Morrilton, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Morrilton, Arkansas
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    Clockwise from top: Conway County Courthouse, Conway County Library, Morrilton Commercial Historic District, Morrilton Railroad Station
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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 |
| 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. It is located less than 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Little Rock. Morrilton is the main city and government center of Conway County. In 2020, about 6,992 people lived there.
Contents
History of Morrilton
In 1825, a trading post was set up near where Morrilton is today, by the Arkansas River. This town was later called Lewisburg. It grew after it became an official town in 1844.
In 1871, the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad built train tracks through the area. The new town that grew around these tracks was named Morrilton. It was named after E.J. and George H. Morrill, who owned the land. People from Lewisburg eventually moved closer to the railroad in Morrilton. In 1883, Morrilton became the main city for Conway County, Arkansas.
Geography and Location
Morrilton is located in the southern part of Conway County. It is next to the Arkansas River on its south side.
Interstate 40 runs through the northern part of the city. This highway goes southeast about 48 miles (77 km) to Little Rock. It also goes west about 107 miles (172 km) to Fort Smith.
U.S. Route 64 is the main road in the city center. It goes east to Plumerville and northwest to Atkins. Arkansas Highway 9 goes around the east side of Morrilton. It leads north to Clinton and south across the Arkansas River to Perryville.
The United States Census Bureau says Morrilton covers about 9.2 square miles (23.7 km2) of land and water. About 8.7 square miles (22.6 km2) is land, and 0.39 square miles (1.0 km2) is water.
Morrilton's Climate
The weather in Morrilton has hot, humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.
| Climate data for Morrilton, Arkansas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1919–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 82 (28) |
88 (31) |
93 (34) |
96 (36) |
101 (38) |
109 (43) |
115 (46) |
115 (46) |
109 (43) |
96 (36) |
90 (32) |
80 (27) |
115 (46) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 70.5 (21.4) |
74.4 (23.6) |
81.0 (27.2) |
85.3 (29.6) |
89.9 (32.2) |
95.6 (35.3) |
99.5 (37.5) |
100.7 (38.2) |
96.3 (35.7) |
89.1 (31.7) |
78.8 (26.0) |
71.5 (21.9) |
101.8 (38.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 50.0 (10.0) |
55.2 (12.9) |
63.8 (17.7) |
72.9 (22.7) |
80.2 (26.8) |
88.3 (31.3) |
92.5 (33.6) |
92.6 (33.7) |
85.9 (29.9) |
75.1 (23.9) |
62.6 (17.0) |
52.5 (11.4) |
72.6 (22.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 39.5 (4.2) |
43.5 (6.4) |
51.7 (10.9) |
60.5 (15.8) |
69.2 (20.7) |
77.8 (25.4) |
81.7 (27.6) |
80.7 (27.1) |
73.5 (23.1) |
62.1 (16.7) |
50.7 (10.4) |
42.0 (5.6) |
61.1 (16.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 29.1 (−1.6) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
39.5 (4.2) |
48.1 (8.9) |
58.2 (14.6) |
67.3 (19.6) |
70.9 (21.6) |
68.8 (20.4) |
61.0 (16.1) |
49.0 (9.4) |
38.7 (3.7) |
31.4 (−0.3) |
49.5 (9.7) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 13.2 (−10.4) |
17.3 (−8.2) |
23.1 (−4.9) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
42.1 (5.6) |
55.2 (12.9) |
61.2 (16.2) |
58.8 (14.9) |
45.2 (7.3) |
32.1 (0.1) |
22.6 (−5.2) |
16.6 (−8.6) |
10.2 (−12.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −7 (−22) |
−15 (−26) |
9 (−13) |
24 (−4) |
34 (1) |
47 (8) |
49 (9) |
43 (6) |
34 (1) |
23 (−5) |
12 (−11) |
−6 (−21) |
−15 (−26) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.64 (92) |
3.81 (97) |
5.06 (129) |
5.29 (134) |
5.52 (140) |
3.56 (90) |
3.82 (97) |
3.69 (94) |
3.30 (84) |
3.93 (100) |
4.85 (123) |
4.73 (120) |
51.20 (1,300) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.5 (1.3) |
0.8 (2.0) |
0.7 (1.8) |
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) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.3 (0.76) |
2.4 (6.1) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.0 | 8.7 | 10.5 | 9.4 | 10.6 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 6.9 | 7.9 | 9.0 | 9.5 | 105.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.5 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People in Morrilton
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Population Count
The 2020 United States census counted 6,992 people living in Morrilton. There were 2,748 households and 1,755 families.
| 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% |
Arts and Culture in Morrilton
Many places in Morrilton are listed on the National Register of Historical Places. This means they are important historical sites. Some of these include:
- Arkansas Christian College Administration Building – An old school building.
- Aycock House - A historic house.
- Coca-Cola Building - A historic business building.
- Conway County Courthouse - The historic building where the county government works.
- Conway County Library - A beautiful brick library building.
- Earl Building - Another historic business building.
- First National Bank of Morrilton - A historic bank building.
- Moose Addition Neighborhood Historic District - The oldest neighborhood in Morrilton.
- Moose House - A historic house.
- Morrilton Commercial Historic District - The old downtown business area.
- Morrilton Post Office - A historic post office building.
- Morrilton Railroad Station - A historic train station.
- Saint Anthony's Hospital - A historic hospital building.
- West Church Street Historic District - An area with many old, beautiful homes.
- W. L. Wood House - A historic house.
Museums to Visit
- The Morrilton Depot Museum is located in the old Morrilton Railroad Station. It shares the history of the area. Next to the museum is a statue of Winthrop Paul "Win" Rockefeller, a former lieutenant governor.
- The Museum of Automobiles is on Petit Jean Mountain, close to Morrilton. It has a collection of old and classic cars, motorcycles, and other cool items.
Outdoor Fun
- Petit Jean State Park is a large park near Morrilton. It has many hiking trails and natural spots. The park is managed by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. It is a very popular place for camping and RVing.
Theatre and Shows
- The Rialto Theatre in Downtown Morrilton has been open for over 100 years. It used to be a movie theater. Now, volunteers have fixed it up, and it hosts plays, concerts, and other events.
- H.B. White Auditorium is at Morrilton High School. It is used for school events and public shows.
- The UACCM Fine Arts Auditorium is at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton. It is used for college events and public performances.
Education in Morrilton
Public Schools
The public schools in Morrilton are part of the South Conway County School District. This district has five schools. The main public high school is Morrilton High School.
The first public school for white students in Morrilton opened in 1881. A school for African-American students opened in 1895. In 1980, the school districts of East Side, Morrilton, and Plumerville joined together to form the South Conway County district.
Private Schools
Sacred Heart Catholic School is the only private school in Morrilton. It started in 1879. It is one of only two private Roman Catholic schools in Arkansas that teaches students from Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade.
Colleges and Universities
Morrilton is home to the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton.
The city also used to have Harding College, which is now Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. The old campus of Harding University is now the Southern Christian Home. This is a home for children supported by a church.
Public Libraries
The Conway County Library is in Downtown Morrilton. It was started in 1897 by a club called the Pathfinder Club. In 1916, the Andrew Carnegie Foundation gave money to build the library. It is one of only two public libraries in Arkansas that still uses its original Carnegie building.
Notable People from Morrilton
- Carl B. Close (1907–1980), a state representative and mayor of Alexandria, Louisiana.
- Nathan Green Gordon (1916–2008), a former lieutenant governor of Arkansas and a brave pilot in World War II.
- James S. Moose, Jr. (1903–1989), the first U.S. government person to live in Saudi Arabia.
- Winthrop Rockefeller (1912–1973), a former governor of Arkansas, lived near Morrilton.
- John R. Stallings (1935–2008), a famous mathematician.
- Shekinna Stricklen - A women's basketball player who went to Morrilton High School. She played for the Seattle Storm in the WNBA.
- C. Vann Woodward (1908–1999), an American historian who studied the Southern United States.
Media in Morrilton
Newspapers
The Petit Jean Country Headlight is the biggest newspaper in Morrilton. It started in 1874 and comes out every Wednesday.
Radio Stations
KVOM (AM) began broadcasting on Christmas Day in 1952. KVOM-FM started broadcasting in 1979.
Television
Morrilton Community Channel 6 started in the 1990s. It shows local events on channel 6 and on their website.
See also
In Spanish: Morrilton (Arkansas) para niños
