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Do not fill this in! {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Morgan City, Louisiana | official_name = City of Morgan City | native_name = | native_name_lang = | other_name = | settlement_type = [[List of municipalities in Louisiana|City]] | image_skyline = Morgan City, Louisiana Street View February 2019 01.jpg | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_flag = | image_seal = | etymology = | nickname = | motto = Right in the Middle of Everywhere | anthem = | image_map = File:St. Martin Parish Louisiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Morgan City Highlighted.svg | mapsize = | map_alt = | map_caption = Location of Morgan City in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. | image_map1 = Louisiana in United States (US48).svg | mapsize1 = | map_alt1 = | map_caption1 = Location of Louisiana in the United States | pushpin_map = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_label = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_relief = | pushpin_map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|29|42|03|N|91|11|50|W|display=inline,title}} | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes = | grid_name = | grid_position = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = United States | subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Louisiana]] | subdivision_type2 = [[List of parishes in Louisiana|Parish]] | subdivision_name2 = [[St. Mary Parish, Louisiana|St. Mary]], [[St. Martin Parish, Louisiana|St. Martin]]{{Citation needed|date=December 2023|reason=See talk page.}} | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | established_title = Founded | established_date = | established_title1 = | established_date1 = | established_title2 = | established_date2 = | established_title3 = | established_date3 = | established_title4 = | established_date4 = | established_title5 = | established_date5 = | established_title6 = | established_date6 = | established_title7 = | established_date7 = | extinct_title = | extinct_date = | founder = | named_for = | seat_type = | seat = | seat1_type = | seat1 = | government_footnotes = | government_type = | governing_body = | leader_party = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Lee Dragna | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 = | total_type = | unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_22.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 20, 2022}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 16.19 | area_total_sq_mi = 6.25 | area_land_km2 = 15.50 | area_land_sq_mi = 5.98 | area_water_km2 = 0.69 | area_water_sq_mi = 0.27 | area_water_percent = | area_metro_footnotes = | area_metro_km2 = | area_metro_sq_mi = | area_rank = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = 7 | elevation_point = | elevation_max_footnotes = | elevation_max_m = | elevation_max_ft = | elevation_max_point = | elevation_max_rank = | elevation_min_footnotes = | elevation_min_m = | elevation_min_ft = | elevation_min_point = | elevation_min_rank = | population_as_of = [[2020 United States Census|2020]] | population_footnotes = | population_total = 11472 | pop_est_as_of = | pop_est_footnotes = | population_est = | population_rank = | population_density_km2 = 740.19 | population_density_sq_mi = 1917.11 | population_metro_footnotes = | population_metro = | population_density_metro_km2 = | population_density_metro_sq_mi = | population_density = | population_density_rank = | population_blank1_title = | population_blank1 = | population_density_blank1_km2 = | population_density_blank1_sq_mi= | population_blank2_title = | population_blank2 = | population_density_blank2_km2 = | population_density_blank2_sq_mi= | population_demonym = | population_note = | demographics_type1 = | demographics1_footnotes = | demographics1_title1 = | demographics1_info1 = | demographics_type2 = | demographics2_footnotes = | demographics2_title1 = | demographics2_info1 = | timezone1 = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]] | utc_offset1 = -6 | timezone1_DST = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]] | utc_offset1_DST = -5 | timezone2 = | utc_offset2 = | timezone2_DST = | utc_offset2_DST = | postal_code_type = ZIP code | postal_code = 70380 | postal2_code_type = | postal2_code = | area_code_type = | area_code = [[Area code 985|985]] | geocode = | iso_code = | blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]] | blank_info = 22-52040 | blank1_name = | blank1_info = | blank2_name = | blank2_info = | blank_name_sec2 = | blank_info_sec2 = | blank1_name_sec2 = | blank1_info_sec2 = | blank2_name_sec2 = Wikimedia Commons | blank2_info_sec2 = | website = {{URL|www.cityofmc.com}} | footnotes = }} '''Morgan City''' is a small city in [[St. Mary Parish, Louisiana|St. Mary Parish]], [[Louisiana]], [[United States]], located in the [[Acadiana]] region. The population was 11,472 at the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]]. Known for being "right in the middle of everywhere", Morgan City is located {{convert|68|mi|km}} southeast of [[Lafayette, Louisiana|Lafayette]], {{convert|64|mi|km}} south of [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]], and {{convert|86|mi|km}} west of [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/2252040.html|title=Morgan City, Louisiana|publisher=quickfacts.census.gov|access-date=November 26, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204032431/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/2252040.html|archive-date=December 4, 2012}}</ref> Morgan City sits on the banks of the [[Atchafalaya River]]. The town was originally named "Tiger Island" by surveyors appointed by U.S. [[Secretary of War]] [[John Calhoun]], because of a particular type of wild cat seen in the area. It was later changed for a time to "Brashear City", named after Walter Brashear, a prominent [[Kentucky]] physician who had purchased large tracts of land and acquired numerous [[sugar mill]]s in the area.<ref>[http://www.cajuncoast.com/history.html www.cajuncoast.com "Morgan City"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117235525/http://www.cajuncoast.com/history.html |date=2007-11-17 }}</ref> It was incorporated in 1860. Morgan City, and all of St. Mary Parish, is included in the [[Lafayette-Opelousas-Morgan City combined statistical area|Lafayette-Opelousas-Morgan City CSA]]. ==History== ===Capture of Brashear City=== During the [[American Civil War]], the Star Fort of Fort Brashear was the larger of two works erected by the [[Union Army]] occupying the city to defend a Federal military depot and the town. During the [[Bayou Teche Campaign]], on the night of June 22, 1863, 325 [[Confederate States Army|Confederates]] of Gen. A. A. Mouton's command, led by Major [[Sherod Hunter]], landed their skiffs and flats in the rear of the town. Attacking the next day, they surprised and captured the city, taking 1,300 Union prisoners, 11 heavy siege guns, 2,500 stands of rifles, immense quantities of quartermaster, commissary and ordnance stores. They also captured 2,000 African Americans, between 200 and 300 wagons and tents, all while suffering losses of only 3 killed, 18 wounded.<ref>L. Boyd Finch, "Surprise at Brashear City: Sherod Hunter’s Sugar Cooler Cavalry," ''Louisiana History'', Fall 1984, pp. 403-435.</ref> ===Morgan City=== [[File:Morgan City Louisiana Aerial 1973 Flood.gif|left|thumb|Flooding in May 1973]] In 1876, the community's name was changed to Morgan City in tribute to [[Charles Morgan (businessman)|Charles Morgan]], a rail and steamship magnate who first dredged the [[Atchafalaya Basin|Atchafalaya Bay]] Ship Channel to accommodate ocean-going vessels.<ref>[http://www.oceanmarine.com/morgancity.htm www.oceanmarine.com "The Area of Morgan City, Louisiana History"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014071619/http://oceanmarine.com/morgancity.htm |date=2007-10-14 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Morgan City Historical Marker| author=Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism| url=http://www.stoppingpoints.com/louisiana/St.-Mary/Morgan+City/}}</ref> On [[Hurricane Carla tornado outbreak|September 11, 1961]], an F2 tornado struck the city, causing heavy damage to the city and injuring 16 people. On October 28, 1985, [[Hurricane Juan (1985)|Hurricane Juan]] (not to be confused with the 2003 storm of the same name) made landfall near Morgan City, flooding many parts of the city. The storm then looped offshore and came onshore again in [[Alabama]]. On August 26, 1992, [[Hurricane Andrew]] came ashore {{convert|20|mi}} to the southwest of Morgan City. Andrew was the second most destructive hurricane in U.S. history, crossing [[Florida]] and then regaining strength in the [[Gulf of Mexico]] before it struck Louisiana. In 2019, Morgan City and the surrounding area were selected as a setting for the paranormal-themed reality TV show ''[[Ghosts of Morgan City]]'', broadcast on the [[Travel Channel]].<ref>{{cite news | last = Gremillion | first = Nick | date = May 21, 2019 | title = Paranormal TV Show ‘Ghosts of Morgan City’ to Premiere in June | url = https://www.wafb.com/2019/05/21/paranormal-tv-show-ghosts-morgan-city-premiere-june/ | work = WAFB}}</ref> On July 13, 2019 [[Hurricane Barry (2019)|Hurricane Barry]] made landfall west of Morgan City as a Category 1 Hurricane on the [[Saffir Simpson Scale]]. ===Agricultural=== A type of [[Blackberry]] deemed the [[Youngberry]] was developed by B.M. Young in 1905 in Morgan City, as a hybrid between a variety of blackberries. The [[Youngberry]] is a cross between Luther Burbank's Phenomenal Berry and the Austin-Mayes [[Dewberry]], a trailing [[Blackberry]]. The [[Youngberry]] was introduced commercially in 1926 and quickly came to rival the [[Loganberry]]. The [[Youngberry]] had excellent qualities, such as taste and high yields and it soon replaced the [[Loganberry]] of California. ==Geography== According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|16.1|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|15.5|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.7|km2|order=flip}}, or 4.03%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US2252040| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212183440/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US2252040| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Morgan City city, Louisiana| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=March 29, 2013}}</ref> The northeastern border of Morgan City is at the lower [[St. Martin Parish, Louisiana|St. Martin Parish]] line via [[Louisiana Highway 70]]. [[U.S. Route 90|U.S. Highway 90]] (future [[Interstate 49]]) and [[Louisiana Highway 182]] both pass through the city, both heading west {{convert|70|mi}} to [[Lafayette, Louisiana|Lafayette]]. [[U.S. Route 90|U.S. 90]] also heads east approximately {{convert|90|mi}} to [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]], while passing in between the cities of [[Houma, Louisiana|Houma]], which is located approximately {{convert|40|mi}} southeast, and [[Thibodaux, Louisiana|Thibodaux]], which is located {{convert|32|mi}} northeast of Morgan City. U.S. 90 is a freeway between Morgan City and the Houma area with the route planned to become a section of future [[Interstate 49]]. Morgan City is served by the [[Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport]], a general aviation airfield located near the [[U.S. 90]] four lane highway in nearby [[Patterson, Louisiana]]. If the [[Mississippi River]] were to experience a [[Avulsion (river)|major course change]] in the vicinity of the [[Old River Control Structure]] or [[Morganza Spillway]], the main channel of the river would likely then enter the Gulf of Mexico near Morgan City instead of [[New Orleans]].<ref name="InteractiveMap">{{cite web | url = http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?q=https://sites.google.com/site/gmap4files/p/news/mississippi_course_change.txt&ll=30.417887,-91.201416&t=h&z=9&label=on | title = Will the Mississippi River change its course in 2011 to the red line? | access-date = 2011-05-08 | publisher = Mappingsupport}}</ref><ref name="AmericasWetlands">{{Cite web |url=http://www.americaswetlandresources.com/background_facts/detailedstory/LouisianaRiverControl.html |title=Controlling the Mighty Mississippi's path to the sea |access-date=2011-05-11 |archive-date=2016-03-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310124727/http://www.americaswetlandresources.com/background_facts/detailedstory/LouisianaRiverControl.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="DailyImpact">{{cite web|title=Mississippi Rising: Apocalypse Now? (April 28, 2011)|url=http://www.dailyimpact.net/2011/04/28/mississippi-rising-apocalypse-now/|publisher=Daily Impact|access-date=10 May 2011}}</ref> ===Climate=== {{Weather box |location = Morgan City, Louisiana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1922–present) |single line = Y |width = auto |Jan record high F = 84 |Feb record high F = 86 |Mar record high F = 90 |Apr record high F = 92 |May record high F = 96 |Jun record high F = 101 |Jul record high F = 102 |Aug record high F = 101 |Sep record high F = 99 |Oct record high F = 97 |Nov record high F = 91 |Dec record high F = 86 |year record high F = 102 |Jan high F = 63.0 |Feb high F = 66.5 |Mar high F = 71.8 |Apr high F = 78.0 |May high F = 84.1 |Jun high F = 88.9 |Jul high F = 90.5 |Aug high F = 90.4 |Sep high F = 87.9 |Oct high F = 81.1 |Nov high F = 72.0 |Dec high F = 65.6 |year high F = 78.3 |Jan mean F = 54.2 |Feb mean F = 57.7 |Mar mean F = 63.2 |Apr mean F = 69.5 |May mean F = 76.4 |Jun mean F = 81.7 |Jul mean F = 83.4 |Aug mean F = 83.3 |Sep mean F = 80.5 |Oct mean F = 72.4 |Nov mean F = 62.5 |Dec mean F = 56.6 |year mean F = 70.1 |Jan low F = 45.4 |Feb low F = 48.9 |Mar low F = 54.6 |Apr low F = 61.0 |May low F = 68.7 |Jun low F = 74.6 |Jul low F = 76.3 |Aug low F = 76.2 |Sep low F = 73.0 |Oct low F = 63.7 |Nov low F = 53.0 |Dec low F = 47.7 |year low F = 61.9 |Jan record low F = 12 |Feb record low F = 17 |Mar record low F = 17 |Apr record low F = 35 |May record low F = 42 |Jun record low F = 55 |Jul record low F = 60 |Aug record low F = 56 |Sep record low F = 46 |Oct record low F = 35 |Nov record low F = 22 |Dec record low F = 10 |year record low F = 10 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation inch = 4.99 |Feb precipitation inch = 3.27 |Mar precipitation inch = 3.86 |Apr precipitation inch = 4.02 |May precipitation inch = 4.55 |Jun precipitation inch = 7.02 |Jul precipitation inch = 6.23 |Aug precipitation inch = 7.27 |Sep precipitation inch = 5.40 |Oct precipitation inch = 4.03 |Nov precipitation inch = 3.91 |Dec precipitation inch = 3.96 |year precipitation inch = 58.51 |unit precipitation days = 0.01 in |Jan precipitation days = 10.0 |Feb precipitation days = 8.2 |Mar precipitation days = 7.4 |Apr precipitation days = 7.0 |May precipitation days = 7.1 |Jun precipitation days = 11.5 |Jul precipitation days = 14.2 |Aug precipitation days = 14.8 |Sep precipitation days = 10.8 |Oct precipitation days = 6.8 |Nov precipitation days = 7.0 |Dec precipitation days = 8.2 |year precipitation days = 113.0 |source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name= NOAA > {{cite web | url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=lch | title = NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | access-date = August 27, 2021}}</ref><ref name=NCEI> {{cite web | url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00166394&format=pdf | title = Station: Morgan City, LA | work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020) | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | access-date = August 27, 2021}}</ref> }} ==Demographics== {{US Census population |1880= 2015 |1890= 2291 |1900= 2332 |1910= 5477 |1920= 5429 |1930= 5985 |1940= 6969 |1950= 9759 |1960= 13540 |1970= 16586 |1980= 16114 |1990= 14531 |2000= 12703 |2010= 12404 |2020= 11472 |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 23, 2013}}</ref> }} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right" |+Morgan City racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2252040&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-29|website=data.census.gov}}</ref> !scope="col"| Race !scope="col"| Number !scope="col"| Percentage |- !scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic) | 6,640 | 57.88% |- !scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic) | 2,510 | 21.88% |- !scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] | 104 | 0.91% |- !scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]] | 187 | 1.63% |- !scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] | 1 | 0.01% |- !scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]] | 480 | 4.18% |- !scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] | 1,550 | 13.51% |} As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 11,472 people, 4,732 households, and 2,492 families residing in the city. As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 12,703 people, 5,037 households, and 3,394 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|2,166.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 5,627 housing units at an average density of {{convert|959.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. In 2000, the racial makeup of the city was 71.28% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 23.90% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.91% [[American Indian (U.S. Census)|American Indian]], 1.02% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.18% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.69% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] of any race were 3.37% of the population. By 2020, its racial and ethnic makeup was 57.88% non-Hispanic white, 21.88% African American, 0.91% Native American, 1.63% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 4.18% other or multiracial, and 13.51% Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2000, there were 5,037 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.04. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,324, and the median income for a family was $36,196. Males had a median income of $31,712 versus $19,550 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,577. About 17.7% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 27.3% of those under age 18 and 17.7% of those age 65 or over. ==Education== [[St. Mary Parish School Board]] operates public schools: * [[Morgan City High School]] * Morgan City Junior High School Elementary schools: * J. B. Maitland Elementary School * M. E. Norman Elementary School * M. D. Shannon Elementary School * Wyandotte Elementary School There is a private Catholic Pre-k through grade 12 school, [[Central Catholic High School (Morgan City, Louisiana)|Central Catholic High School]]. ==Notable people== <!-- Notable people with existing Wikipedia articles; maintain alphabetical order--> * [[Bill Burgo]] (1919–1988), baseball player * [[Carla Blanchard Dartez]], former [[Louisiana State Legislature|state representative]] * [[Mo B. Dick]] (Born Raymond E Poole, 1965), music producer * [[Eddie Dyer]] (1899–1964), [[Major League Baseball]] player, [[St. Louis Cardinals]] [[pitcher]] * [[Sid Gautreaux]] (1912–1980), baseball player * [[Anthony Guarisco, Jr.]] (born 1938), state senator from 1976 to 1988; lawyer and real estate businessman, now in Baton Rouge * [[Mark Hall (American football)|Mark Hall]] (born 1965), football player * [[René Hall]] (1912–1988), session guitarist * [[Burt Lancon]], figure skater in the 1984 Winter Olympics * [[Geronimo Pratt]] (1947–2011), Black Panther * [[Sam Seamans]] (born 1967), [[Reformed Episcopal Church]] Bishop, former [[Southern Baptist]] ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Commons category}} *[http://www.cityofmc.com/ City of Morgan City official website] {{St. Mary Parish, Louisiana}} {{Louisiana}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Morgan City, Louisiana| ]] [[Category:Cities in Louisiana]] [[Category:Cities in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana]] [[Category:Populated places established in 1860]] [[Category:1860 establishments in Louisiana]] Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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