Morganton, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Morganton, North Carolina
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Historic train station in Morganton
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Location within the state of North Carolina
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  North Carolina |
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| County | Burke | ||
| Founded | 1777 | ||
| Incorporated | 1784 | ||
| Named for | Daniel Morgan | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 19.24 sq mi (49.84 km2) | ||
| • Land | 19.24 sq mi (49.84 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 1,175 ft (358 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 17,474 | ||
| • Density | 908.02/sq mi (350.59/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (Eastern) | ||
| ZIP codes |
28655, 28680
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| Area code(s) | 828 | ||
| FIPS code | 37-44400 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 2404304 | ||
Morganton is a city in North Carolina, United States. It is the main town of Burke County. In 2020, about 17,474 people lived there.
Morganton is about 75 miles (121 km) northwest of Charlotte. It is also about 57 miles (92 km) east of Asheville. The city is part of the larger Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton area.
Contents
History of Morganton
Morganton became the first official town in western North Carolina in 1784. This happened as more European settlers moved over the Blue Ridge Mountains.
A small fight took place in Morganton on April 17, 1865. This was part of a larger military movement during the American Civil War.
In the late 1800s, the state government approved important places like the North Carolina School for the Deaf and Broughton Hospital (a hospital for mental health).
In the early 1900s, factories that made clothes and fabrics were built in the area. However, over time, many of these factory jobs moved to other countries.
Later in the 20th century, Morganton and Burke County had many large chicken farms. These farms led to big chicken processing plants. These jobs brought many new people from Central America to the area. This caused the number of Latino people in the area to grow.
A bronze statue of a Confederate soldier stands in the Old Burke County Courthouse square. It is 9-foot (2.7 m)-tall and was put there in 1918.
Geography and Climate
Morganton is in the middle of Burke County. It is located in the Catawba River valley. This area is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are part of Appalachia.
The city covers about 19.2 square miles (49.6 km2) of land. There is no water area within the city limits.
Morganton's Weather
Morganton has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters.
| Climate data for Morganton, North Carolina, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 81 (27) |
81 (27) |
92 (33) |
94 (34) |
98 (37) |
105 (41) |
106 (41) |
104 (40) |
103 (39) |
96 (36) |
86 (30) |
80 (27) |
106 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 69.1 (20.6) |
71.9 (22.2) |
79.6 (26.4) |
85.5 (29.7) |
89.2 (31.8) |
93.7 (34.3) |
95.5 (35.3) |
94.3 (34.6) |
90.2 (32.3) |
84.5 (29.2) |
76.4 (24.7) |
69.6 (20.9) |
96.5 (35.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 49.4 (9.7) |
53.4 (11.9) |
60.8 (16.0) |
70.6 (21.4) |
77.9 (25.5) |
84.5 (29.2) |
87.7 (30.9) |
85.9 (29.9) |
80.0 (26.7) |
70.9 (21.6) |
60.6 (15.9) |
51.8 (11.0) |
69.5 (20.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 38.7 (3.7) |
41.8 (5.4) |
48.7 (9.3) |
57.7 (14.3) |
65.8 (18.8) |
73.3 (22.9) |
76.9 (24.9) |
75.4 (24.1) |
69.3 (20.7) |
58.5 (14.7) |
47.9 (8.8) |
41.1 (5.1) |
57.9 (14.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 27.9 (−2.3) |
30.3 (−0.9) |
36.6 (2.6) |
44.9 (7.2) |
53.7 (12.1) |
62.2 (16.8) |
66.0 (18.9) |
64.9 (18.3) |
58.5 (14.7) |
46.2 (7.9) |
35.2 (1.8) |
30.3 (−0.9) |
46.4 (8.0) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 11.0 (−11.7) |
16.1 (−8.8) |
21.0 (−6.1) |
29.8 (−1.2) |
38.6 (3.7) |
50.6 (10.3) |
57.5 (14.2) |
55.6 (13.1) |
45.1 (7.3) |
30.8 (−0.7) |
22.0 (−5.6) |
16.8 (−8.4) |
9.4 (−12.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −9 (−23) |
−1 (−18) |
0 (−18) |
20 (−7) |
29 (−2) |
37 (3) |
46 (8) |
42 (6) |
33 (1) |
19 (−7) |
9 (−13) |
−10 (−23) |
−10 (−23) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.30 (109) |
3.67 (93) |
4.38 (111) |
4.29 (109) |
4.11 (104) |
4.80 (122) |
4.41 (112) |
4.80 (122) |
4.59 (117) |
3.77 (96) |
3.75 (95) |
4.66 (118) |
51.53 (1,308) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.0 (2.5) |
0.3 (0.76) |
1.6 (4.1) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.76) |
3.2 (8.12) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.0 | 9.4 | 10.7 | 9.4 | 11.2 | 11.4 | 12.4 | 11.2 | 9.1 | 8.0 | 8.3 | 10.3 | 121.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
People in Morganton
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 558 | — | |
| 1870 | 554 | — | |
| 1880 | 861 | 55.4% | |
| 1890 | 1,557 | 80.8% | |
| 1900 | 1,938 | 24.5% | |
| 1910 | 2,712 | 39.9% | |
| 1920 | 2,867 | 5.7% | |
| 1930 | 6,001 | 109.3% | |
| 1940 | 7,670 | 27.8% | |
| 1950 | 8,311 | 8.4% | |
| 1960 | 9,186 | 10.5% | |
| 1970 | 13,625 | 48.3% | |
| 1980 | 13,763 | 1.0% | |
| 1990 | 15,085 | 9.6% | |
| 2000 | 17,310 | 14.7% | |
| 2010 | 16,918 | −2.3% | |
| 2020 | 17,474 | 3.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Morganton's Population in 2020
In 2020, Morganton had 17,474 people. There were 6,181 households and 3,907 families.
The average income for a household was $47,715. About 51.6% of homes were owned by the people living in them.
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 10,489 | 60.03% |
| Black or African American (not Hispanic) | 1,665 | 9.53% |
| Native American | 48 | 0.27% |
| Asian | 383 | 2.19% |
| Pacific Islander | 28 | 0.16% |
| Other/Mixed | 753 | 4.31% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4,108 | 23.51% |
Economy and Jobs
Morganton has several state-run facilities. These include Broughton Hospital (a mental health hospital) and the North Carolina School for the Deaf. The city also has a second campus for the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.
Other jobs come from furniture making. Many tourists also visit Morganton when traveling on Interstate 40 to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The Industrial Commons started in Morganton in 2015. It helps new businesses grow, especially those trying to bring back textile and furniture industries.
Arts and Culture
Historic Places
Many places in Morganton are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are important sites that are kept safe because of their history.
Events and Fun Things to Do
- Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church holds a Parish Food Festival every year in early November.
- The Morganton Festival happens the weekend after Labor Day. It features local sellers and live music.
- The City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium hosts many shows and events.
- Morganton also has summer concerts on the Burke County Courthouse Square. These concerts feature local and regional musicians.
Parks and Recreation
- Catawba Meadows Park is near downtown Morganton. It has baseball fields, beach volleyball courts, and other sports areas.
- Martha's Park in downtown Morganton has a splash pad, playground, and picnic spots.
- Freedom Park is next to Freedom High School. This 30-acre park has many sports fields. It also has lighted tennis courts, picnic areas, and a one-mile lighted track.
Golf Courses
- Mimosa Hills Golf and Country Club is a place where people can play golf.
Education in Morganton
Colleges and Universities
- Western Piedmont Community College
- Foothills Higher Education Center: This center is a satellite campus for several universities. These include Appalachian State University, Lees-McRae College, Montreat College, and Western Carolina University.
Public Schools
- Freedom High School
- Robert L. Patton High School
- Table Rock Middle School
- Liberty Middle School
- Walter R. Johnson Middle School
- Glen Alpine Elementary School
- Mull Elementary School
- Hillcrest Elementary School
- Chesterfield Elementary School
- W. A. Young Elementary School
- Burke Alternative School
- College Street Academy
- Salem Elementary School
- Forest Hill Elementary School
- Oak Hill Elementary School
- Burke Middle College
- Mountain View Elementary School
- East Burke High School
- Draughn High School
Private Schools
- Morganton Day School
- Silver Creek Adventist School
Charter Schools
- New Dimensions Charter School
Specialized Schools
- North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math)
- North Carolina School for the Deaf (for students who are deaf or hard of hearing)
- North Liberty Middle School (special education programs)
Other Institutions
- J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center
Media
Radio Stations
- WCIS / 760 AM / Religious music and programs
- WMNC / 1430 AM / Country music
- WMNC / 92.1 FM / Country music
- WHGW / 100.3 FM / Religious music and programs
Newspapers
- The Morganton News Herald is a daily newspaper.
- The Paper is a weekly newspaper that covers news only from Burke County. It started in 2023.
Transportation
Highways
Major highways that pass through Morganton include:
- Interstate 40
- U.S. Route 70
- U.S. Route 64
Notable People from Morganton
Many interesting people have come from Morganton, including:
- W. Ted Alexander, a member of the North Carolina Senate.
- Alphonso Calhoun Avery, a judge and military officer.
- Isaac E. Avery, known for a note he wrote during the American Civil War.
- Etta Baker, a famous guitarist and singer of Piedmont Blues music.
- Johnny Bristol, a musician and producer for Motown.
- Tod Robinson Caldwell, who was the governor of North Carolina from 1871 to 1874.
- Joe Cheves, a professional golfer.
- Sam Ervin, a U.S. senator who was important during the Watergate hearings.
- Kony Ealy, an NFL defensive end.
- Kerri Gardin, a WNBA basketball player.
- Leon Johnson, a former NFL running back.
- Gray Leadbetter, a racing car driver.
- Dwayne Ledford, a former NFL player and now a coach.
- Bill Leslie, a TV news anchor and musician.
- Chad Lawson, a classical and jazz pianist.
- Billy Joe Patton, an amateur golfer.
- Tommy Giles Rogers Jr., the lead singer for the band Between the Buried and Me.
- Siiickbrain, a singer and model.
- Frankie Silver, the first white woman to be executed in North Carolina.
- Paige Summers, a model.
- Isaac M. Taylor, a doctor and academic, and father of musician James Taylor.
- Gladys Avery Tillett, a political organizer who worked with UNESCO.
See also
In Spanish: Morganton (Carolina del Norte) para niños
