Oakhurst originally developed as a streetcar suburb of Atlanta. The Atlanta City Street Railway Company built the North Decatur trolley line in 1892.This line crossed the South Decatur trolley line at the center of the Oakhurst business district – the intersection of East Lake Drive, Oakview Road and Mead Road. This portion of Oakhurst was owned by Eugenius N. Meade in the late 19th Century. His land was purchased by John Ridley in 1907. Mr Ridley had a small farm at this location, but he made his money in the mercantile business and in real estate. He sold much of his land in 1910, and it became part of the newly incorporated Town of Oakhurst.
In 1910 the Georgia Legislature approved the incorporation of Oakhurst. Oakhurst’s population was approximately 100 people at the time of incorporation, mostly located around the railroad tracks near College Avenue and the present MARTA station. The original residential directory gave addresses on Park Place, Madison (formerly Viola), College Avenue, Mead Road (formerly Meades Road) and Winter Avenue.[2] Although residences had been constructed in the MAK Historic District as early as 1905-1907, Oakhurst primarily developed in the 1910s and 1920s. The development occurred in clusters. In addition to the 1910 John Ridley development, the Feld Realty development occurred in 1910, East Lake Land Development Company constructed structures in 1910 and 1924; and the A.R. and L.M. Morris development occurred in 1915.
The northern section of Mead Road was annexed by the City of Decatur in 1907, but the Town of Oakhurst was not annexed into the city of Decatur until 1914-1916. Shortly after annexation, however, Oakhurst’s City Hall/Schoolhouse burned and destroyed all of the town records, so little is known about the old Town of Oakhurst. Oakhurst remains a distinct community within the City of Decatur.