Morganton, North Carolina Explained

Official Name:Morganton, North Carolina
Settlement Type:City
Named For:Daniel Morgan
Mapsize:250px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:North Carolina
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Burke
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Ronnie Thompson
Established Title:Founded
Established Title2:Incorporated
Established Date:1777
Established Date2:1784
Area Total Km2:49.84
Area Total Sq Mi:19.24
Area Land Km2:49.84
Area Land Sq Mi:19.24
Area Water Km2:0.00
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:17474
Population Density Km2:350.59
Population Density Sq Mi:908.02
Timezone:Eastern
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:Eastern
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Coordinates:35.7408°N -81.7003°W
Elevation Ft:1175
Postal Code Type:ZIP codes
Postal Code:28655, 28680
Area Code:828
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:37-44400[1]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:2404304
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[2]

Morganton is a city in and county seat of Burke County, North Carolina, United States.[3] The population was 17,474 at the 2020 census.[4] Morganton is approximately 75miles northwest of Charlotte and 57 miles (92 km) east of Asheville.

Morganton is one of the principal cities in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

An influx of European settlers over the Blue Ridge Mountains led Morganton to become the first chartered town in western North Carolina in 1784.[5]

On April 17, 1865 there was a small skirmish fought in Morganton, as part of Stoneman's 1865 raid through North Carolina.[6]

Public welfare facilities, such as the North Carolina School for the Deaf: Main Building and Western North Carolina Insane Asylum, were first authorized by the state legislature in the late 19th century.

In the early 20th century, textile mills were developed in the Piedmont as industry left union-dominated areas of the Northeast United States. During the century, however, these industrial jobs gradually moved offshore.

In the late 20th century, Morganton and Burke County, was still largely rural and with big poultry farms, which became locations for industrial-scale poultry processing plants. These jobs attracted many new immigrants to the state from Central America, leading to an increase in the Latino population in the area.

In 2006, an explosion at Synthron, a paint additive chemical manufacturer in Morganton,[7] [8] left 13 injured and one dead.[9]

Geography

Morganton is located in central Burke County in the Catawba River valley in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and is part of Appalachia.[10] [11] According to the United States Census Bureau, Morganton has a total area of 49.6km2, all land.[12]

Climate

Morganton has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and is located in hardiness zone 7b.

Demographics

2020 census

Race!scope="col"
NumberPercentage
White (non-Hispanic)10,48960.03%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)1,6659.53%
Native American480.27%
Asian3832.19%
Pacific Islander280.16%
Other/Mixed7534.31%
Hispanic or Latino4,10823.51%
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 17,474 people, 6,181 households, and 3,907 families residing in the city.

The median household income is $47,715 with an owner-occupied housing rate of 51.6%.[4]

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 16,918 people, 7,618 households, and 4,117 families residing in the city. The population density was 953sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 7,313 housing units at an average density of 402.6sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial composition of the city was: 75.67% White, 12.76% Black or African American, 11.16% Hispanic or Latino American, 1.99% Asian American, 0.55% Native American, 0.81% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 6.64% some other race, and 1.58% two or more races.

There were 7,618 households, out of which 22.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,836, and the median income for a family was $42,687. Males had a median income of $29,118 versus $24,723 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,906. About 9.7% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.0% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

State-operated facilities in Morganton include Broughton Hospital (a psychiatric hospital), the North Carolina School for the Deaf, and the second campus of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. Other employers include furniture manufacturing facilities and tourists traveling on Interstate 40 to attractions in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Founded in 2015, the Industrial Commons is an incubator in Morganton for regional co-ops and service programs working to revive the textile and furniture industries in the area.[13]

Arts and culture

National Register of Historic Places

See main article: National Register of Historic Places listings in Burke County, North Carolina.

Events and venues

Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church hosts an annual Parish Food Festival in the first week of November.[14] [15] [16]

The Morganton Festival takes place the weekend after Labor Day, featuring local vendors and live music.[17]

The City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium is a public auditorium that hosts performances and events.[18] [19]

Morganton hosts summer concerts on the Burke County Courthouse Square, featuring local and regional performers.[20]

Parks and recreation

Golf courses

Education

Colleges and universities

Public schools

Private schools

Charter schools

Specialized STEM schools

Special education

Other institutions

Media

Radio

Print

Infrastructure

Highways

Notable people

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. 2008-01-31.
  2. Web site: ArcGIS REST Services Directory. United States Census Bureau. September 20, 2022.
  3. Web site: Find a County. National Association of Counties. 2011-06-07.
  4. Web site: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Morganton city, North Carolina . 2024-01-03 . www.census.gov . en.
  5. Web site: April 19, 1784: Morganton, first town in WNC, chartered Asheville Museum of History . 2024-01-03 . en-US.
  6. Web site: FLEMING . BRIANNE . History Museum of Burke County remembers Stoneman's Raid . Morganton.com - The News Herald . 19 September 2021 . en.
  7. Web site: Synthron Chemical Explosion - Investigations | the U.S. Chemical Safety Board . Csb.gov . 2014-02-09.
  8. Web site: The First Responder . Aristatek.com . 2014-02-09.
  9. Web site: Maintenance failures behind Synthron blast - CSB . Icis.com . 2014-02-09.
  10. Web site: Allison . Dusty . 2015-06-04 . 48 Hours in Morganton, NC . 2024-01-03 . Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine . en-US.
  11. Web site: Appalachian Counties Served by ARC . 2024-01-03 . Appalachian Regional Commission . en-US.
  12. Web site: Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Morganton city, North Carolina . dead . https://archive.today/20200212193843/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US3744400 . February 12, 2020 . February 13, 2014 . U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder.
  13. Web site: Howard . Jeffrey . 2022-06-23 . NC's Industrial Commons creates thriving new communities from the ashes of old industries . 2024-01-02 . Shareable . en-US.
  14. Web site: Vannoppen . Allen . Annual food festival draws a thousand with international tastings . 2024-01-02 . The Paper . en.
  15. Web site: 2023-10-31 . 19th Annual Parish Food Festival . 2024-02-19 . The Paper . en.
  16. Web site: HERALD . SPECIAL TO THE NEWS . 2023-10-28 . St. Charles Borromeo in Morganton to host food festival . 2024-02-19 . News Herald . en.
  17. Web site: Home Page . 2024-01-02 . Historic Morganton Festival . en-US.
  18. Web site: Welcome to CoMMA! "25 Years and Still Lovin' it" . Commaonline.org . 2012-05-07 . 2014-02-09.
  19. Web site: CoMMA. morganton.nc.us. 14 May 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150518103745/http://www.ci.morganton.nc.us/index.php/departments/comma. 18 May 2015.
  20. Web site: TGIF . 2024-01-03 . Historic Morganton Festival . en-US.
  21. Web site: Martha's Park . Burke County Tourism Development Authority . March 16, 2016 . May 1, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160501203845/http://discoverburkecounty.com/venue/marthas-park/ . dead .
  22. Web site: Freedom Park. August 11, 2020. City of Morganton. September 22, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200922151615/https://morgantonnc.gov/index.php/government/parks-recreation/parks/49-freedom-park. dead.
  23. Web site: VanNoppen . Allen . 2023-02-03 . Welcome to The Paper! . 2024-01-02 . The Paper . en.
  24. Book: Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896 . Marquis Who's Who . Chicago . 1963.
  25. News: Etta Baker, 93, Blues Guitarist, Dies. The New York Times. September 26, 2006.
  26. https://web.archive.org/web/20120717060610/http://www.ncarts.org/artistpage.cfm?ser=24115&num=23615
  27. Web site: Inductee - Johnny Bristol . North Carolina Music Hall of Fame . 2009-10-03 . 2014-02-09 . dead . https://archive.today/20130704090304/http://northcarolinamusichalloffame.org/inductee-johnny-bristol/ . 2013-07-04 .
  28. Web site: Joe Cheves | NC Sports Hall of Fame . Ncshof.org . 2012-03-09 . 2014-02-09 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140102192916/http://www.ncshof.org/2012/03/09/joe-cheves/ . 2014-01-02 .
  29. Web site: Senator Sam J. Ervin, Jr. Library and Museum . Samervinlibrary.org . 1990-10-17 . 2014-02-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140128080909/http://www.samervinlibrary.org/ . 2014-01-28 . dead .
  30. Web site: Morganton, NC native Alfreda Gerald is in ... | Film Industry | NC & … . Pinterest.com . 2014-02-09.
  31. Web site: Leon Johnson NFL Football Statistics . Pro-Football-Reference.com . 1974-07-13 . 2014-02-09.
  32. Web site: A Morning with Bill Leslie | Chatham Chamber of Commerce . Ccucc.net . 2013-02-23 . 2014-02-09.
  33. Web site: Bill Leslie . Wral.com . 2014-02-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171009133749/http://www.wral.com/rs/bio/1013363/ . 2017-10-09 . dead .
  34. Web site: Interview with Chad Lawson, August 2010 . August 2010 . Mainly Piano . Parsons . Kathy . August 18, 2020.
  35. Web site: Career amateur Billy Joe Patton dies at 88 . Golfweek.com . 2011-01-02 . 2014-02-09.
  36. Web site: Former Wake Forest Golfer Billy Joe Patton Passes - The Official Site of Wake Forest Demon Deacon Athletics . Wakeforestsports.com . 2014-02-09 . 2014-01-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140102191650/http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-golf/spec-rel/010311aaa.html . dead .
  37. Web site: Woody Rich - Stats . Thebaseballcube.com. 11 March 2023.
  38. Web site: Samtani . Natasha . Caroline Miner Smith (aka @siiickbrain), Model & Writer . The Fem Word . December 30, 2023 . August 12, 2019.
  39. Web site: This Month in North Carolina History - Frankie Silver . Lib.unc.edu . 2009-06-04 . 2014-02-09.
  40. Web site: North Carolina Museum of History homepage . Ncmuseumofhistory.org . 2014-02-09 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120715210244/http://ncmuseumofhistory.org/fko/NIE/TwistedTarHeelTales/frankiesilver.pdf . 2012-07-15 .
  41. Web site: Paige Summers on IMDb: Movies, TV, Celebs, and more. IMDb.
  42. Carolyn Roff, "Gladys Love Avery Tillett" Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, edited by William S. Powell (University of North Carolina Press 1996).

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