Welcome
to City
of Oak Hill,
the official web site for City of Oak Hill,
Florida. The City of Oak Hill is the southern most city
in Southeast Volusia County. The location is
rich in early Florida history. It was the site of an
Indian village called Surruque el Viejo near el Baradero
de Suroc, which was seen on LeMoyne’s map of 1564. Several
English settlers were in the area during the later 1700’s.
Seminole Wars chased away northern timber cutters who
named their camp Oak Hill. Arad Sheldon, a resident
of that time 1856, took the four bodies massacred just
to the north by wagon to New Smyrna Beach.
Following the Territorial Days
of Florida, permanent settlers began moving into the
area. Statehood seemed to provide stability for
organized communities. By the Civil War Years, Oak Hill
was changing: a salt works was operating, part-time
stores were open, and Mitchell had planted the first
orange grove. Following the war, settlers began arriving
in the area from many places. The local cemetery has
eleven Civil War veteran burials – five unions and six
confederates.
Hotels, stores, a post office,
and a school operated by Rev. Wicks in the
Congregational Church served a few white students in the
morning and several black students in the afternoon. A
public school for white students was constructed in the
early 1890’s and a prominent black freedman, Bill
Williams provided instruction and space for black
students in 1901. A public school for black students was
constructed in 1927. Business wise weather was a crucial
factor in area economics as most people were either
citrus growers or commercial fisherman. Circumstances
have had a tremendous impact on these occupations in
recent years. Very few citizens are involved with these
jobs now. Most gladly commute north or south to earn
their livelihood and return to the home of their choice
between New Smyrna, Edgewater, and the Canaveral
Seashore Park/Kennedy Space Center.
The City of Oak Hill was first
chartered in 1927. Local government was based on a Mayor/Commission with each commissioner functioning as head of
a municipal department. The city was later disbanded in
1930. The country was in a depression and the city
petitioned the government to inactivate the charter,
which was granted. The city later petitioned the
government in 1962 to reactivate the charter. Clarence
Goodrich was the city's mayor from 1963 to 1989, Mayor
Goodrich's term as Mayor spanned 26 years as the longest
term any mayor has held in the State of Florida.
Today, the City of Oak Hill is
valiantly working towards improving its economic, environmental,
and cultural standing, while preserving the richness of
its history and heritage, so that residents can enjoy
the changes that progress brings in these new times
without losing the precious quality of days gone
by.
In 2008, the City is led by Mayor Darla Lauer, Vice-Mayor Mary Lee Cook, and Commissioners William Marcello, Mike Thompson, and Kathy Bittle.
Your City wants YOU!
(To serve on a City Board)
The City of Oak Hill has current vacancies on the following boards:
Historical Preservation Board
Planning & Land Development Regulations Committee
Economic Development Board
If you have any experience and/or interest in serving on any of these boards, please complete an application and send it to the following address:
City Clerk/Administrator
City of Oak Hill
234 South US Highway #1
