Editing Fort Morgan, Colorado

{{short description|City in Colorado, United States}}
{{about|the town in Colorado|the namesake fort|Fort Morgan (Colorado)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
|name                     = Fort Morgan, Colorado
|settlement_type          = [[List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality|Home rule municipality]]<ref name=COMun>{{cite web|url=https://dola.colorado.gov/lgis/municipalities.jsf|title=Active Colorado Municipalities|publisher=[[Colorado Department of Local Affairs]]|access-date=October 18, 2021}}</ref>
|motto                    = 
<!-- images and maps  ----------->
|image_skyline            = Aerial view of Fort Morgan, Colorado, June 2017.JPG
|image_caption            = Aerial view of Fort Morgan (2017)
|image_flag               = 
|flag_size                = 
|image_seal               = 
|seal_size                = 
|image_shield             = 
|shield_size              = 
|image_blank_emblem       = 
|blank_emblem_type        = 
|blank_emblem_size        = 
|image_map                = Morgan County Colorado Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Fort Morgan Highlighted 0827810.svg
|map_caption              = Location of the City of Fort Morgan in {{nowrap|[[Morgan County, Colorado]].}}
|pushpin_map              = USA
|pushpin_label            = {{nowrap|Fort Morgan}}
|pushpin_label_position   = right
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location of the City of Fort Morgan in the {{nowrap|[[United States]].}}
<!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = {{flag|United States}}
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Colorado}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Colorado|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Morgan County, Colorado|Morgan County seat]]<ref name=COMun/>
<!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality|Home rule municipality]]<ref name=COMun/>
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Lyn Deal<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.cityoffortmorgan.com/Directory.aspx?EID=173 | title = Lyn Deal | publisher = City of Fort Morgan | access-date = March 7, 2022}}</ref>
|leader_title1            = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
|leader_name1             = 
|leader_title2            = 
|leader_name2             = 
|leader_title3            = 
|leader_name3             = 
|leader_title4            = 
|leader_name4             = 
|established_title        = <!-- Settled -->
|established_date         = 
|established_title2       = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date2        = June 15, 1887<ref name=MuniIncCO>{{cite web | url = http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/muninc.html | title = Colorado Municipal Incorporations | publisher = [[Colorado|State of Colorado]], Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives | date = December 1, 2004 | access-date = September 2, 2007}}</ref>
|established_title3       = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3        = 
<!-- Area --------------------->
|unit_pref                = US
|total_type               = Total
|area_footnotes           = <ref name=2020_Census>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/rdo/summary-files.html|title=Decennial Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], [[United States Department of Commerce]]|date=August 12, 2021|access-date=September 10, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 13.993
|area_land_km2            = 13.815
|area_water_km2           =  0.178
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=GNIS />
|elevation_m              = 1319
|elevation_ft             = 4328
<!-- Population ----------------------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name=2020_Census/>
|population_total         = 11,597
|population_density_sq_mi = 2,174
|population_metro         = 29,111
<!-- General information ----------------------->
|timezone1                = [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]]
|utc_offset1              = −07:00
|timezone1_DST            = [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]]
|utc_offset1_DST          = −06:00
|coordinates              = {{coord|40|15|12|N|103|47|57|W|region:US-CO_type:city|display=inline,title}}
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -------->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s<ref name=ZIPcode>{{cite web|url=http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp |title=ZIP Code Lookup |format=[[JavaScript]]/[[HTML]] |publisher=[[United States Postal Service]] |access-date=September 20, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104123722/http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp |archive-date=November 4, 2010 }}</ref>
|postal_code              = 80701 & 80705
|area_code                = [[Area code 970|970]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 08-27810
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0204722<ref name=GNIS>{{cite gnis|0204722|Fort Morgan|April 21, 2024}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://www.cityoffortmorgan.com/}}
}}
[[File:Fort Morgan City Hall.JPG|thumb|right|The Fort Morgan City Hall.]]

'''Fort Morgan''' is the [[List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality|home rule municipality]] city that is the [[county seat]] and the [[List of municipalities in Colorado|most populous municipality]] of [[Morgan County, Colorado|Morgan County]], [[Colorado]], [[United States]].<ref name=COMun/><ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> The city population was 11,597 at the [[2020 United States census]].<ref name=2020_Census/> Fort Morgan is the principal city of the [[Fort Morgan, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
===Fort Morgan===
{{main|Fort Morgan (Colorado)}}

Camp Wardwell was established in 1865 along the [[Overland Trail]] to protect emigrants and supplies going to and from Denver and the mining districts. The fort was renamed in 1866 by General John Pope for one of his staff, Colonel Christopher A. Morgan,<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n128 129]}}</ref> who had died earlier that year. The fort closed in 1868 after being used by 19 different companies from 11 cavalry and infantry regiments (about 1,300 soldiers).
{{clear|left}}

===Town===
The town of Fort Morgan was platted just south of the old military fort's ruins on May 1, 1884, by Abner S. Baker, a member of [[Union Colony of Colorado|Greeley's Union Colony]]. The town became the county seat of the newly formed Morgan County on February 19, 1889.<ref>Jennifer Patten, [https://www.createspace.com/3629033 In View of the Mountains: A History of Fort Morgan, Colorado] (Aged Page, 2011).</ref>

In [[World War II]], a military school at the [[Fort Morgan State Armory]] was part of the [[West Coast Air Corps Training Center]].<ref name=Futrell>{{Cite report |last=Futrell |first=Robert F.  |publisher=Air Historical Office | date=July 1947 |title=Development of AAF Base Facilities in the United States: 1939-1945 |volume=ARS-69: US Air Force Historical Study No 69 (Copy No. 2) |page=108 (pdf 117) |quote=The [[West Coast Air Corps Training Center|West Coast Training Center]]…during 1942 it had obtained jurisdiction over other contract schools at…Fort Morgan, Colo.}}</ref>
{{clear|left}}

==Geography==
At the [[2020 United States census]], the town had a total area of {{convert|13.993|km2|acre|order=flip}} including {{convert|0.178|km2|acre|order=flip}} of water.<ref name=2020_Census/>

===Climate===
Fort Morgan exhibits a [[semi-arid climate]] ([[Köppen Climate Classification|Köppen]]: ''BSk'')
{{Weather box   <!-- Infobox begins -->
| single line = Y
| location    = Fort Morgan, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1896&ndash;present

|Jan record high F = 75
|Feb record high F = 82
|Mar record high F = 85
|Apr record high F = 93
|May record high F = 100
|Jun record high F = 106
|Jul record high F = 109
|Aug record high F = 105
|Sep record high F = 103
|Oct record high F = 97
|Nov record high F = 85
|Dec record high F = 84

|Jan avg record high F = 61.5
|Feb avg record high F = 65.6
|Mar avg record high F = 76.7
|Apr avg record high F = 83.2
|May avg record high F = 91.0
|Jun avg record high F = 97.6
|Jul avg record high F = 100.8
|Aug avg record high F = 98.0
|Sep avg record high F = 95.9
|Oct avg record high F = 86.8
|Nov avg record high F = 73.6
|Dec avg record high F = 62.5
|year avg record high F = 101.5

<!-- Average high temperatures -->
| Jan high F  =41.6
| Feb high F  =44.9
| Mar high F  =56.0
| Apr high F  =63.2
| May high F  =72.4
| Jun high F  =84.0
| Jul high F  =90.2
| Aug high F  =88.0
| Sep high F  =80.5
| Oct high F  =66.3
| Nov high F  =52.2
| Dec high F  =41.8
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
| Jan mean F  =27.1
| Feb mean F  =30.1
| Mar mean F  =40.4
| Apr mean F  =48.1
| May mean F  =57.9
| Jun mean F  =68.8
| Jul mean F  =75.0
| Aug mean F  =72.4
| Sep mean F  =63.8
| Oct mean F  =50.0
| Nov mean F  =36.8
| Dec mean F  =27.5
<!-- Average low temperatures -->
| Jan low F  =12.7
| Feb low F  =15.2
| Mar low F  =24.9
| Apr low F  =33.0
| May low F  =43.3
| Jun low F  =53.5
| Jul low F  =59.7
| Aug low F  =56.8
| Sep low F  =47.1
| Oct low F  =33.6
| Nov low F  =21.4
| Dec low F  =13.1

|Jan avg record low F = -7.3
|Feb avg record low F = -2.0
|Mar avg record low F = 8.9
|Apr avg record low F = 19.1
|May avg record low F = 30.8
|Jun avg record low F = 44.2
|Jul avg record low F = 52.9
|Aug avg record low F = 49.5
|Sep avg record low F = 35.8
|Oct avg record low F = 17.3
|Nov avg record low F = 4.3
|Dec avg record low F = -4.4
|year avg record low F = -13.2

|Jan record low F = -35
|Feb record low F = -41
|Mar record low F = -26
|Apr record low F = -1
|May record low F = 14
|Jun record low F = 30
|Jul record low F = 34
|Aug record low F = 33
|Sep record low F = 11
|Oct record low F = -8
|Nov record low F = -18
|Dec record low F = -30

<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
| precipitation colour    =  green
| Jan precipitation inch  =0.25
| Feb precipitation inch  =0.27
| Mar precipitation inch  =0.74
| Apr precipitation inch  =1.46
| May precipitation inch  =2.24
| Jun precipitation inch  =2.16
| Jul precipitation inch  =2.39
| Aug precipitation inch  =1.71
| Sep precipitation inch  =1.14
| Oct precipitation inch  =1.14
| Nov precipitation inch  =0.49
| Dec precipitation inch  =0.29

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 2.5
|Feb precipitation days = 2.9
|Mar precipitation days = 3.7
|Apr precipitation days = 6.2
|May precipitation days = 10.3
|Jun precipitation days = 7.5
|Jul precipitation days = 7.7
|Aug precipitation days = 7.7
|Sep precipitation days = 5.0
|Oct precipitation days = 4.6
|Nov precipitation days = 3.0
|Dec precipitation days = 2.9
|year precipitation days = 64.0

<!-- Snowfall -->
| Jan snow inch  =3.8
| Feb snow inch  =3.9
| Mar snow inch  =3.8
| Apr snow inch  =1.7
| May snow inch  =0.3
| Jun snow inch  =0.0
| Jul snow inch  =0.0
| Aug snow inch  =0.0
| Sep snow inch  =0.0
| Oct snow inch  =2.1
| Nov snow inch  =2.7
| Dec snow inch  =4.4

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 2.0
|Feb snow days = 2.3
|Mar snow days = 1.9
|Apr snow days = 0.9
|May snow days = 0.2
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.6
|Nov snow days = 1.1
|Dec snow days = 2.6

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00053038&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: FT Morgan, CO
|access-date = March 5, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=bou
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Boulder/Denver
|access-date = March 5, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=
|1890= 488
|1900= 634
|1910= 2800
|1920= 3818
|1930= 4423
|1940= 4884
|1950= 5315
|1960= 7379
|1970= 7594
|1980= 8768
|1990= 9068
|2000= 11034
|2010= 11315
|2020= 11597
|footnote=[[United States census|U.S. Decennial Census]]
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, 11,034 people, 3,887 households, and 2,736 families resided in the city. The population density was {{convert|2,472.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 4,094 housing units averaged 917.2 per square mile (354.4/km{{sup|2}}). The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the city was 74.43% White, 0.28% African American, 1.01% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 20.62% from other races, and 3.24% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 39.04% of the population.

Of the 3,887 households, 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, an unknown percentage had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.6% were not families. About 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the city, the population was distributed as 30.2% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,128, and for a family was $36,134. Males had a median income of $27,667 versus $22,346 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $15,024. About 8.9% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 16.5% of those
under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

== Economy ==
[[File:Lincoln School (Fort Morgan, Colorado).JPG|thumb|Lincoln School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the location of the School for the Performing Arts.]]
[[File:Fort Morgan State Armory.JPG|thumb|[[Fort Morgan State Armory]] is used as a town recreation center.]]

Fort Morgan is home primarily to an agricultural economy.

[[Cargill]] operates a [[Meat packing industry|meatpacking plant]]. As of 2016, many of the employees at the plant were Muslims, many from [[Somalia]].<ref name="NYT030716">{{cite news|author1=Julie Turkewitz|title=Prayer Dispute Between Somalis and Plant Reshapes a Colorado Town, Again|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/08/us/prayer-dispute-between-somalis-and-plant-reshapes-a-colorado-town-again.html|access-date=March 7, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=March 7, 2016}}</ref>

[[Western Sugar Cooperative|Western Sugar]] operates their main plant in Fort Morgan.

== Education ==
*[[Morgan Community College]]

==Media==
===Newspaper===
The city newspaper is the ''[[Fort Morgan Times]]''.<ref>http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/ Fort Morgan Times website</ref>

===Radio===
* [[KSIR]] 1010 AM and [[KRFD (FM)]] 94.5 have a broadcasting building in Fort Morgan.
* [[KFTM]]  ("Hometown Radio") 1400 is a short-range AM radio station broadcasting in the city.
* BOB FM 97.5 [[KSRX]] is a music station  from Sterling and Fort Morgan.

==Infrastructure==
===Transportation===
==== Rail ====
[[Amtrak]], the national passenger rail system, provides service through [[Fort Morgan (Amtrak station)|Fort Morgan]], operating its ''[[California Zephyr]]'' daily in both directions between [[Union Station (Chicago)|Chicago]] and [[Emeryville, California]], across the bay from [[San Francisco]].

==== Air  ====
Although the town is served by Fort Morgan Municipal Airport, no scheduled airlines operate from there, and the airport is purely for [[general aviation]]. [[Denver International Airport]] is {{convert|76|mi}} southwest and is the closest airport to provide scheduled services.

====Major highways====
*[[Interstate 76 (Colorado)|Interstate 76]]
*[[Interstate 76 (Colorado–Nebraska)#Fort Morgan–Sterling|Business Loop 76]]
*[[U.S. Highway 34 (Colorado)|U.S. Highway 34]]
*[[Colorado State Highway 52|State Highway 52]]
*[[Colorado State Highway 144|State Highway 144]]

==Notable people==<!--consensus reached to standardize this heading per WP:WikiProject Cities/US Guideline -->
<!-- NOTICE * * * NOTICE * * * NOTICE * * * * * * * * * * * *NOTICE * * * NOTICE * * * NOTICE• Only people who already have a Wikipedia article may appear here. This establishes notability.
• The article must mention how they are associated with Ft. Morgan, whether born, raised, or residing.
• The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited.
• Alphabetical by last name please
• All others will be deleted without further explanation
END OF NOTICE * * * * * * * * * * * * END OF NOTICE * * * * * * * * * * * *END OF NOTICE -->
* [[Sam Brunelli]] - football player.
* [[Michael Crichton]] - lived in Fort Morgan for a short time during [[World War II]] with his family when his father was drafted to serve in the war.<ref>{{cite news|last=Smith|first=David|title=King of the techno-thriller|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/dec/03/sciencefictionfantasyandhorror.michaelcrichton|work=The Observer|publisher=The Guardian|access-date=June 17, 2011|location=London|date=December 3, 2006}}</ref>
* [[Elvin C. Drake|Elvin Drake]] - head track and field coach for the 1956 [[NCAA]] Champion [[UCLA Bruins]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-12-25-sp-1384-story.html |title=Ducky Drake, Father of UCLA Athletics, Dies |author=John Cherwa |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=December 25, 1988}}</ref>
* [[Joel Dreessen]] - former tight end for the [[Denver Broncos]], grew up in Fort Morgan and attended Fort Morgan schools. He graduated from Fort Morgan High School in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/05/15/joel-dreessen-thinks-playing-for-the-broncos-will-take-him-to-next-level/|title= Joel Dreessen Thinks Playing For The Broncos Will Take Him To Next Level |date= May 15, 2012 |publisher= World Press.com |access-date=August 31, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Ryan Jensen (American football)|Ryan Jensen]] - center for the 2021 Super Bowl Champion [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]. Grew up in Fort Morgan and played football at Fort Morgan High School. Graduated in 2009.
* [[Trey McBride]] - American Football Tight End. Current member of the [[Arizona Cardinals]].
* [[Brenton Metzler]] - TV producer. He moved to Fort Morgan at the age 16 and graduated from Fort Morgan High School in 1997.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.outfrontmagazine.com/trending/gay-coloradan-talks-coming-moving-los-angeles-working-tv-producer/|title=Gay Coloradan talks coming out, moving to Los Angeles, and working as a TV producer|last=Yost|first=Mike|date=May 22, 2014|work=OUT FRONT|access-date=June 12, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/fort-morgan-news/ci_19688322|title=FMHS grad Brenton Metzler produces 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'|last=Barker|first=Dan|date=January 6, 2012|work=Fort Morgan Times|access-date=June 12, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Glenn Miller]] (1904–1944) - [[Big Band]] musician.  Fort Morgan was his boyhood home, where he went to [[High school (North America)|high school]] in Fort Morgan and was known to have once played trumpet on top of Abner S. Baker School, since destroyed in a fire and now rebuilt, which at the time was the high school campus, but is now an elementary school.
* [[Robert G. Whitehead|Robert Whitehead]] (1916–2007) - born in Fort Morgan.

==See also==
{{portal|Geography|History|United States|Colorado}}
*[[Colorado]]
**[[Bibliography of Colorado]]
**[[Index of Colorado-related articles]]
**[[Outline of Colorado]]
*[[List of counties in Colorado]]
*[[List of municipalities in Colorado]]
*[[List of places in Colorado]]
*[[List of statistical areas in Colorado]]
**[[Fort Morgan, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{sister project links|auto=yes}}
* [https://www.cityoffortmorgan.com/ City of Fort Morgan website]
* [http://dtdapps.coloradodot.info/staticdata/Downloads/CityMaps/Fort%20Morgan.pdf CDOT map of the City of Fort Morgan]

{{Morgan County, Colorado}}
{{Forts in Colorado}}
{{Colorado|show}}
{{Colorado county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Fort Morgan, Colorado| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Morgan County, Colorado]]
[[Category:County seats in Colorado]]
[[Category:Cities in Colorado]]