Morgan City, Louisiana
| Morgan City | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Location in Louisiana
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| Basic data | |||
| Foundation : | 1860 | ||
| State : | United States | ||
| State : | Louisiana | ||
| Parish : |
St. Martin Parish St. Mary Parish |
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| Coordinates : | 29 ° 42 ′ N , 91 ° 12 ′ W | ||
| Time zone : | Central ( UTC − 6 / −5 ) | ||
| Residents : | 12,404 (as of 2010) | ||
| Population density : | 816.1 inhabitants per km 2 | ||
| Area : | 15.6 km 2 (about 6 mi 2 ) of which 15.2 km 2 (about 6 mi 2 ) is land |
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| Height : | 2 m | ||
| Postal code : | 70380 | ||
| Area code : | +1 985 | ||
| FIPS : | 22-55000 | ||
| GNIS ID : | 1629985 | ||
| Website : | www.cityofmc.com | ||
Morgan City (formerly known as Brashear City ) is a city in the St. Martin and St. Mary Parishes in the US state of Louisiana . According to the 2010 United States Census, Morgan City has 12,404 residents.
history
Morgan City lies on the alluvial banks of the Atchafalaya River . Morgan City was originally known as Tiger Island because the US Secretary of War John C. Calhoun saw a tiger nearby . It was later called Brashear City , named after Walter Brashear , a prominent Kentucky physicist who bought large tracts of land and numerous sugar factories. In 1860 the city was registered as Brashear City and in 1876 the city was renamed after Charles Morgan , a train and steamship magnate who built the Atchafalaya Bay Ship Channel.
In the spring of 1973, during a flood of the Mississippi River, the Morganza Spillway opened, causing parts of Morgan City to be flooded.
On October 28, 1985, Hurricane Juan hit the Morgan City area, flooding many parts of the city. Juan then turned to sea and later made another landfall in Alabama .
On August 26, 1992, Hurricane Andrew hit land 20 miles southwest of the city. Andrew is one of the most damaging hurricanes in US history .
geography
According to the United States Census Bureau , Mogan City is 97% land and 3% water. Morgan City is on the border of St Martin Parish and St Mary Parish. The greater part of the city is in St. Martin Parish.
Culture
sons and daughters of the town
- Sammy Penn (1902-1969), jazz musician
- René Hall (1903–1988), guitarist, arranger and songwriter
- Burt Lancon (born 1960), figure skater
