Ozark, Missouri
Ozark is a city of 22,417 people in Christian County, Missouri, founded in 1818.
Why visit Ozark
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 24 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include B & B Ozark-Nixa 12, Ozark Courthouse Square Historic District, Smallin Civil War Cave and Fremont Hills Country Club.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 21°F.
Weather in Ozark
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ozark
Ozark is a city in and the county seat of Christian County, Missouri, United States, that is on Finley Creek. Its population was 21,284 as of the 2020 census. Ozark is also the third largest city in the Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Area, and is centered along a business loop of US 65, where it intersects with MO 14.
From the Wikipedia article Ozark, Missouri (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks3
Ozark Courthouse Square Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Missouri
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
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Restaurants and cafes24
12 more on the map.
History
Ozark was named after the Ozark Mountains, in which it is situated. The Ozark Courthouse Square Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
The name Ozarks is believed to have begun sometime in the late 1700s or early 1800s from those living in the Arkansas area who were heading north and said they were going to the Ozarks.
The first settler to visit the area is believed to be Henry Schoolcraft, who arrived in 1818. During that time he extensively studied the geological makeup of the area and noted the high concentration of lead and zinc. Notably, in the Elk Valley area. Schoolcraft noted on the abundance of elk, bear and other wildlife in the area. This later became the area's hunting grounds, until the elk were hunted to extinction in the 1880s.
Most of the lead and zinc mines functioned until the early 1900s. The majority of the mining done in Ozark, Missouri was done in the Elk Valley area.
In the early 1920s, Howard Garrison built the Riverside Inn, a fried chicken restaurant which became very popular. It was a historical part of the community until its demolition in 2009 due to flood damages.
From the History section of Ozark, Missouri on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay4
Americas Best Value Inn Ozark Springfield
Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi
900 North 18th Street, Ozark
Churches and places of worship6
James River Church
Church · Pentecostal · 3.0 mi
6100 North 19th Street, Ozark
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries25
Healthcare1
Map of Ozark
76 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 21°F | 2.4 in | 2.8 in |
| Feb | 49°F | 25°F | 2.4 in | 3.2 in |
| Mar | 58°F | 34°F | 4.2 in | 0.4 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 43°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 76°F | 54°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 63°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 67°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 89°F | 65°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 57°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 45°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 33°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 26°F | 2.8 in | 0.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ozark (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Christian County has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2023-09-21: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2017-06-02: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding (Flood)
- 2016-01-02: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2015-08-07: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 17 miles away.
- Fremont Hills 3 mi northwest, about 5 min by car
- Nixa 4 mi west, about 7 min by car
- Highlandville 7 mi southwest, about 12 min by car
- Sparta 8 mi east, about 12 min by car
- Rogersville 10 mi northeast, about 16 min by car
- Springfield 12 mi north, about 19 min by car
- Branson 29 mi south, about 46 min by car
- Bolivar 41 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Lebanon 54 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Harrison 55 mi south, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Christian County MO Courthouse 20151022-158, Kbh3rd, CC BY 4.0
- Sunlight Over Ozark Mill - panoramio, Semipaw, CC BY 3.0
- Finley River in Ozark - panoramio, Semipaw, CC BY 3.0
- Finley River Sunset - panoramio, Semipaw, CC BY 3.0
- Telamona decorata - iNaturalist 169432191, Chrissy McClarren and Andy Reago, CC0
- Evening Light, Brian Hunter, CC0
- Finley River Sunrise - panoramio, Semipaw, CC BY 3.0
- Deer in the Finley River Valley Mist - panoramio, Semipaw, CC BY 3.0
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