Morgan County
County
Devil's Slide, a limestone rock formation in Weber Canyon, November 2013.
Devil's Slide, a limestone rock formation in Weber Canyon, November 2013.
Map of Utah highlighting Morgan County
Location within the U.S. state of Utah
Map of the United States highlighting Utah
Utah's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°05′N 111°35′W / 41.08°N 111.58°W / 41.08; -111.58
Country United States
State Utah
FoundedJanuary 17, 1862
Named forJedediah Morgan Grant
SeatMorgan
Largest cityMorgan
Area
 • Total611 sq mi (1,580 km2)
 • Land609 sq mi (1,580 km2)
 • Water1.7 sq mi (4 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total12,295
 • Density20/sq mi (7.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.morgan-county.net

Morgan County is a county in northern Utah, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,295.[1] Its county seat and largest city is Morgan.[2] Morgan County is part of the Ogden-Clearfield, UT Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Salt Lake City-Provo-Orem, UT Combined Statistical Area.

History

An early route of the Hastings Cutoff ran through the Morgan Valley and down through a narrow gorge in Weber Canyon. The Donner Party avoided going through the Morgan Valley in order to speed up their journey. However, their alternate route proved more time-consuming.

In 1855, Charles Sreeve Peterson and his family became the first white settlers to take up permanent residence in the Morgan Valley after cutting a road through Weber Canyon. After others began settling in the rather limited planar areas of the mountainous territory, the Utah Territory legislature acted on January 17, 1862, to form a separate county from sections partitioned off Davis, Great Salt Lake, Summit, and Weber counties. The small settlement at Morgan was named the county seat. The town (and thus the new county) was named for the father (Jedediah Morgan Grant) of Heber J. Grant, who would serve as president of LDS Church from 1918 until 1945.[3]

Geography

The central core of Morgan County, the narrow East Canyon valley (now called Morgan Valley), is ringed by mountains. In its southern portion, Main Canyon Creek flows southward from Summit County to join East Canyon Creek, which flows northward from a different portion of Summit County. At their intersection, a dam has been installed to create East Canyon Reservoir and State Park. The combined discharge (now called East Canyon Creek) from the dam flows northwestward to Morgan, where it combines with Deep Creek to discharge into the Weber River, which also flows into the county from Summit and follows Lost Canyon to the Morgan Valley. The now-augmented Weber flows northwestward to Mountain Green, then turns west to exit the county through Weber Canyon. The terrain generally slopes to the north and west, with its highest point, Thurston Peak, at 9,706 ft (2,958 m) ASL.[4] The county has an area of 611 square miles (1,580 km2), of which 609 square miles (1,580 km2) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2) is water.[5] It is Utah's third-smallest county by land area and smallest by total area.

Major highways

  • Interstate 84
  • Utah State Highway U-65
  • Utah State Highway U-66
  • Utah State Highway U-158
  • Utah State Highway U-167

Some county roads accessing the canyons are closed during winters.

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18701,972—
18801,783−9.6%
18901,780−0.2%
19002,04514.9%
19102,46720.6%
19202,5423.0%
19302,536−0.2%
19402,6113.0%
19502,519−3.5%
19602,83712.6%
19703,98340.4%
19804,91723.4%
19905,52812.4%
20007,12929.0%
20109,46932.8%
202012,29529.8%
US Decennial Census[6]
1790–1960[7] 1900–1990[8]
1990–2000[9] 2010[10] 2020[11]

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 7,129 people, 2,046 households, and 1,782 families in the county. The population density was 11.7 people per square mile (4.5 people/km2). There were 2,158 housing units at an average density of 3.54 units per square mile (1.37 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.11% White, 0.04% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.45% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. 1.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,046 households, out of which 49.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.60% were married couples living together, 5.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.90% were non-families. 11.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.48 and the average family size was 3.81.

The county population contained 37.10% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 24.30% from 25 to 44, 20.20% from 45 to 64, and 8.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $50,273, and the median income for a family was $53,365. Males had a median income of $42,350 versus $23,036 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,684. About 3.70% of families and 5.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.70% of those under age 18 and 6.90% of those age 65 or over.

Politics and government

Morgan County traditionally votes Republican. In only one national election since 1948 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020).

State elected offices
Position District Name Affiliation First elected
  Senate 18 F. Ann Millner Republican 2014[12]
  Senate 19 John D. Johnson Republican 2020[13]
  House of Representatives 53 Kera Birkeland Republican 2020[14]
  Board of Education 1 Jennie Earl Nonpartisan 2018[15]
United States presidential election results for Morgan County, Utah[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 5,181 78.43% 1,086 16.44% 339 5.13%
2016 3,188 61.05% 577 11.05% 1,457 27.90%
2012 4,114 89.49% 403 8.77% 80 1.74%
2008 3,311 79.06% 689 16.45% 188 4.49%
2004 3,301 85.94% 472 12.29% 68 1.77%
2000 2,464 77.70% 553 17.44% 154 4.86%
1996 1,659 57.05% 859 29.54% 390 13.41%
1992 1,339 45.54% 520 17.69% 1,081 36.77%
1988 1,889 73.59% 647 25.20% 31 1.21%
1984 1,934 79.59% 481 19.79% 15 0.62%
1980 1,985 81.52% 373 15.32% 77 3.16%
1976 1,356 62.95% 701 32.54% 97 4.50%
1972 1,456 71.51% 363 17.83% 217 10.66%
1968 1,020 59.89% 551 32.35% 132 7.75%
1964 572 40.65% 835 59.35% 0 0.00%
1960 775 55.44% 622 44.49% 1 0.07%
1956 905 67.39% 438 32.61% 0 0.00%
1952 862 64.86% 467 35.14% 0 0.00%
1948 587 46.40% 670 52.96% 8 0.63%
1944 535 44.36% 671 55.64% 0 0.00%
1940 575 45.13% 699 54.87% 0 0.00%
1936 483 39.33% 739 60.18% 6 0.49%
1932 568 48.34% 602 51.23% 5 0.43%
1928 513 53.00% 454 46.90% 1 0.10%
1924 482 54.10% 360 40.40% 49 5.50%
1920 544 57.57% 397 42.01% 4 0.42%
1916 464 48.54% 484 50.63% 8 0.84%
1912 318 36.59% 233 26.81% 318 36.59%
1908 494 58.19% 306 36.04% 49 5.77%
1904 492 57.28% 315 36.67% 52 6.05%
1900 391 51.72% 363 48.02% 2 0.26%
1896 138 19.17% 582 80.83% 0 0.00%

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

Unincorporated places

Ghost towns

  • Devils Slide

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Morgan County, Utah". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ "[[Newberry Library]]. Individual County Chronologies/Morgan County UT (accessed March 27, 2019)". Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Utah County High Points/Morgan Co. Peakbagger (accessed 27 March 2019)". Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  5. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  6. ↑ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  8. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (June 25, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  10. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  11. ↑ 2020 Population and Housing State Data | Utah
  12. ↑ "Senator Millner Utah Senate". senate.utah.gov. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Senator Johnson Utah Senate". senate.utah.gov. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Rep. Birekeland, Kera". Utah House of Representatives. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Jennie Earl". www.schools.utah.gov. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  16. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Croyden". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  18. ↑ "Milton". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  19. ↑ "Richville". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  20. ↑ "Sotddard". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  21. ↑ "Taggart's Camp".

Further reading

  • Smith, Linda H. (1999). A History of Morgan County. Salt Lake City UT: Utah State Historical Society. ISBN 978-0-913738-36-8.
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