Ocklawaha, Florida

Ocklawaha is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Marion County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,508. The community is part of the Ocala Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

A post office was established at Ocklawaha in 1884. The area has its own postal district and post office. The community took its name from the nearby Ocklawaha River.

The Shootout

In 1935, Ocklawaha was the scene of a shootout between federal agents and Barker-Karpis Gang member Fred Barker. The agents fired about 500 bullets into the house, with roughly 250 shots fired in return, according to the after-action report of Special Agent in Charge Earl "E.J." Connelley. The fight ended in the deaths of Fred Barker and his mother Kate "Ma" Barker.

Geography

Ocklawaha is located in southeastern Marion County on the north shore of Lake Weir. It is bordered to the east by Silver Springs Shores East. Ocala, the Marion county seat, is to the northwest, and Leesburg is the same distance to the south.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Ocklawaha CDP has a total area of, of which are land and, or 29.5%, are water. The water area is mainly in Lake Weir to the south, with the rest in Bowers Lake on the western edge of the community.