 72 housing units at an average density of 72.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 91.55% White, 7.75% African American, and 0.70% from two or more races.

There were 63 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 25.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $37,500, and the median income for a family was $70,417. Males had a median income of $75,287 versus $24,583 for females. The per capita income for the village was $25,408. There were 9.8% of families and 17.5% of the population living below the poverty line, including 17.5% of under eighteens and 33.3% of those over 64.

Notable people

 * Edwards Barham, Oak Ridge farmer and former Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate, who served from 1976-1980
 * Abner Wimberly, NFL player for the Green Bay Packers