Morrilton, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Morrilton, Arkansas
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     Clockwise from top: Conway County Courthouse, Morrilton Public Library, Downtown, Morrilton Train Station, Arkansas Christian College Administration Building
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| Motto(s):
"Small city. No limits."
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Location of Morrilton in Conway County, Arkansas.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Conway |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.97 sq mi (23.24 km2) |
| • Land | 8.83 sq mi (22.86 km2) |
| • Water | 0.15 sq mi (0.38 km2) |
| Elevation | 384 ft (117 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,992 |
| • Density | 792.03/sq mi (305.82/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−05:00 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
72110
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| Area code(s) | 501 Exchanges: 208,354,477,977 |
| FIPS code | 05-46970 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0056839 |
| Local airport | Morrilton Municipal Airport (KBDQ) |
| Interstate Highways | I-40 |
| Other major highways | US 64, AR 9, AR 95 |
Morrilton is a city in Conway County, Arkansas, United States, less than 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Little Rock. The city is the county seat of Conway County. The population was 6,992 at the 2020 United States census.
Contents
History
Morrilton was incorporated on November 24, 1879, and is named after landowners E.J. and George H. Morrill. Most of the downtown area is built on the farm adjacent to the Morrills formerly owned by James M. Moose.
The city was home to Harding College, now Harding University of Searcy, Arkansas, for about a decade in the 1920s and 1930s. The original campus of Harding University is now the Southern Christian Home, a church-supported residential child care facility.
Geography
Morrilton is located in southern Conway County at 35°9′23″N 92°44′31″W / 35.15639°N 92.74194°W (35.156373, -92.741944). It is bordered on the south by the Arkansas River.
Interstate 40 passes through the northern side of the city, leading southeast 48 miles (77 km) to Little Rock and west 107 miles (172 km) to Fort Smith. U.S. Route 64 (East and West Broadway Street) is the main road through the city center, leading east 6 miles (10 km) to Plumerville and northwest 13 miles (21 km) to Atkins. Arkansas Highway 9 forms an eastern bypass of Morrilton and leads north 40 miles (64 km) to Clinton and south across the Arkansas River 13 miles (21 km) to Perryville.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Morrilton has a total area of 9.2 square miles (23.7 km2), of which 8.7 square miles (22.6 km2) is land and 0.39 square miles (1.0 km2), or 4.29%, is water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 770 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,644 | 113.5% | |
| 1900 | 1,707 | 3.8% | |
| 1910 | 2,424 | 42.0% | |
| 1920 | 3,010 | 24.2% | |
| 1930 | 4,043 | 34.3% | |
| 1940 | 4,608 | 14.0% | |
| 1950 | 5,483 | 19.0% | |
| 1960 | 5,997 | 9.4% | |
| 1970 | 6,814 | 13.6% | |
| 1980 | 7,355 | 7.9% | |
| 1990 | 6,551 | −10.9% | |
| 2000 | 6,550 | 0.0% | |
| 2010 | 6,767 | 3.3% | |
| 2020 | 6,992 | 3.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 4,775 | 68.29% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,185 | 16.95% |
| Native American | 46 | 0.66% |
| Asian | 41 | 0.59% |
| Pacific Islander | 3 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 505 | 7.22% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 437 | 6.25% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,992 people, 2,748 households, and 1,755 families residing in the city.
2010 census
As of the 2010 Census, 6,767 people and 2,759 households resided within the city.
Arts and culture
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Morrilton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Education
Public schools
The community's public school system is operated by the South Conway County School District. As of 2018, the district consists of five schools. The SCCSD public high school is Morrilton High School.
Morrilton's first public school for white students opened in 1881. 14 years later the first school for African-American students opened in 1895. In 1980 the East Side, Morrilton, and Plumerville School districts consolidated to form the new South Conway County district.
Private schools
Sacred Heart Catholic School is the only private school in the city of Morrilton and was established in 1879. It is one of only two private Roman Catholic schools in Arkansas that serves PreK-12.
Colleges and universities
Morrilton is home to the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton.
The city was home to Harding College, now Harding University of Searcy, Arkansas, for about a decade in the 1920s and 1930s. The original campus of Harding University is now the Southern Christian Home, a church-supported residential child care facility.
Public Libraries
The Conway County Library is located at 101 West Church Street in Downtown Morrilton. The library was established in 1897 by the Pathfinder Club. It moved among members homes until 1916 when the Andrew Carnegie Foundation awarded the club a grant for a building. The Conway County Library is one of two public libraries in the state of Arkansas functioning from its original Carnegie building.
Notable people
- Rick Beck (born 1956), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Conway and Perry counties since 2015, electrical engineer born in Little Rock and a former resident of Morrilton. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton.
- Carl B. Close (1907-1980), Louisiana state representative, a Democrat, who also served as mayor of Alexandria from 1947 to 1953, was born at Robertsville near Morrilton, the son of the country physician, Edgar Close.
- Nathan Green Gordon (1916–2008), sixth Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas and distinguished United States Navy aviator during World War II; born in Morrilton
- James S. Moose, Jr. (1903-1989) First US Government Representative to live in Saudi Arabia, Ambassador to Syria and the Sudan
- Winthrop Rockefeller (1912-1973), governor of Arkansas from 1967 to 1971; lived at Petit Jean Mountain near Morrilton
- Sue Scott (born 1954), member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Rogers; attended the former Petit Jean Vocational Technical School in Morrilton
- John R. Stallings (1935–2008), mathematician known for his seminal contributions to geometric group theory and 3-manifold topology; born in Morrilton
- Shekinna Stricklen - Women's basketball player that graduated from Morrilton High School. Played collegiately for the University of Tennessee. She was selected in the first round of the 2012 WNBA Draft (2nd overall) by the Seattle Storm. Won the 2019 WNBA Three Point Contest the day before the 2019 WNBA All-Star Game.
- C. Vann Woodward (1908-1999), American historian focused primarily on the Southern United States and its individual sociology of race and ethnic relations. He attended Morrilton High School.
See also
In Spanish: Morrilton (Arkansas) para niños
