Morgan County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,006. Its county seat is Versailles. The county was organized January 5, 1833, and named for General Daniel Morgan of the American Revolutionary War.
Contents
History
Morgan County was organized in 1833 upon separation from Cooper County. It is named in honor of Revolutionary War General Daniel Morgan. Versailles, with a name referring to the French royal estate near Paris, France, was designated as the county seat and platted in 1854.
Established in 1853 there, the Martin Hotel was visited in the post-Civil War period by both showman and circus entrepreneur P. T. Barnum and outlaw robber Jesse James. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1978, it now operates as a museum. In 1858 the Mulhollen Station was a mail stop here for the newly established Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach line, which carried goods and mail for several years to San Francisco, California.
The Morgan County Courthouse in Versailles, which has also been listed on the NRHP, was designed with French-style details, such as a mansard roof, in keeping with the origin of the town's name. It burned in 1887. The majority of the records were rescued, and the courthouse was soon rebuilt and restored.
Coal mining was historically an important economic activity in Morgan County.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 614 square miles (1,590 km2), of which 598 square miles (1,550 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (2.7%) is water.
Adjacent counties
Cooper County (north)
Moniteau County (northeast)
Miller County (southeast)
Camden County (south)
Benton County (west)
Pettis County (northwest)
Major highways
U.S. Route 50
Route 5
Route 52
Route 135
Geographical features
Brewner Hollow
Sawmill Hollow
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 21,006 and a median age of 46.4 years. 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 24.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.2 males.
The racial makeup of the county was 92.8% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 4.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.1% of the population.
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 8,548 households in the county, of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 21.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 15,110 housing units, of which 43.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 78.8% were owner-occupied and 21.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.0%.
Education
Public schools
Morgan County R-I School District – Stover
Morgan County R-I Elementary School (PK-04)
Morgan County R-I Middle School (05-08)
Morgan County R-I High School (09-12)
Morgan County R-II School District – Versailles
Morgan County R-II Elementary School (PK-05)
Morgan County R-II South Elementary School (PK-02)
Morgan County R-II Middle School (06-08)
Morgan County R-II High School (09-12)
Private schools
Dogwood Grove School – Versailles (02-09) – Mennonite
St. Paul Lutheran School – Stover (K-09) – Lutheran
Public libraries
Morgan County Library
Communities
Cities and towns
Barnett
Gravois Mills
Laurie
Rocky Mount
Stover
Syracuse
Versailles (county seat)
Townships
Buffalo Township
Haw Creek Township
Mill Creek Township
Moreau Township
Osage Township
Richland Township
Politics
Local
The Republican Party controls politics at the local level in Morgan County. Republicans hold all but three of the elected positions in the county.
State
All of Morgan County is in Missouri's 58th Representative District in the Missouri House of Representatives, represented by Willard Haley (R-Eldon).
All of Morgan County is a part of Missouri's 6th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City).
Federal
All of Morgan County is included in Missouri's 4th Congressional District and is currently represented by Mark Alford (R-Harrisonville) in the U.S. House of Representatives.