Oark, Arkansas
| Oark, Arkansas | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
 Oark, Arkansas
Oark, Arkansas
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| Coordinates: 35°41′22″N 93°34′21″W / 35.68944°N 93.57250°WCoordinates: 35°41′22″N 93°34′21″W / 35.68944°N 93.57250°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Johnson |
| Elevation | 1,017 ft (310 m) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 72852 |
| Area code(s) | 479 |
| GNIS feature ID | 77893 |
Oark is an unincorporated community in Johnson County, Arkansas, United States. Oark is located on Arkansas Highway 215, 16 miles (26 km) northwest of Clarksville. Oark has a post office with ZIP code 72852. The community is surrounded by the Ozark National Forest with the scenic Mulberry River nearby. The origin of the town’s name is unknown, although many believe it came from French trappers that frequented this isolated valley in the 18th century.
The Mulberry River valley has been the site of human habitation for thousands of years. Archeologists believe that bluff-dwelling cultures thrived here as late as 500 B.C., and later the Osage Indians claimed the valleys drained by the Mulberry River as part of their hunting grounds. French trappers frequented the area as far back as the mid-17th century, and many Cherokee settled here and were formally given land in 1817 (although they were pressured to cede the area in 1828 and move farther west). Official white settlement of the Mulberry River valley began around 1828.
Public education for elementary and secondary school students is provided by the Jasper School District, which includes:
The campus is also the site of the "Tri-Centennial Tree" - an ancient southern red oak estimated to be over 300 years old. There is a historic marker on Highway 215 in front of the school commemorating the dedication of the tree in 2012.
Oark has numerous tourist attractions, both in the town and the surrounding area.
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Wikipedia