census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
and
unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...
located in
Lamar County, Mississippi
Lamar County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,222. Its county seat is Purvis. Named for Confederate Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, the county was carved out of Marion Co ...
, United States. The settlement is a suburb located immediately west of
Hattiesburg
Hattiesburg is a city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, located primarily in Forrest County (where it is the county seat and most populous city) and extending west into Lamar County. The city population was 48,730 in 2020, making it the 5th m ...
.
It was first named as a CDP in the 2020 Census which listed a population of 1,758.
History
Oak Grove experienced a growth in its population beginning in the 1970s as families from nearby Hattiesburg moved to the community. Schools, churches, businesses and newspapers were established, as were "the seeds of a long-running dispute about incorporation versus annexation by Hattiesburg".
In 1987, the city of Hattiesburg filed a petition seeking to expand its corporate boundaries into Oak Grove. In response, the "Oak Grove Concerned Citizens Association" filed a petition in favor of incorporating the City of Oak Grove. Both petitions were denied. In 1991, the petitions were appealed to the
Supreme Court of Mississippi
The Supreme Court of Mississippi is the Supreme court, highest court in the state of Mississippi. It was established in 1818 per the terms of the first constitution of the state and was known as the High Court of Errors and Appeals from 1832 to 1 ...
. Testimony at the appeal included the following:
If you look at a map, the political boundaries removed, you will think Oak Grove a part of Hattiesburg. If you drive through the area, Oak Grove will appear residential Hattiesburg. The phone company treats Oak Grove and Hattiesburg as one, Hattiesburg being the one. The Post Office has not given Oak Grove a zip code. If you follow the average Oak Grovian around, day by day, you will find that he works, plays, shops in Hattiesburg everything but "sleeps and pays taxes," and you will wonder why Oak Grove is not politically a part of Hattiesburg.
Demographics
2020 census
Education
Oak Grove is part of the
Lamar County School District Lamar County School District may refer to:
* Lamar County School District (Georgia)
The Lamar County School District is a public school district in Lamar County, Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the ...
. Schools located in or near the community include:
* Oak Grove High School
* Oak Grove Middle School
* Oak Grove Upper Elementary
* Oak Grove Lower Elementary
*Longleaf Elementary (in West Hattiesburg)
* Oak Grove Primary
Infrastructure
The Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department is located in the community.