Morgan City, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Morgan City, Louisiana
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| City of Morgan City | |
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| Motto(s):
Right in the Middle of Everywhere
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Location of Morgan City in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana.
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Location of Louisiana in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | St. Mary, St. Martin |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.25 sq mi (16.19 km2) |
| • Land | 5.98 sq mi (15.50 km2) |
| • Water | 0.27 sq mi (0.69 km2) |
| Elevation | 7 ft (2 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 11,472 |
| • Density | 1,917.11/sq mi (740.19/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
70380
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| Area code(s) | 985 |
| FIPS code | 22-52040 |
Morgan City is a small city in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Acadiana region. In 2020, about 11,472 people lived there.
Morgan City is known for being "right in the middle of everywhere." It's about 68 miles (109 km) southeast of Lafayette. It's also 64 miles (103 km) south of Baton Rouge. New Orleans is about 86 miles (138 km) to the west.
The city is located on the Atchafalaya River. This is where the river meets the Intracoastal Waterway. The area was first called "Tiger Island" by early explorers. This was because of wild cats seen there. Later, it was named "Brashear City" after Walter Brashear. He was a doctor who bought a lot of land and sugar mills there. The city officially became a town in 1860.
Morgan City is part of a larger area called the Lafayette-Opelousas-Morgan City CSA.
Contents
History of Morgan City
Early Times and Name Changes
The area was first called "Tiger Island" by surveyors. This name came from a type of wild cat they saw there. Later, it was renamed "Brashear City." This was to honor Walter Brashear, a doctor from Kentucky. He owned a lot of land and sugar mills in the area. The city was officially formed in 1860.
In 1876, the name changed again to Morgan City. This was to honor Charles Morgan. He was a very important person in railroads and steamships. He helped dig a deep channel in the Atchafalaya Bay. This allowed large ocean ships to reach the city.
Morgan City During the Civil War
During the American Civil War, the Union Army built two forts in Brashear City. These forts protected a military supply center and the town. On June 22, 1863, Confederate soldiers surprised the city. They captured the city and many Union soldiers. They also took a lot of weapons and supplies.
Weather Events and Recent History
Morgan City has faced several hurricanes. On September 11, 1961, an F2 tornado hit the city. It caused a lot of damage and injured 16 people.
In 1985, Hurricane Juan hit near Morgan City. It caused widespread flooding. The storm then moved out to sea and hit land again in Alabama.
On August 26, 1992, Hurricane Andrew struck near Morgan City. Andrew was one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the U.S. at that time. It caused a lot of damage after crossing Florida.
In 2019, Hurricane Barry made landfall west of Morgan City. It was a Category 1 hurricane. Also in 2019, Morgan City was featured on a TV show. It was a paranormal reality show called Ghosts of Morgan City. It was shown on the Travel Channel.
Agricultural Discoveries
A special type of blackberry called the youngberry was created in Morgan City. B.M. Young developed it in 1905. It is a mix of different blackberry types. The youngberry became very popular. It had a great taste and produced many berries.
Geography and Location
Morgan City covers about 6.25 square miles (16.1 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. About 0.27 square miles (0.7 square kilometers) is water.
The city's northeastern edge is near the St. Martin Parish line. This is along Louisiana Highway 70.
Major highways pass through Morgan City. U.S. Highway 90 and Louisiana Highway 182 both go through the city. U.S. 90 heads west about 70 miles (113 km) to Lafayette. It also goes east about 90 miles (145 km) to New Orleans. U.S. 90 is planned to become part of Interstate 49.
Morgan City has a local airport. It is called the Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport. It's a small airport for general aviation. It is located near Patterson, Louisiana.
Scientists believe the Mississippi River could change course one day. If it did, its main channel might flow into the Gulf of Mexico near Morgan City. This would be instead of flowing near New Orleans.
Climate in Morgan City
| Climate data for Morgan City, Louisiana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1922–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 84 (29) |
86 (30) |
90 (32) |
92 (33) |
96 (36) |
101 (38) |
102 (39) |
101 (38) |
99 (37) |
97 (36) |
91 (33) |
86 (30) |
102 (39) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 63.0 (17.2) |
66.5 (19.2) |
71.8 (22.1) |
78.0 (25.6) |
84.1 (28.9) |
88.9 (31.6) |
90.5 (32.5) |
90.4 (32.4) |
87.9 (31.1) |
81.1 (27.3) |
72.0 (22.2) |
65.6 (18.7) |
78.3 (25.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 54.2 (12.3) |
57.7 (14.3) |
63.2 (17.3) |
69.5 (20.8) |
76.4 (24.7) |
81.7 (27.6) |
83.4 (28.6) |
83.3 (28.5) |
80.5 (26.9) |
72.4 (22.4) |
62.5 (16.9) |
56.6 (13.7) |
70.1 (21.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 45.4 (7.4) |
48.9 (9.4) |
54.6 (12.6) |
61.0 (16.1) |
68.7 (20.4) |
74.6 (23.7) |
76.3 (24.6) |
76.2 (24.6) |
73.0 (22.8) |
63.7 (17.6) |
53.0 (11.7) |
47.7 (8.7) |
61.9 (16.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 12 (−11) |
17 (−8) |
17 (−8) |
35 (2) |
42 (6) |
55 (13) |
60 (16) |
56 (13) |
46 (8) |
35 (2) |
22 (−6) |
10 (−12) |
10 (−12) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.99 (127) |
3.27 (83) |
3.86 (98) |
4.02 (102) |
4.55 (116) |
7.02 (178) |
6.23 (158) |
7.27 (185) |
5.40 (137) |
4.03 (102) |
3.91 (99) |
3.96 (101) |
58.51 (1,486) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.0 | 8.2 | 7.4 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 11.5 | 14.2 | 14.8 | 10.8 | 6.8 | 7.0 | 8.2 | 113.0 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Morgan City has a warm, humid climate. Summers are hot and winters are mild. The city gets a lot of rain throughout the year.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 2,015 | — | |
| 1890 | 2,291 | 13.7% | |
| 1900 | 2,332 | 1.8% | |
| 1910 | 5,477 | 134.9% | |
| 1920 | 5,429 | −0.9% | |
| 1930 | 5,985 | 10.2% | |
| 1940 | 6,969 | 16.4% | |
| 1950 | 9,759 | 40.0% | |
| 1960 | 13,540 | 38.7% | |
| 1970 | 16,586 | 22.5% | |
| 1980 | 16,114 | −2.8% | |
| 1990 | 14,531 | −9.8% | |
| 2000 | 12,703 | −12.6% | |
| 2010 | 12,404 | −2.4% | |
| 2020 | 11,472 | −7.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, Morgan City had 11,472 residents. There were 4,732 households and 2,492 families.
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 6,640 | 57.88% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 2,510 | 21.88% |
| Native American | 104 | 0.91% |
| Asian | 187 | 1.63% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 480 | 4.18% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,550 | 13.51% |
The city's population includes people from many backgrounds. In 2020, most residents were White (57.88%). African Americans made up 21.88% of the population. About 13.51% of residents were Hispanic or Latino.
In 2000, about 31.2% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.48 people. The average family had 3.04 people. The median age in the city was 36 years old.
Education in Morgan City
The St. Mary Parish School Board runs the public schools in Morgan City.
- Morgan City High School
- Morgan City Junior High School
- J. B. Maitland Elementary School
- M. E. Norman Elementary School
- M. D. Shannon Elementary School
- Wyandotte Elementary School
There is also a private Catholic school. It serves students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. This school is called Central Catholic High School.
Notable People from Morgan City
Many interesting people have come from Morgan City.
- Bill Burgo (1919–1988), a baseball player.
- Carla Blanchard Dartez, a former state representative in Louisiana.
- Mo B. Dick (born Raymond E Poole, 1965), a music producer.
- Eddie Dyer (1899–1964), a Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Sid Gautreaux (1912–1980), another baseball player.
- Anthony Guarisco, Jr. (born 1938), a state senator and businessman.
- Mark Hall (born 1965), a football player.
- René Hall (1912–1988), a famous session guitarist.
- Burt Lancon, a figure skater who competed in the 1984 Winter Olympics.
- Geronimo Pratt (1947–2011), a member of the Black Panther Party.
- Sam Seamans (born 1967), a bishop in the Reformed Episcopal Church.
Images for kids
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A street view of Morgan City, Louisiana.
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Map showing Morgan City's location in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana.
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Map showing Louisiana's location in the United States.
See also
In Spanish: Morgan City (Luisiana) para niños
