Oakwood, Montgomery County, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Oakwood is a city in Montgomery County
, Ohio
, United States
. The population was 9,202 at the 2010 census. Oakwood is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was incorporated in 1908. John Henry Patterson
, industrialist and founder of the National Cash Register Corporation, is considered the "Father of Oakwood."
Oakwood is completely land-locked by the surrounding municipalities of Dayton
and Kettering
. Its small, compact geographic area facilitates the response of its single unified (consolidated) Department of Public Safety
, in which all personnel are certified as police officer
s, firefighter
s, and emergency medical services
(EMS) officers. Oakwood is one of only a few U.S. cities to employ the concept. Public safety officers work 24-hour shifts, performing the different functions within eight-hour blocks of each shift.
situated on a hill directly south of the City of Dayton
. In 1913, when a disastrous flood
devastated downtown Dayton (the Great Dayton Flood), advertising began to tout Oakwood property as "275 feet higher than the intersection of Third and Main Streets."
In light of this real estate advantage and its location adjacent to the City of Dayton, Oakwood’s largest period of growth began and by 1930, the village population numbered over 6,000. Oakwood incorporated as a city in 1908 and in 1932 adopted the Council/Manager form of government that is still in place.
One of the city’s early residents was Orville Wright, whose home, Hawthorn Hill
, still stands at the corner of Harman and Park Avenues. John H. Patterson
, founder of the National Cash Register Company (NCR) also called Oakwood home. The city is known as a suburban residential area with mostly tree-lined streets.
During World War II
, the Runnymede Playhouse in Oakwood hosted Unit IV of the Dayton Project
. The Dayton Project was a little-known part of the Manhattan Project
involved in creating industrial quantities of polonium
for use in the neutron
generating triggers of the first atomic weapon.
region of southwestern Ohio, and borders on Dayton
, Ohio to its North and East and Kettering
, Ohio to its South and West. The campus of the University of Dayton is directly adjacent to Oakwood on the northeast.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.97 square miles (4.8 km²), all of it land.
The city is unofficially divided into two parts, east and west, by the city's major road, State Route 48, also termed Far Hills Avenue. SR 48 runs north-south and connects the city of Dayton with Oakwood and, further south, with Kettering and other suburbs. The geography of the eastern and western sections differs to a significant extent, with the western side covered in prominent hills, while most of the eastern section is predominantly level or gently sloping.
and are older in design. Houses in Oakwood, which vary greatly in size, have styles which include Tudor, Swiss chalets
, Georgian Colonia)
, White Clapboard Colonial, and Gothic Revival
. The western end of the city features many large properties and historic houses, such as Hawthorn Hill
, home of Orville Wright. The houses in this area tend to lie on well secluded plots of land, surrounded by many trees.
Because of Oakwood's affluence, there is a general societal push for beautification. Rundown houses and unkempt lawns are generally frowned upon by the community and result in neatly cut lawns and gardens. The city itself gives "Beautification Awards" to the judged most beautiful houses in order to maintain this high level of aesthetic awareness. The city has relatively strict zoning laws that restrict major changes to houses and require city approval for any planned structural additions. The city prohibits chain-link fences that can be seen from the street, and requires all external utility units (such as air conditioning
units) to be obstructed from the view from the street.
Public architecture is a general source of pride for the Oakwood community. The city buildings were designed to incorporate the rich variation of traditional architectural styles found in the city's houses. Oakwood High School displays an elaborate external design. The elementary schools, Edwin D. Smith Elementary School and Harman Elementary School, echo this elaborate style. Smith Elementary is built in the Tudor style like the High School while Harman Elementary is Colonial revival. The newest addition to the school system, the Julian and Marjorie Lange School, features Spanish revival architecture. The Oakwood Board of Education occupies a gray stucco manse with red tile roof in the northern most area of Oakwood on Rubicon Road. Wright Memorial Library offers similar aesthetics, and the police and fire department is reminiscent of a French chateau.
The Lange School is the city's kindergarten building. Until The Lange School opened in 1999, kindergartens were in each elementary school. The Harman Elementary School and Edwin D. Smith Elementary School provide service to children from first through sixth grades.
One contiguous junior and senior high school provides education for all Oakwood students grades seven through twelve. Oakwood High School graduated its first senior class in 1924 and began the practice of the Baccalaureate ceremony at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Dayton
. The end of an Oakwood student's experience is the Senior Awards, Baccalaureate, and Commencement ceremonies. The top senior awards are the Daisy Talbott Greene and Harry E. Talbott awards which are narrowed down throughout the school year to the best all-around senior female and male as voted by the high school faculty. These students exemplify "scholarship, athletics, and leadership" under the definition of the award. Oakwood High School's yearbook is The Acorn, and its newspaper is The Dome.
Oakwood's educational system places a strong emphasis on post-secondary education. Oakwood High School is a national school of excellence. Oakwood High School's English, mathematics, natural science, and foreign language courses are matched by many performing arts opportunities for its students. It is not uncommon for Oakwood's top academic graduates to gain acceptance to some of the most selective universities and colleges in the United States and the world. Most graduates, however, attend schools within a 300 mile radius, with a large percentage remaining in Ohio. Oakwood High School is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 academic institutes in Ohio as well as one of the top 400 in the United States.
Much of the community's unity centers around the city schools. Sporting events, plays and musicals are generally well attended by the city's adults. The quality of the Oakwood School District attracts many families and in turn keeps real estate values high in spite of the aging housing base. Oakwood voters generally support property tax raises in order to keep the schools well maintained which in turn help to keep property values high.
of 2000, there were 9,215 people, 3,633 households, and 2,597 families residing in the city. The population density
was 4,209.0 people per square mile (1,624.6/km²). There were 3,815 housing units at an average density of 1,742.5 per square mile (672.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.41% White, 0.48% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.98% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races
, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.
There were 3,633 households out of which 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.8% were married couples
living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $72,392, and the median income for a family was $88,263. Males had a median income of $70,500 versus $35,833 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $41,567. About 1.7% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.
Montgomery County, Ohio
Montgomery County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. The population was 535,153 in the 2010 Census. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec City, Canada. The county seat is Dayton...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 9,202 at the 2010 census. Oakwood is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was incorporated in 1908. John Henry Patterson
John Henry Patterson (NCR owner)
John Henry Patterson was an industrialist and founder of the National Cash Register Company. He was a businessperson and salesperson.-Early years:Patterson was born in 1844 on the family farm near Dayton, Ohio...
, industrialist and founder of the National Cash Register Corporation, is considered the "Father of Oakwood."
Oakwood is completely land-locked by the surrounding municipalities of Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
and Kettering
Kettering, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 57,502 people, 25,657 households, and 15,727 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,077.4 people per square mile . There were 26,936 housing units at an average density of 1,441.6 per square mile...
. Its small, compact geographic area facilitates the response of its single unified (consolidated) Department of Public Safety
Department of Public Safety
The Department of Public Safety , also called an Office of Public Safety, is a state or local government umbrella agency in the United States which serves to assist the certain agencies in their services by providing administrative, financial, and technical services and support for core public...
, in which all personnel are certified as police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s, firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s, and emergency medical services
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
(EMS) officers. Oakwood is one of only a few U.S. cities to employ the concept. Public safety officers work 24-hour shifts, performing the different functions within eight-hour blocks of each shift.
History
At the turn of the twentieth century, Oakwood was primarily farmlandArable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
situated on a hill directly south of the City of Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
. In 1913, when a disastrous flood
Great Dayton Flood
The Great Dayton Flood of 1913 flooded Dayton, Ohio, and the surrounding area with water from the Great Miami River, causing the greatest natural disaster in Ohio history...
devastated downtown Dayton (the Great Dayton Flood), advertising began to tout Oakwood property as "275 feet higher than the intersection of Third and Main Streets."
In light of this real estate advantage and its location adjacent to the City of Dayton, Oakwood’s largest period of growth began and by 1930, the village population numbered over 6,000. Oakwood incorporated as a city in 1908 and in 1932 adopted the Council/Manager form of government that is still in place.
One of the city’s early residents was Orville Wright, whose home, Hawthorn Hill
Hawthorn Hill
Hawthorn Hill in Oakwood, Ohio, USA, was the post-1914 home of Orville, Milton, and Katharine Wright. Wilbur and Orville Wright intended for it to be their joint home, but Wilbur died in 1912, before the home's 1914 completion. The brothers hired the prominent Dayton architectural firm of...
, still stands at the corner of Harman and Park Avenues. John H. Patterson
John Henry Patterson (NCR owner)
John Henry Patterson was an industrialist and founder of the National Cash Register Company. He was a businessperson and salesperson.-Early years:Patterson was born in 1844 on the family farm near Dayton, Ohio...
, founder of the National Cash Register Company (NCR) also called Oakwood home. The city is known as a suburban residential area with mostly tree-lined streets.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Runnymede Playhouse in Oakwood hosted Unit IV of the Dayton Project
Dayton Project
The Dayton Project was one of several sites involved in the Manhattan Project to build the first atomic bombs. Charles Allen Thomas, an executive of the Monsanto Company corporation, was assigned to develop the neutron generating devices that triggered the nuclear detonation of the atomic bombs...
. The Dayton Project was a little-known part of the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
involved in creating industrial quantities of polonium
Polonium
Polonium is a chemical element with the symbol Po and atomic number 84, discovered in 1898 by Marie Skłodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie. A rare and highly radioactive element, polonium is chemically similar to bismuth and tellurium, and it occurs in uranium ores. Polonium has been studied for...
for use in the neutron
Neutron
The neutron is a subatomic hadron particle which has the symbol or , no net electric charge and a mass slightly larger than that of a proton. With the exception of hydrogen, nuclei of atoms consist of protons and neutrons, which are therefore collectively referred to as nucleons. The number of...
generating triggers of the first atomic weapon.
Geography
It is within the Miami ValleyMiami Valley
The Miami Valley, broadly, refers to the land area surrounding the Great Miami River in southwest Ohio, USA, and also includes the Little Miami, Mad, and Stillwater rivers as well...
region of southwestern Ohio, and borders on Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, Ohio to its North and East and Kettering
Kettering, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 57,502 people, 25,657 households, and 15,727 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,077.4 people per square mile . There were 26,936 housing units at an average density of 1,441.6 per square mile...
, Ohio to its South and West. The campus of the University of Dayton is directly adjacent to Oakwood on the northeast.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.97 square miles (4.8 km²), all of it land.
The city is unofficially divided into two parts, east and west, by the city's major road, State Route 48, also termed Far Hills Avenue. SR 48 runs north-south and connects the city of Dayton with Oakwood and, further south, with Kettering and other suburbs. The geography of the eastern and western sections differs to a significant extent, with the western side covered in prominent hills, while most of the eastern section is predominantly level or gently sloping.
Housing and aesthetics
Oakwood contains a rich collection of architecture. Because of the city's age, many of the houses were constructed before World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and are older in design. Houses in Oakwood, which vary greatly in size, have styles which include Tudor, Swiss chalets
Swiss chalet style
Swiss chalet style is an architectural style inspired by the chalets of Switzerland. The style originated in Germany in the early 19th century and was popular in parts of Europe and North America, notably in the architecture of Norway, the country house architecture of Sweden, Cincinnati, Ohio,...
, Georgian Colonia)
Colonial Revival architecture
The Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
, White Clapboard Colonial, and Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
. The western end of the city features many large properties and historic houses, such as Hawthorn Hill
Hawthorn Hill
Hawthorn Hill in Oakwood, Ohio, USA, was the post-1914 home of Orville, Milton, and Katharine Wright. Wilbur and Orville Wright intended for it to be their joint home, but Wilbur died in 1912, before the home's 1914 completion. The brothers hired the prominent Dayton architectural firm of...
, home of Orville Wright. The houses in this area tend to lie on well secluded plots of land, surrounded by many trees.
Because of Oakwood's affluence, there is a general societal push for beautification. Rundown houses and unkempt lawns are generally frowned upon by the community and result in neatly cut lawns and gardens. The city itself gives "Beautification Awards" to the judged most beautiful houses in order to maintain this high level of aesthetic awareness. The city has relatively strict zoning laws that restrict major changes to houses and require city approval for any planned structural additions. The city prohibits chain-link fences that can be seen from the street, and requires all external utility units (such as air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
units) to be obstructed from the view from the street.
Public architecture is a general source of pride for the Oakwood community. The city buildings were designed to incorporate the rich variation of traditional architectural styles found in the city's houses. Oakwood High School displays an elaborate external design. The elementary schools, Edwin D. Smith Elementary School and Harman Elementary School, echo this elaborate style. Smith Elementary is built in the Tudor style like the High School while Harman Elementary is Colonial revival. The newest addition to the school system, the Julian and Marjorie Lange School, features Spanish revival architecture. The Oakwood Board of Education occupies a gray stucco manse with red tile roof in the northern most area of Oakwood on Rubicon Road. Wright Memorial Library offers similar aesthetics, and the police and fire department is reminiscent of a French chateau.
Schools
Oakwood schools are repeatedly ranked among the very best in Ohio and the top-tier in the nation. NeighborhoodScout.com chose Oakwood as number 3 in 5 for the entire Midwest. The school district's mascot is the Lumberjack so as to pay homage to the wooded areas which gave Oakwood its name.The Lange School is the city's kindergarten building. Until The Lange School opened in 1999, kindergartens were in each elementary school. The Harman Elementary School and Edwin D. Smith Elementary School provide service to children from first through sixth grades.
One contiguous junior and senior high school provides education for all Oakwood students grades seven through twelve. Oakwood High School graduated its first senior class in 1924 and began the practice of the Baccalaureate ceremony at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
. The end of an Oakwood student's experience is the Senior Awards, Baccalaureate, and Commencement ceremonies. The top senior awards are the Daisy Talbott Greene and Harry E. Talbott awards which are narrowed down throughout the school year to the best all-around senior female and male as voted by the high school faculty. These students exemplify "scholarship, athletics, and leadership" under the definition of the award. Oakwood High School's yearbook is The Acorn, and its newspaper is The Dome.
Oakwood's educational system places a strong emphasis on post-secondary education. Oakwood High School is a national school of excellence. Oakwood High School's English, mathematics, natural science, and foreign language courses are matched by many performing arts opportunities for its students. It is not uncommon for Oakwood's top academic graduates to gain acceptance to some of the most selective universities and colleges in the United States and the world. Most graduates, however, attend schools within a 300 mile radius, with a large percentage remaining in Ohio. Oakwood High School is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 academic institutes in Ohio as well as one of the top 400 in the United States.
Much of the community's unity centers around the city schools. Sporting events, plays and musicals are generally well attended by the city's adults. The quality of the Oakwood School District attracts many families and in turn keeps real estate values high in spite of the aging housing base. Oakwood voters generally support property tax raises in order to keep the schools well maintained which in turn help to keep property values high.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 9,215 people, 3,633 households, and 2,597 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,209.0 people per square mile (1,624.6/km²). There were 3,815 housing units at an average density of 1,742.5 per square mile (672.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.41% White, 0.48% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.98% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.
There were 3,633 households out of which 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $72,392, and the median income for a family was $88,263. Males had a median income of $70,500 versus $35,833 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $41,567. About 1.7% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.
Sister cities
| - Le Vesinet Le Vésinet Le Vésinet is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center.... , Ile-de-France Île-de-France (région) Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area.... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... - Outremont, Quebec Quebec Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level.... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |