Ocilla, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ocilla, Georgia
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Ocilla-Irwin Chamber of Commerce
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Location of Ocilla, Georgia
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Georgia | ||
| County | Irwin | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 2.55 sq mi (6.61 km2) | ||
| • Land | 2.54 sq mi (6.59 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 348 ft (106 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,498 | ||
| • Density | 1,374.46/sq mi (530.66/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP Code |
31774
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| Area code(s) | 229 | ||
| FIPS code | 13-57428 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0332555 | ||
Ocilla is a city in Georgia, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Irwin County. In 2020, about 3,498 people lived there. Ocilla is also part of the larger Fitzgerald area.
Contents
History of Ocilla
Ocilla was founded in 1880. It became a town in 1897 and then a city in 1902. People aren't completely sure where the name "Ocilla" came from.
What's in a Name?
One idea is that Ocilla was named after Osceola, a famous Seminole Chief. Stories say he used to camp in the area. This might be why sports teams in Irwin County are called the Indians.
Another idea is that the name comes from an old Native American tribe called the Oswichee. Some historical records suggest that towns with similar names like Oswitchee or Ocichi existed nearby.
The Christmas Lady of Ocilla
In the 1980s and 1990s, a woman named Marie Watson was known as the "Christmas Lady." She decorated her home on Cherry Street with many lights and Christmas decorations. Each year, "Santa Claus" would visit her property to hear children's wishes.
Marie Watson became very famous for her Christmas spirit. She eventually stopped decorating because it was a lot of work and she got older. Today, the City of Ocilla continues her tradition. They decorate Cumbee Park, which is right in front of her old home, and host a yearly visit with Santa Claus.
Ocilla Raceway: A Blast from the Past
Ocilla used to have a racing track called the New Veterans Memorial Track, also known as the Ocilla Raceway. It was a 3/8-mile track that opened on April 23, 1950. About 2,500 people watched the first races.
Drivers from different places, even Atlanta and Northern Florida, came to race here. The track eventually closed down, and today, it is no longer used for racing.
Dismuke and Willis Sanitarium: Ocilla's First Hospital
The first doctors in Ocilla, Dr. Dismuke and Dr. Willis, built the city's first hospital. It was called the Dismuke and Willis Sanitarium. The building is still standing today across from the old Irwin County High School. It is now a private home.
Railroads and Ocilla's Growth
Railroads were very important for Ocilla and Irwin County in the late 1800s and early 1900s. At one time, many passenger trains stopped in Ocilla every day. There was even a railroad shop where trains could be repaired.
Today, no trains connect to Ocilla for industry or passengers. However, you can still see signs of the old railroads. For example, there's a historic red caboose overlooking Cumbee Park. Several railroads used to connect directly to Ocilla.
The Ocilla and Irwinville Railroad
This railroad started around 1900. It had 11 miles of track between Ocilla and Irwinville. It was later bought by another company and then leased to the Fitzgerald, Ocilla, & Broxton Railroad. The tracks were removed in 1916.
The Ocilla and Valdosta Railroad
This railroad was planned in 1903 to connect Valdosta with Macon. By 1906, it had built a line from Broxton to Ocilla. It also started building a line from Ocilla to Fitzgerald. Due to money problems, its properties became part of the new Fitzgerald, Ocilla, and Broxton Railroad in 1908. This line was also removed in 1916.
The Fitzgerald, Ocilla, and Broxton Railroad
This railroad was created in 1907 to take over the lines from the struggling Ocilla and Valdosta Railroad. It also leased the Ocilla-Irwinville route. However, this railroad also started to have problems. It had to lease its tracks between Ocilla and Fitzgerald to the Ocilla Southern Railroad in 1911.
The Ocilla Southern Railroad
The Ocilla Southern Railroad started in 1908. It built lines connecting Ocilla to other towns like Alapaha, Fitzgerald, Rochelle, and Nashville. It aimed to connect Atlanta to Jacksonville, Florida, but only covered about a third of that distance. By 1923, most of its lines were no longer in use.
The Dixie Flyer Train Crash
On March 25, 1911, a train called the Dixie Flyer crashed near Ocilla. The train was traveling from Chicago to Jacksonville. It crashed through a bridge over the Alapaha River. The accident happened because a wheel axle on the engine broke. Ten people died in this tragic event. The train line was closed for 36 hours. This disaster is remembered as one of the worst train wrecks in the region's history.
Geography
Ocilla is located at 31°35′55″N 83°15′0″W / 31.59861°N 83.25000°W.
The city covers about 2.6 square miles (6.6 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a very small amount of water.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 805 | — | |
| 1910 | 2,017 | 150.6% | |
| 1920 | 2,180 | 8.1% | |
| 1930 | 2,034 | −6.7% | |
| 1940 | 2,124 | 4.4% | |
| 1950 | 2,697 | 27.0% | |
| 1960 | 3,217 | 19.3% | |
| 1970 | 3,185 | −1.0% | |
| 1980 | 3,436 | 7.9% | |
| 1990 | 3,182 | −7.4% | |
| 2000 | 3,270 | 2.8% | |
| 2010 | 3,414 | 4.4% | |
| 2020 | 3,498 | 2.5% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 2,949 | −13.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850-1870 1870-1880 1890-1910 1920-1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 |
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In 2020, there were 3,498 people living in Ocilla. There were 1,258 households and 670 families.
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,110 | 31.73% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,789 | 51.14% |
| Native American | 4 | 0.11% |
| Asian | 105 | 3.0% |
| Other/Mixed | 79 | 2.26% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 411 | 11.75% |
Education in Ocilla
Ocilla is part of the Irwin County School District. This district has schools for students from pre-school all the way to twelfth grade. There is one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. The district has over 1,814 students and 123 full-time teachers.
- Irwin County Elementary School
- Irwin County Middle School
- Irwin County High School
Notable People from Ocilla
Many interesting people have come from Ocilla:
- Paulene Myers (1913-1996) was an American actress. She was one of the first African-American actors on Broadway and appeared in many TV shows.
- Randy Christmas (1920-1969) was born in Ocilla. He later became the mayor of Miami, Florida, from 1955 to 1957.
- Dennis Dove (born 1981) is a former baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. He graduated from Irwin County High School in Ocilla.
- Justin Anderson (born 1988) is an American football player. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts. He now coaches for the Irwin Indians, his hometown team.
- Tyler Harper is a Georgia State Senator from Ocilla.
- Newt Hudson, a Georgia state legislator, was born in Ocilla.
- Dave Prater (1937-1988) was part of the famous soul music duo Sam & Dave. He was born in Ocilla and grew up singing in church.
- Dr. Robert Andrew Hingson (1916-1996) was a humanitarian. He helped make mass immunization possible with the Jet Injector. He lived in Ocilla from 1984 until he passed away.
- Jack Smith was an American football player.
- Rodney K. Miller is a television host for the show Small Town Big Deal.
- Walt H. Sumner played baseball and football for Florida State University.
- Tara Grinstead was a teacher at Irwin County High School who mysteriously disappeared.
See also
In Spanish: Ocilla para niños
