Morehead is a home rule-class city located along

US 60 U.S. Route 60 is a major east–west United States highway, traveling from southwestern Arizona to the Atlantic Ocean coast in Virginia. The highway's eastern terminus is in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where it is known as Pacific Avenue, in the ...

(the historic

Midland Trail The Midland Trail, also called the Roosevelt Midland Trail, was a national auto trail spanning the United States from Washington, D.C. west to Los Angeles, California and San Francisco, California ('' though the Lincoln Highway guide published i ...

) and

Interstate 64 Interstate 64 (I-64) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. Route 40 (US 40), and US 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange w ...

in Rowan County,

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

, in the United States. It is the

seat A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but also headquarters in a wider sense. Types of seat The following are examples of different kinds of seat: * Armchair (furniture), ...

of its county. The population was 6,845 at the time of the 2010 U.S. census. It was the focal point of the Rowan County War and is the home of

Morehead State University Morehead State University (MSU) is a public university in Morehead, Kentucky. The university began as Morehead Normal School, which opened its doors in 1887. The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, a two-year residential ea ...

History

Initial settlement

The first European settlers came to Rowan County from

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

following the end of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

in 1783. In 1854, Morehead became the third community to be settled in the county. Colonel John Hargis founded the city after purchasing land in the area. The city was named after James T Morehead, a politician who served as governor of Kentucky from 1834 to 1836. Rowan County came into existence in May 1856, seceding from parts of Morgan County and

Fleming County Fleming County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,082. Its county seat is Flemingsburg. The county was formed in 1798 and named for Colonel John Fleming, an Indian fighter and early s ...

. It was divided into four districts with Morehead being declared the county seat. The formation of Rowan County was a political ploy to prevent Flemingsburg from moving its seat to Poplar Plains, and Morehead was selected as Rowan's seat because of its centrality. Although it was smaller and less developed than the neighboring town of Farmers, it remained a significant city in the county due its status as county seat. It was officially incorporated in 1869.

Rowan County War

In the 1880s, Morehead became the central stage for a notorious conflict known as the Rowan County War or the Martin–Tolliver–Logan Feud. During a number of skirmishes for the next few years, at least 20 people were killed and possibly 100 were wounded. Beginning with an election-day barroom brawl, several gunfights took place in Morehead and the surrounding countryside. Eventually, a group led by Craig Tolliver seized political control of the town and installed allies in the county sheriff's and county attorney's offices as well as at the office of the town marshal. Several members of the opposing faction were arrested on trumped-up charges, and some were killed when the faction in power falsely claimed they had resisted arrest. The conflict gained national attention and on two occasions the governor sent troops to maintain order with little effect. Eventually a posse of as many as 100 individuals were organized and armed by Daniel Boone Logan with the tacit consent of

Gov A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

. J. Proctor Knott and Governor-elect

Simon Buckner Simon Bolivar Buckner ( ; April 1, 1823 – January 8, 1914) was an American soldier, Confederate combatant, and politician. He fought in the United States Army in the Mexican–American War. He later fought in the Confederate States Army ...

. In a dramatic two-hour gun battle through the center of Morehead, several Tollivers (including Craig) were killed and the Tollivers' control of the county was broken. Two men were later acquitted for the murder of Craig Tolliver.

was established as an indirect result of the feud. After the state militia came to settle the feud, the

Disciples of Christ The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. The denomination started with the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening, first existing during the 19th ...

established a church and school which served as the forerunner to the university.

20th century

Hope Pregnancy Care Center on Main Street in Morehead

The industry improved in the early 20th century. It was considered an important shipping center in the region, and the city of

Chesapeake, Ohio Chesapeake is a village in Lawrence County, Ohio, United States. The population was 691 at the 2020 census. It lies across the Ohio River from Huntington, West Virginia, at the mouth of Symmes Creek. A bridge across the Ohio River connects Ches ...

even carried out developments on the road system of Morehead. Its abundance of lumber,

fire clay Fire clay is a range of refractory clays used in the manufacture of ceramics, especially fire brick. The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines fire clay very generally as a "mineral aggregate composed of hydrous silicates of alumin ...

, farm products and gas made it an active center of industry, of which was mainly oriented towards agriculture. The close proximity of the Licking River helped ensure the population would flourish. In the 1920s, the city refocused its efforts towards fire clay extraction amidst the dwindling prices of timber. One of the first transcontinental auto trails in the US, the

, was connected to Morehead in 1929. In July 1939, a number of business and hotels located on Mainstreet were caught in a raging fire following Independence Day celebrations which went awry. The town's pack horse library center was burned down as well. Only 24 hours afterwards, the town was badly affected by flash flooding. At least 25 people died, and thousands had to receive vaccinations for

Typhoid fever Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several ...

. The property costs incurred by the flooding were estimated at $1,000,000, while the damage inflicted on crops and farms caused an economic loss of about $500,000. Morehead State parking lot view

In the early 1960s, efforts were underway to establish a local hospital. An agreement was eventually reached with the Sisters of Notre Dame in

Covington, Kentucky Covington is a list of cities in Kentucky, home rule-class city in Kenton County, Kentucky, Kenton County, Kentucky, United States, located at the confluence of the Ohio River, Ohio and Licking River (Kentucky), Licking Rivers. Cincinnati, Ohio, ...

in which the sisters would assume responsibility for operating the proposed hospital. In July 1963, St Claire's Medical Center was opened with a 41-bed capacity. Transport in and out of the city was greatly improved in 1969 after the completion of

to the north. After the logging and extraction industries lost momentum in eastern Kentucky during the mid-1900s, the city invested heavily in developing Morehead State University as a means to secure economic growth. Morehead also sought to capitalize on tourism by ameliorating its natural attractions. Hiking trails were created through

Cave Run Lake Cave Run Lake, located south of Morehead, Kentucky, USA along Kentucky Route 801, is an reservoir built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The , half-mile (800 m) dam (and outlet works) construction began in 1965 and was completed in 1973. ...

in the 1960s and 1970s, and in 1974, tourism was further boosted when Cave Run Lake was impounded by the city. By 1990, Morehead State University had become the largest employer in the city.

21st century

In 2015,

Kim Davis Kimberly Jean Davis (; born September 17, 1965) is a former county clerk for Rowan County, Kentucky, who gained international attention in August 2015 when she defied a U.S. federal court order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. ...

of Morehead gained international attention after she defied a federal court order requiring that as Clerk of Rowan County she issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple. The Downtown Morehead Historic District was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 2022.

Religion

As of 2000, Rowan County was the home of 25 Evangelical churches, four Mainline Protestant churches, one Catholic Church and one Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) congregation. This represents a net increase of five congregations. Six congregations (all Evangelical) were established between 1990 and 2000, while one (also an Evangelical congregation) closed. Rowan County is ranked 113th (of 120 counties in Kentucky) in overall rates of adherence, with only 249 out of every 1000 residents claimed as an adherent of a religious congregation. 129 of every 1000 residents was claimed by an Evangelical congregation (116th in rank), 50 by a Mainline congregation (91st in rank), 20 by the Catholic Church, and 37 by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. A small number of other residents belonged to religious groups not represented in one of these categories.

Geography

Topography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, Morehead has a total area of , of which is land. Morehead is in the foothills of the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

. The topography of the area represents a mixture of the

Highland Rim The Highland Rim is a geographic term for the area in Tennessee surrounding the Central Basin. Nashville is largely surrounded by higher terrain in all directions. Geologically, the Central Basin is a dome. The Highland Rim is a cuesta surround ...

and the western border of the

Eastern Kentucky Coalfield The Eastern Kentucky Coalfield is part of the Central Appalachian bituminous coalfield, including all or parts of 30 Kentucky counties and adjoining areas in Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee. It covers an area from the Allegheny M ...

. The highest elevation in the county is Limestone Knob (1435 ft), situated approximately 3 miles southwest of Morehead. The elevation of the city is 748 ft.

Climate

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 5,914 people, 2,114 households, and 1,101 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 640.8 people per square mile (247.4/km). There were 2,347 housing units at an average density of 254.3 per square mile (98.2/km). The racial makeup of the city was 94.25%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 2.57%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.15% Native American, 1.52%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.12% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.37% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 0.76% of the population. There were 2,114 households, out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.9% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.81. In the city, the population was spread out, with 15.5% under the age of 18, 34.6% from 18 to 24, 20.6% from 25 to 44, 16.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $24,014, and the median income for a family was $34,375. Males had a median income of $23,950 versus $19,455 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $13,415. About 16.7% of families and 26.0% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 19.8% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.

Tourism

In 1974, tourism was boosted by the

impoundment Impoundment may refer to: Water control * The result of a dam, creating a body of water ** A reservoir, formed by a dam ** Coal slurry impoundment, a specialized form of such a reservoir used for coal mining and processing * Impounded dock, an enc ...

, the largest lake in

Eastern Kentucky Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai * Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways * Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 * Eastern Air ...

. Cave Run Lake is also known as the Musky Capitol of the South. A council, called Morehead-Rowan County Economic Development Council, was formed in 1991 in order to attract more industry and capitalize on tourism to Cave Run Lake. Hiking trails dating back to the 1960s and 1970s are still maintained for foot traffic around Cave Run Lake, however, officials are attempting to address the difficulties faced by cyclists and horseback riders crossing the trails. In 2012, Morehead became a trail town, rerouting the

Sheltowee Trace Trail The Sheltowee Trace Trail is a National Recreation Trail that was created in 1979 and stretches from the Burnt Mill Bridge Trail Head in the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area in Tennessee () to northern Rowan County, Kentucky ...

through it. This gives trail users the ability to explore the town and get what they may need before heading back on the trail. There are more than thirty cycling trails in the county's section of

Daniel Boone National Forest The Daniel Boone National Forest (originally the Cumberland National Forest) is a national forest in Kentucky. Established in 1937, it includes of federally owned land within a proclamation boundary. The name of the forest was changed in 1966 ...

Education

There are currently 9 public primary schools operating in Morehead, including: *Clearfield Elementary *Bluegrass Discovery Academy *McBrayer Elementary *Morehead Youth Development Center *Rodburn Elementary *Rowan County Middle School *Rowan County Preschool Center * Rowan County Senior High School *Sunrise Children's Services *Tilden Hogge Elementary School Morehead also has the

Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics (simply Craft Academy) is a two-year residential early college high school serving approximately 146 academically exceptional high school juniors and seniors at Morehead State Universit ...

, an

early entrance to college Early entrance to college, sometimes called early admission or early enrollment, is the practice of allowing high school students to be accelerated into college, one or more years before the traditional age of college entrance, and without obtaini ...

program for academically gifted high school juniors and seniors at Morehead State, that allows the students to take college credits while finishing high school. Additionally, there are two institutions for higher education situated in the city.

was established in 1887, and offers more than 100 degree programs. There is also a campus for

Maysville Community and Technical College Maysville Community and Technical College (MCTC) is a public community college in Maysville, Kentucky. It is part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. It was formed in December 2004 from the consolidation of Maysville Community ...

in the city. Morehead has a

lending library A lending library is a library from which books and other media are lent out. The major classifications are endowed libraries, institutional libraries (the most diverse), public libraries, and subscription libraries. It may also refer to a librar ...

, the Rowan County Public Library.

Media

Newspapers

* ''The Morehead News (Closed)'' – Local newspaper. * “The Rowan County News (Est. 2020)”

Radio stations

* W10BM – Local television station, known for ''Buy a Dog, Sell a Hog''. * W219DI 91.7 - Freedom Radio FM. Christian Radio (

FM Translator A broadcast relay station, also known as a satellite station, relay transmitter, broadcast translator (U.S.), re-broadcaster (Canada), repeater (two-way radio) or complementary station (Mexico), is a broadcast transmitter which repeats (or tran ...

). * W227AX 93.3 – K-LOVE. Contemporary Christian radio (

). *

WIVY WIVY (96.3 FM broadcasting, FM) is a radio station broadcasting a soft adult contemporary format. It is licensed to Morehead, Kentucky, United States. The station is currently owned by Gateway Radio Works, Inc. and features programming from Citade ...

96.3 – TIMELESS FAVORITES. Local soft adult contemporary format radio station known as "IVY." * WMKY 90.3 – Morehead State Public Radio. Local NPR flag station which broadcasts to over 20 eastern Kentucky counties. The station includes news coverage, in addition to classical, jazz, blues, americana and bluegrass. Personalities include Carolyn Franzini, Michelle Wallace, Paul Hitchcock and Jesse Wells. * WMOR-FM 106.1 – Adult rock radio station.

Sister cities

Morehead has city partnerships with the following cities or regions: *

Yangshuo Yangshuo County () is a county under the jurisdiction of Guilin City, in the northeast of Guangxi, China. Its seat is located in Yangshuo Town. Surrounded by karst peaks and bordered on one side by the Li River it is easily accessible by bus or by ...

Guangxi Guangxi (; ; Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanized as Kwanghsi; ; za, Gvangjsih, italics=yes), officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the People's Republic ...

, China (since 1994) Through

Sister Cities International Sister Cities International (SCI) is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between communities in the United States and those in other countries, particularly through the establishment of "sister cities"� ...

, Morehead has one

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

: *

Ballymena Ballymena ( ; from ga, an Baile Meánach , meaning 'the middle townland') is a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is part of the Borough of Mid and East Antrim. The town is built on land given to the Adair family by King Charles I i ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

References

External links

City of Morehead
- Official website
Tourism guide to Morehead, Kentucky
{{authority control Cities in Rowan County, Kentucky County seats in Kentucky Cities in Kentucky