Editing Morton, Illinois

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Morton, Illinois
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = 
| other_name = 
| settlement_type = [[List of towns and villages in Illinois|Village]]
| image_skyline = Downtown Morton, Illinois.jpg
| imagesize = 
| image_alt = 
| image_caption = Main Street in downtown Morton
| image_flag = 
| image_seal = 
| etymology = 
| nickname = 
| motto = 
| image_map = File:Tazewell County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Morton Highlighted.svg
| mapsize = 
| map_alt = 
| map_caption = Location of Morton in Tazewell County, Illinois.
| image_map1 = Illinois in United States (US48).svg
| mapsize1 = 
| map_alt1 = 
| map_caption1 = Location of Illinois in the United States
| pushpin_map = 
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_label = 
| pushpin_map_alt = 
| pushpin_mapsize = 
| pushpin_relief = 
| pushpin_map_caption = 
| coordinates = {{coord|40|36|42|N|89|28|01|W|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| grid_name = 
| grid_position = 
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Illinois
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = [[Tazewell County, Illinois|Tazewell]]
| subdivision_type3 = Township
| subdivision_name3 = 
| established_title = Founded
| established_date = 1830
| founder = 
| named_for = 
| seat_type = 
| seat = 
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type = 
| governing_body = Board of Trustees
| leader_party = 
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Jeff Kaufman
| leader_title1 = Village president
| leader_name1 = 
| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_17.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 15, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2 = 33.29
| area_total_sq_mi = 12.85
| area_land_km2 = 33.18
| area_land_sq_mi = 12.81
| area_water_km2 = 0.10
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.04
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft = 712
| population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total = 17117
| population_density_km2 = 515.84
| population_density_sq_mi = 1336.01
| timezone1 = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
|utc_offset1 = &minus;6
| timezone1_DST = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
|utc_offset1_DST = &minus;5
| postal_code_type = [[ZIP code|ZIP Code(s)]]
| postal_code = 61550
| area_code = [[Area code 309|309]]
| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info = 17-50621
| blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info = 2399402<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2399402}}</ref>
| blank2_name = 
| blank2_info = 
| blank2_name_sec2 = Wikimedia Commons
| blank2_info_sec2 = Morton, Illinois
| website = {{Official website|http://www.morton-il.gov/}}
| footnotes = 
}}

'''Morton''' is a village in [[Tazewell County, Illinois|Tazewell County]], [[Illinois]], United States. The population was 17,117 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. The community holds a yearly [[Morton Pumpkin Festival]] for four days every September, and claims that "99 percent of the world's canned pumpkin is produced in Morton," earning it the designation "Pumpkin Capital of the World".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.villageprofile.com/illinois/morton/morton1.html|title=Morton, Illinois|publisher=Village Profile|access-date=December 20, 2011}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the 2004 census, Morton has a total area of {{convert|12.994|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|12.95|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 99.66%) is land and {{convert|0.044|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 0.34%) is water.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1750621
  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1
  |access-date=December 19, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213051827/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1750621
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left|1880= 426
|1890= 657
|1900= 894
|1910= 1004
|1920= 1179
|1930= 1501
|1940= 2241
|1950= 3693
|1960= 5325
|1970= 10811
|1980= 14178
|1990= 13799
|2000= 15198
|2010= 16267
|2020= 17117
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] there were 16,267 people, 6,622 households, and 4,507 families living in the village. The population density was {{convert|1,251.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 6,973 housing units at an average density of {{convert|536.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2010 census|racial makeup]] of the village was 96.3% White, 0.7% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 5% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7%.<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 the 6,622 households 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 27.6% of households were one person and 12.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.95.

The age distribution was 23.6% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 84, and 19.0% 65 or older. The median age was 41.4 years. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

The median household income was $70,878 and the median family income was $67,800. Males had a median income of $44,055 versus $170,629 for females. The per capita income for the village was $34,632. About 3.3% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 3.901% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
{{clear left}}

==Economy==
{{unreferenced section|date=May 2018}}
Morton is the home of a [[Caterpillar Inc.]] distribution facility and a [[Libby's]] pumpkin cannery.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Caterpillar Morton Distribution Center in Morton, IL 61550 - (309) 266-0304 |url=https://www.chamberofcommerce.com/united-states/illinois/morton/logistics-service/2004948502-caterpillar-morton-distribution-center |access-date=August 8, 2023 |website=www.chamberofcommerce.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Libby's Pumpkin - Morton, IL |url=https://mms.mortonchamber.org/members/directory/ectown/mlaunch_e.php?mid=1038506603 |access-date=August 8, 2023 |website=mms.mortonchamber.org |language=en}}</ref> Morton is also home to the corporate headquarters of Morton Buildings, Inc.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Contact Us |url=https://mortonbuildings.com/contact |access-date=August 8, 2023 |website=Morton Buildings |language=en-US}}</ref> Morton's economy has been shaped by its proximity to both east/west and north–south interstates (I-74, I-474, I-155, I-55), central location between Chicago, St. Louis and Indianapolis, the presence of Caterpillar's logistics center, proximity to Caterpillar's manufacturing facilities in Peoria, and the surrounding fertile farmland. Morton is a net importer of workforce due to the high concentration of major employers and has an unemployment rate (approximately 4%) below the regional, state and national averages. Major industry clusters include advanced manufacturing and logistics/distribution.

== Parks and recreation ==
Four [[disc golf]] courses are located in Morton.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Illinois Disc Golf - Your Guide to Disc Golf in Illinois, United States {{!}} UDisc |url=https://udisc.com/places/illinois-united-states |access-date=August 8, 2023 |website=udisc.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Education==
[[Morton Community Unit School District 709]] is the local public school district; it has one high school ([[Morton High School (Morton, Illinois)|Morton High School]]), one junior high school for grades seven and eight, and four primary schools for kindergarten through grade six.  Private schools in the village are Blessed Sacrament and Bethel Lutheran, both private [[grade school]]s with preschool through eighth grade.

===Elementary schools===
* Grundy Elementary School (academic rank: 4)
** Special Needs kids school 
* Jefferson Elementary School (academic rank: 1)
* Lettie Brown Elementary School (academic rank: 3)
* Lincoln Elementary School (academic rank: 2)
<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.greatschools.org/illinois/morton/ | title=Best Morton Schools &#124; Morton, IL School Ratings &#124; Best Schools }}</ref>

===Junior High schools===
* Morton Junior High School

===High schools===
* Morton High School

===Other schools===
* Morton (Pumpkin) Academy

==Notable people==
* [[Jay Ackerman]], Illinois state representative and pumpkin farmer<ref>'Illinois Blue Book 1997-1998,' Biographical Sketch of Jay Ackerman, pg. 115</ref>
* [[David Burritt]], businessman; CEO of [[U.S. Steel]]
* [[Derek Grimm]], basketball player, university of [[Missouri Tigers men's basketball]] player, played in the [[NBA]] for the [[Sacramento Kings]].  
*[[Bill Hauter]], member of the Illinois House of Representatives
* [[Dave Kindred]], American sportswriter.
* [[J. R. Koch]], basketball player, university of [[Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball]] player, selected by [[New York Knicks]] in [[1999 NBA draft]]; attended Morton High School
* [[David E. Lilienthal]], public administrator; appointed to lead the [[Tennessee Valley Authority]] and later the [[United States Atomic Energy Commission|Atomic Energy Commission]]
* [[Nashville Waffle House shooting|Travis Reinking]], perpetrator of the [[Nashville Waffle House shooting]]
* [[Roger Sommer (politician)|Roger Sommer]], Illinois State Senator<ref>[http://www.idaillinois.org/cdm/ref/collection/bb/id/37373 Illinois Blue Book 1973-1974] page 144</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.morton-il.gov/}}
*[http://www.mortonedc.org/ Morton Economic Development Council]
*[http://www.pumpkincapital.com/index.php?section=1 Morton Chamber of Commerce]

{{Tazewell County, Illinois}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Tazewell County, Illinois]]
[[Category:1830s establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 1830s]]
[[Category:Villages in Illinois]]