Morehead City, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Morehead City, North Carolina
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Morehead City skyline
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Location of Morehead City, North Carolina
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | North Carolina | ||
| County | Carteret | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 10.57 sq mi (27.39 km2) | ||
| • Land | 7.41 sq mi (19.18 km2) | ||
| • Water | 3.17 sq mi (8.21 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,556 | ||
| • Density | 1,290.13/sq mi (498.13/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
28557
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| Area code | 252 | ||
| FIPS code | 37-44320 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 2406191 | ||
Morehead City is a port city in North Carolina, located in Carteret County. In 2020, about 9,556 people lived there. The city is part of the beautiful Crystal Coast. Morehead City celebrated its 150th birthday on May 5, 2007.
Contents
History of Morehead City
Founding the City
In the early 1850s, a group of investors started a company called the "Shepard Point Land Company." They bought about 600 acres of land. This land was on the eastern tip of a peninsula next to the Newport River. This area was known as "Shepards Point" and is where Morehead City stands today.
The company wanted to use the deep natural water channel of Topsail Inlet. This inlet is now called Beaufort Inlet. It gives access to Morehead City, Beaufort, North Carolina, the Newport River, and the Intracoastal Waterway. The goal was to build a deepwater port. This port would help transport North Carolina's timber products. It would also ease the pressure on the port in Wilmington, North Carolina.
To connect the port to the rest of North Carolina, a railroad line was built. The Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad line connected Goldsboro and New Bern. It was finished on April 29, 1858.
Naming the City
North Carolina Governor John Motley Morehead was a main investor in the Shepard Point Land Company. The city of Morehead City is named after him. Full train service began in July 1858. This connected the town to places west, north, and south.
Morehead City was planned using a grid plan. This means city blocks were laid out in equal squares. Each block had 16 equal lots. The city blocks went from 1st Street to 15th Street. They also had alleys in an "H" shape. This allowed businesses and homes to be served from the back.
Morehead City officially became a town in 1860. At that time, only about 300 families lived there.
Growth and Challenges
The city grew well until the American Civil War. In 1862, Federal troops took over the city. The war stopped trade, and the port's economy went down. The town's population also decreased.
Things started to get better in the 1880s. The Atlantic Hotel was built at the tip of the peninsula. The railroad promoted it as the "Summer Capital by the Sea." This helped the area become popular again. The hotel had a train station entrance, a grand ballroom, and piers. It also offered sailing and ferries to the beaches of Bogue Banks. This made Morehead City a popular summer spot.
During the 1880s and 1890s, fishermen from Shackleford Banks island moved to the mainland. They often moved their houses by boat! They settled between 10th and 15th streets. They called this area the Promised Land. These fishermen became the start of the fishing industry. Fishing is still a very important part of the town's economy today.
The Great Depression and World War II changed the town a lot. The old downtown area became run-down. Newer stores opened further west, making the old center decline faster.
Modern Renewal
In the 1980s, the town started to improve. Morehead City received a grant to fix old pipes and improve the waterfront. More grants and private money helped keep the progress going. Now, the town has a new sea wall. It also has underground power lines and brick walkways with plants along the waterfront. The downtown area has tree-lined streets, renovated houses, new docks, and new businesses.
The Morehead City Historic District and Morehead City Municipal Building are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are important historical sites.
Morehead City Today
Morehead City's economy mostly relies on ecotourism. This includes activities that let people enjoy nature. It also has a growing community of retired people. The Port of Morehead City is also very important.
The local economy also includes light industry and manufacturing. Land development, light commercial fishing, and sport fishing are also key. Many other businesses that offer services are here too. The town is close to New Bern, Havelock, and Jacksonville, North Carolina. Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point is about 17 miles northwest in Havelock. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is about 30 miles west near Jacksonville.
Morehead City is one of two ports in North Carolina that mainly export phosphate. The Port of Morehead City has a large storage area for dry bulk goods. It can hold 225,000 tons. SpaceX ships, like Ms. Tree and Ms. Chief, use the port. They use it as a safe place during rocket launches and fairing recovery.
Carteret General Hospital in Morehead City is the second largest employer in Carteret County. The Carteret County Public Schools are the largest.
Higher Education and Marine Research
Carteret Community College offers two-year associate degree programs. These programs focus on trades and service jobs. The area also has several world-class research groups. These include the University of North Carolina's Institute of Marine Sciences. There is also North Carolina State University's Center for Marine Sciences and Technology. The Duke University Marine Lab is in nearby Beaufort.
Morehead City is also home to the Research and Compliance Branch. This is part of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Division. It is a government organization.
Recreational Fishing in Morehead City
Morehead City is a great place for all kinds of fishermen. There are many chances for recreational fishing. This is because of its clean estuaries and its closeness to the Continental Shelf and Gulf Stream.
The Gulf Stream is a strong, warm ocean current. It starts in Florida and flows along the eastern U.S. coast. It brings large sport fish like the Atlantic blue marlin close to North Carolina.
The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament started in 1957. It brings many sports fans to Morehead City each year. They come to see some of the biggest Atlantic blue marlin caught in North America.
Scuba Diving Adventures
Morehead City and nearby areas are popular for scuba diving. Many shipwrecks are found off the coast of North Carolina. This has given the waters the nickname "Graveyard of the Atlantic." Morehead City is located near many famous wrecks. One is the German submarine U-352. George Purifoy, a resident of Morehead, helped discover it.
Sports and Recreation
Morehead City is home to the Morehead City Marlins. This is a college summer baseball league team. The Marlins play at O'Neal Field at Big Rock Stadium. They started playing in the 2010 season.
Youth sports in Morehead City include Little League Baseball, soccer, and basketball leagues.
Geography of Morehead City
Morehead City is in the southwest part of Carteret County. It is on a peninsula. To the south is Bogue Sound. To the north and east is the tidal Newport River. The town of Beaufort is across the river to the east. Atlantic Beach is across Bogue Sound to the south.
Morehead City has a total area of about 22.1 square kilometers (8.5 square miles). About 17.7 square kilometers (6.8 square miles) is land. The rest, about 4.3 square kilometers (1.7 square miles), is water.
Climate in Morehead City
Morehead City has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has long, hot summers and short, cool winters.
| Climate data for Morehead City, North Carolina (1981–2010 normals), | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 78 (26) |
77 (25) |
86 (30) |
92 (33) |
97 (36) |
103 (39) |
100 (38) |
98 (37) |
94 (34) |
95 (35) |
84 (29) |
79 (26) |
103 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 70 (21) |
70 (21) |
74 (23) |
80 (27) |
86 (30) |
90 (32) |
93 (34) |
92 (33) |
89 (32) |
84 (29) |
79 (26) |
72 (22) |
95 (35) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 56.3 (13.5) |
58.6 (14.8) |
64.1 (17.8) |
71.5 (21.9) |
77.8 (25.4) |
84.3 (29.1) |
87.5 (30.8) |
86.9 (30.5) |
83.3 (28.5) |
76.1 (24.5) |
67.7 (19.8) |
59.5 (15.3) |
72.8 (22.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 36.2 (2.3) |
38.1 (3.4) |
43.6 (6.4) |
51.7 (10.9) |
60.8 (16.0) |
69.6 (20.9) |
73.4 (23.0) |
72.3 (22.4) |
67.1 (19.5) |
56.7 (13.7) |
47.5 (8.6) |
39.3 (4.1) |
54.7 (12.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 17 (−8) |
21 (−6) |
27 (−3) |
34 (1) |
45 (7) |
57 (14) |
63 (17) |
62 (17) |
53 (12) |
39 (4) |
30 (−1) |
21 (−6) |
15 (−9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 1 (−17) |
8 (−13) |
12 (−11) |
25 (−4) |
35 (2) |
40 (4) |
54 (12) |
53 (12) |
41 (5) |
27 (−3) |
19 (−7) |
3 (−16) |
1 (−17) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.65 (118) |
3.84 (98) |
4.36 (111) |
3.13 (80) |
4.56 (116) |
4.31 (109) |
6.06 (154) |
7.49 (190) |
7.34 (186) |
4.47 (114) |
4.57 (116) |
4.24 (108) |
59 (1,500) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.3 (0.76) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.4 (1.0) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 102 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Source: NOAA (North Carolina Observed Climate Normals) | |||||||||||||
Population of Morehead City
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 316 | — | |
| 1870 | 267 | −15.5% | |
| 1880 | 520 | 94.8% | |
| 1890 | 1,064 | 104.6% | |
| 1900 | 1,379 | 29.6% | |
| 1910 | 2,039 | 47.9% | |
| 1920 | 2,958 | 45.1% | |
| 1930 | 3,483 | 17.7% | |
| 1940 | 3,695 | 6.1% | |
| 1950 | 5,144 | 39.2% | |
| 1960 | 5,583 | 8.5% | |
| 1970 | 5,233 | −6.3% | |
| 1980 | 4,359 | −16.7% | |
| 1990 | 6,046 | 38.7% | |
| 2000 | 7,691 | 27.2% | |
| 2010 | 8,661 | 12.6% | |
| 2020 | 9,556 | 10.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 Census Data
In 2020, there were 9,556 people living in Morehead City. There were 4,428 households and 2,276 families.
Transportation in Morehead City
Highways
- NC 24 (often used by U.S. Marines traveling to and from Camp Lejeune)
- US 70
Future Interstate Highway
- I-42 (planned future highway)
Train Service
Amtrak offers a bus service from Morehead City to Wilson. In Wilson, you can connect to trains like the Palmetto. This train goes to New York City and Savannah, Georgia. You can also connect to the Carolinian, which goes to New York City and Charlotte.
In the past, until the early 1950s, the Atlantic and East Carolina Railway ran a daily passenger train. It went to Goldsboro's Union Station. The train connections in Goldsboro allowed travel to central and western North Carolina.
As of 2007, the North Carolina Department of Transportation was studying bringing back passenger train service. This service would run from Raleigh through Goldsboro to Morehead City.
Healthcare
- Carteret Health Care is the main hospital serving Morehead City.
Education in Morehead City
Elementary Schools
- Morehead City Primary School
- Morehead City Elementary School at Camp Glenn
Middle Schools
- Morehead Middle School
High Schools
- West Carteret High School
Higher Learning Institutions
- Carteret Community College
- UNC-Chapel Hill Institute of Marine Sciences
- NCSU Center for Marine Sciences and Technology
Private Schools
- St. Egbert's Catholic School
Media and News
Newspapers
The Carteret County News-Times is the local newspaper. It is published three times a week. Carteret Publishing Company owns it.
Television Stations
Morehead City is part of the Greenville–New Bern–Washington TV market. Here are some of the TV stations that serve the area:
- WITN-TV (Channel 7), Washington (NBC affiliate)
- WNCT-TV (Channel 9), Greenville (CBS affiliate, also has the CW on a digital subchannel)
- WCTI-TV (Channel 12), New Bern (ABC affiliate)
- WYDO-TV (Channel 14), Greenville (Fox affiliate)
- WUNM-TV (Channel 19), Jacksonville (PBS affiliate of the PBS North Carolina Network)
- WPXU-TV (Channel 35), Jacksonville (i network/My Network affiliate)
Notable People
Images for kids
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A container terminal at the Port of Morehead City.
See also
In Spanish: Morehead City (Carolina del Norte) para niños
