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Ora 9522Photo: Chris Light · CC BY-SA 4.0
–Not graded
History · Ora

Ora’s post office opened in 1882, and 18% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1962 on.

1882first post office
0on the National Register
18%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Chris Light · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Ora began

When was Ora founded?

1882

The Ora post office opened in 1882, the earliest record of the town by name.

144 years
Founding year: the first Ora post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Ora’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Ora are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Ora’s homes were built before 1958.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Ora’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Ora’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Ora came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Ora.

Read it all →

Although Ora is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 46968. It has been in operation since 1882.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Ora, decade by decade

Today3 recent
Ora 95222021Ora 9522Gospel Chapel 95242021Gospel Chapel 9524Gospel Chapel 95232021Gospel Chapel 9523
On the map

Ora on the map, 1962 to 1986

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Ora. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Ora on the 1962 USGS mapOra on the 1986 USGS map1962Bass Lake sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Ora.

Famous people

Famous people close to Ora

Nobody well known was born in Ora itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Henry F. SchrickerAmerican politician · b. 1883
Justin HaleyAmerican racing driver · b. 1999
S
Stuart GorrellAmerican banker, wrote the lyrics to "Georgia o… · b. 1901
H
Hank SteinbrennerAmerican baseball executive · b. 1957
D
Don HendricksonMajor League Baseball pitcher · b. 1913
Hal SteinbrennerAmerican professional baseball team owner and e… · b. 1969

Questions about Ora’s history

What year was Ora founded?

The Ora post office opened in 1882, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (3), Wikipedia and U.S. Geological Survey historical maps. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.