to
Update
is a city in and the county seat of Dale County, Alabama, United States. In 1980 the population was 12,205, and in 1990 it was 13,030. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 15,119.
Ozark along with the city of Enterprise, are principal cities of the Enterprise–Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Dale and Coffee counties.
The Ozark area was originally inhabited by the Creek Indians. It is said that Ozark received its name after a traveller thought it reminded him of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas.
The first known European settler in Ozark was John Merrick Sr., a veteran of the Revolutionary War, in 1822. In honor of him, the town was named Merricks. It was later changed to Woodshop, which was its name when the town received its post office. The first appearance of the name Ozark was in 1855, when the citizens requested a name change.
The courthouse in Newton burned to the ground, and an election was made to find the new county seat. Ozark won, and in 1870 was incorporated.