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Morgan County, Tennessee facts for kids

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Morgan County
Morgan County Courthouse in Wartburg
Morgan County Courthouse in Wartburg
Map of Tennessee highlighting Morgan County
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Map of the United States highlighting Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Tennessee
Founded 1817
Named for Daniel Morgan
Seat Wartburg
Largest community Coalfield
Area
 • Total 522 sq mi (1,350 km2)
 • Land 522 sq mi (1,350 km2)
 • Water 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2)  0.06%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 21,035 Decrease
 • Density 42/sq mi (16/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 3rd

Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 21,987. Its county seat is Wartburg. Morgan County is part of the Knoxville, TN Combined Statistical Area.

History

Morgan County was formed in 1817 from portions of Anderson and Roane counties. It was named in honor of Daniel Morgan (1736–1802), an American Revolutionary War officer who commanded the troops that defeated the British at the Battle of Cowpens, and who later served as a U.S. congressman from Virginia. The county had been part of lands relinquished by the Cherokee with the signing of the Third Treaty of Tellico in 1805. The original county seat was Montgomery until 1870, when it was moved to Wartburg.

Tornado

On November 10, 2002, a tornado destroyed 50 homes. At least seven people were killed in the Morgan County communities of Mossy Grove and Joyner.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 522 square miles (1,350 km2), of which 522 square miles (1,350 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.06%) is water. The county, which lies on the eastern edge of the Cumberland Plateau, is known for its rugged mountain terrain, and cold mountain streams and rivers. The Crab Orchard Mountains comprise a large area of the county, which includes several designated wilderness areas, Frozen Head State Park, and Lone Mountain State Forest.

The Emory River rises on the slopes of Bird Mountain near Wartburg. The Obed River, a designated national wild and scenic river, empties into the Emory southwest of Wartburg. The Clear Fork, which forms part of Morgan's boundary with Fentress County, joins the New River in Scott County to the north to form the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River.

The Cumberland Trail passes through Morgan County.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

State protected areas

  • Catoosa Wildlife Management Area (part)
  • Frozen Head State Natural Area
  • Frozen Head State Park
  • Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park
  • Lone Mountain State Forest
  • North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area (part)
  • Rugby State Natural Area

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1820 1,676
1830 2,582 54.1%
1840 2,660 3.0%
1850 3,430 28.9%
1860 3,353 −2.2%
1870 2,969 −11.5%
1880 5,156 73.7%
1890 7,639 48.2%
1900 9,587 25.5%
1910 11,458 19.5%
1920 13,285 15.9%
1930 13,603 2.4%
1940 15,242 12.0%
1950 15,727 3.2%
1960 14,304 −9.0%
1970 13,619 −4.8%
1980 16,604 21.9%
1990 17,300 4.2%
2000 19,757 14.2%
2010 21,987 11.3%
2020 21,035 −4.3%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2014
USA Morgan County, Tennessee.csv age pyramid
Age pyramid Morgan County, based on 2000 census data

2020 census

Morgan County racial composition
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 19,029 90.46%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 971 4.62%
Native American 54 0.26%
Asian 41 0.19%
Pacific Islander 8 0.04%
Other/Mixed 633 3.01%
Hispanic or Latino 299 1.42%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 21,035 people, 7,625 households, and 5,659 families residing in the county.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Morgan (Tennessee) para niños

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