Mortons Gap, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mortons Gap, Kentucky
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The W.W. Kington House, a local landmark
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Location of Mortons Gap in Hopkins County, Kentucky.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Hopkins |
| Incorporated | 1888 |
| Named for | a local landowner |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.19 sq mi (3.09 km2) |
| • Land | 1.18 sq mi (3.07 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 472 ft (144 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 728 |
| • Density | 614.86/sq mi (237.38/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
42440
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| Area code(s) | 270 & 364 |
| FIPS code | 21-53616 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0498645 |
Mortons Gap is a small city located in Hopkins County, Kentucky, in the United States. It is known as a "home rule-class city," which means it has the power to manage its own local affairs. In 2020, about 728 people lived here. This number was a bit lower than in 2010, when 863 people called Mortons Gap home.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The city of Mortons Gap got its name from a man named Thomas Morton. He was from Virginia and moved to this area in 1804 with his family. He was one of the first settlers here.
The "gap" in the name refers to a natural pass or opening in the land. Today, a major road called U.S. Route 41 goes through this very gap. You might notice that the city's name is spelled "Mortons Gap" without an apostrophe. This is the official spelling used by the city and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
Where is Mortons Gap?
Mortons Gap is located in the southeastern part of Hopkins County. Its exact location is 37°14′17″N 87°28′25″W / 37.23806°N 87.47361°W.
If you travel on U.S. Route 41, Mortons Gap is about 7 miles (11 km) south of Madisonville. Madisonville is the main city and county seat of Hopkins County. Mortons Gap is also about 3 miles (5 km) north of Nortonville.
A big highway called Interstate 69 passes just east of Mortons Gap. You can get to the city from Exit 37. This area near the highway has recently become part of the city. Interstate 69 can take you north to Henderson (about 43 miles or 69 km away). It also goes south for about 2 miles (3 km) to the Western Kentucky Parkway. If you continue south on I-69 and the Pennyrile Parkway, you can reach Hopkinsville, which is about 28 miles (45 km) away.
The city of Mortons Gap covers a total area of about 1.19 square miles (3.0 km²). Most of this area is land, with only a very small part (about 0.01 square miles or 0.02 km²) being water.
Who Lives in Mortons Gap?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 241 | — | |
| 1890 | 548 | 127.4% | |
| 1900 | 885 | 61.5% | |
| 1910 | 1,266 | 43.1% | |
| 1920 | 1,061 | −16.2% | |
| 1930 | 1,068 | 0.7% | |
| 1940 | 1,072 | 0.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,081 | 0.8% | |
| 1960 | 1,308 | 21.0% | |
| 1970 | 1,169 | −10.6% | |
| 1980 | 1,201 | 2.7% | |
| 1990 | 987 | −17.8% | |
| 2000 | 952 | −3.5% | |
| 2010 | 863 | −9.3% | |
| 2020 | 728 | −15.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Mortons Gap has changed over the years. In 1880, only 241 people lived there. The population grew quite a bit in the early 1900s, reaching its highest point in 1960 with 1,308 residents. Since then, the number of people living in Mortons Gap has slowly decreased.
According to the census in 2000, there were 952 people living in the city. Most of the people were White (about 95.59%). A smaller number were African American (about 3.26%). There were also a few people from other backgrounds.
The average age of people in Mortons Gap in 2000 was 38 years old. About 22.6% of the population was under 18 years old. This means there were many young people and families living in the city.
The Story of Thomas Morton's Home
When Thomas Morton and his family first settled in the Mortons Gap area in 1804, he bought a lot of land. He then built a brick house, which was actually the very first brick house in all of Hopkins County.
This historic home stood for a long time, 132 years, until it was sadly destroyed by a fire on September 16, 1936. After the fire, the land where the house once stood became the site of the Mortons Gap school. Today, many decades later, the same location is home to the Vineyard Worship Center, a church. Thomas Morton himself passed away on May 8, 1845, and is buried in the Old Morton Cemetery, which is also in Mortons Gap.
Schools in Mortons Gap
After the original Morton home burned down in 1936, the community built the Mortons Gap school on that same spot. This school was quite important because it included a high school. However, in 1955, the high school joined with other schools to form South Hopkins High School.
Even after the high school moved, the Mortons Gap school continued to serve as an elementary and middle school. Then, in the mid-1990s, the elementary school became part of Southside Elementary School, and the middle school joined South Hopkins Middle School. The old Mortons Gap school building has since been updated and now serves the community as a church.
See also
In Spanish: Mortons Gap (Kentucky) para niños
