Morrilton is a city in Conway County,

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...

, United States, less than northwest of

Little Rock Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...

. The city is the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Conway County. The population was 6,992 at the 2020 United States census.

History

In 1825 a trading post was established about a mile south of present-day Morrilton on the

Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in Colorado, specifically ...

. This town, later named Lewisburg, thrived after being incorporated in 1844. In 1871 the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad built track through present day Morrilton. It was later named Morrilton after the previous landowners E.J. and George H. Morrill. The downtown grew around the Morrills' land and that owned by James M. Moose. Residents of Lewisburg eventually moved away from the river and to the railroad hub at Morrilton. In 1883 Morrilton became the seat of

Conway County, Arkansas Conway County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Created as Arkansas's 11th county on October 20, 1825, Conway County has four incorporated municipalities, including Morrilton, Arkansas, Morrilton, the co ...

Geography

Morrilton is located in southern Conway County at (35.156373, -92.741944). It is bordered on the south by the

Interstate 40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west transcontinental Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States, southeastern and Southwestern United States, southwestern portions of the United States. At a leng ...

passes through the northern side of the city, leading southeast to Little Rock and west to Fort Smith. U.S. Route 64 (East and West Broadway Street) is the main road through the city center, leading east to Plumerville and northwest to Atkins.

Arkansas Highway 9 Arkansas Highway 9 (AR 9) is a designation for three state highways in Arkansas. One segment of runs from U.S. Route 79 (US 79) at Eagle Mills north to US 67 in Malvern. A second segment of runs from Highway 5 at Crows north to US 65 at ...

forms an eastern bypass of Morrilton and leads north to Clinton and south across the Arkansas River to Perryville. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, Morrilton has a total area of , of which is land and , or 4.29%, is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Morrilton has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,992 people, 2,748 households, and 1,755 families residing in the city.

2010 census

As of the 2010 Census, 6,767 people and 2,759 households resided within the city.

2000 census

2000 Census results showed 1,724 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,947 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 78.38%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 17.47%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.79% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 1.37% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races. 3.37% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. There were 2,645 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.94. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,007, and the median income for a family was $36,432. Males had a median income of $30,123 versus $19,213 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $16,957. About 13.4% of families and 17.1% 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 ...

, including 21.6% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Many sites located in Morrilton are on the National Register of Historical Places, including: * Arkansas Christian College Administration Building – A former school building at 100 W Harding Street. * Aycock House - A historic house located at 410 West Church Street. * Coca-Cola Building - A historic commercial building at 211 North Moose Street. * Conway County Courthouse - Historic courthouse located at the corner of Moose and Church Streets in downtown. * Conway County Library - Classical Revival brick building library designed by Thomas Harding and funded in part by a grant from

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie ( , ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the History of the iron and steel industry in the United States, American steel industry in the late ...

. * Earl Building - A historic commercial building at 201 North St. Joseph Street. * First National Bank of Morrilton - A historic commercial building at Broadway and Moose Streets. * Moose Addition Neighborhood Historic District - Oldest residential area in Morrilton. * Moose House - A historic house at 711 Green Street. * Morrilton Commercial Historic District - The historic central business district. * Morrilton Post Office - Historic post office building at 117 North Division Street. * Morrilton Railroad Station - Historic station on Railroad Ave. * Saint Anthony's Hospital - Historic hospital building at 202 East Green Street. * West Church Street Historic District - A collection of the finest late-19th and early-20th century homes. * W. L. Wood House - A historic house at 709 North Morrill Street.

Museums

* The Morrilton Depot Museum is located in the historic Morrilton Railroad Station and features history on the area. Adjoining the museum is a statue of the late lieutenant governor Winthrop Paul "Win" Rockefeller and the outdoor space is being developed as "Rockefeller Plaza" to honor the lieutenant governor and his father, Winthrop P. Rockefeller, the former governor of Arkansas. * The Museum of Automobiles is located on nearby Petit Jean Mountain and features a collection of antique and classic cars, motorcycles, guns, license plates, arcade machines and automobile memorabilia.

Outdoor recreation

* Petit Jean State Park is a 3,471-acre (1,405 ha) park near Morrilton and is managed by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. It is located atop Petit Jean Mountain adjacent to the

in the area between the

Ouachita Mountains The Ouachita Mountains (), simply referred to as the Ouachitas, are a mountain range in western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma. They are formed by a thick succession of highly deformed Paleozoic strata constituting the Ouachita Fold and Thru ...

and Ozark Plateaus. The park's many hiking trails, historic sites and natural features were the inspiration for the Arkansas State Parks system and continue to draw many visitors to the area. In 2023, the state park was voted as the Best State Park for RVing/Camping.

Theatre

* The Rialto Theatre in Downtown Morrilton has been in operation for over 100 years. It served as a movie house from 1911 until it was closed by United Artists in 1987. In 1995 the city acquired the building and a group of volunteers restored the theatre. It currently serves as a public arts facility hosting plays, concerts, public meetings, private events, and other happenings. * H.B. White Auditorium is on the campus of

Morrilton High School Morrilton High School is a Comprehensive education, comprehensive public high school serving students in grades nine through twelve in Morrilton, Arkansas, United States. It is in Conway County, Arkansas, Conway County and is the sole high school ...

. It serves as the main auditorium for the school district and hosts public events. * UACCM Fine Arts Auditorium is on the campus of the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton. It serves as the main auditorium for the college and hosts public events.

Government

The city has operated under the mayor-council form of government since it was founded. The city currently elects 11 positions: mayor, city clerk, city attorney, and eight council member positions. The eight council members are represented by two members from each of the city's four wards. The council members are Ward 1: Greg Wiedower, Benny Baker. Ward 2: Gary Koch, Isaac Decker. Ward 3: Richard Deluca, Aaron Spivey. Ward 4: Jim Bowles, Kyle Roch. The current mayor is Allen Lipsmeyer. The city employs over 100 individuals in nine different departments. Most Conway County government offices are located in the city of Morrilton, including the quorum, circuit, district, and juvenile courts; and the assessor, county judge, county coroner, county attorney, and public defenders offices.

Education

Public schools

The community's public school system is operated by the South Conway County School District. As of 2018, the district consists of five schools. The SCCSD public high school is

. Morrilton's first public school for white students opened in 1881. 14 years later the first school for African-American students opened in 1895. In 1980 the East Side, Morrilton, and Plumerville School districts consolidated to form the new South Conway County district.

Private schools

Sacred Heart Catholic School is the only private school in the city of Morrilton and was established in 1879. It is one of only two private

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

schools in Arkansas that serves PreK-12.

Colleges and universities

Morrilton is home to the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton. The city was home to Harding College, now

Harding University Harding University is a Private university, private Christian university with its main campus in Searcy, Arkansas, United States. Established in 1924, the institution offers Undergraduate education, undergraduate, Postgraduate education, gradu ...

Searcy, Arkansas Searcy ( ) is the largest city in and the county seat of White County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2019 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 23,767. It is the principal city of the Searcy, AR Micropolitan Statisti ...

, for about a decade in the 1920s and 1930s. The original campus of Harding University is now the Southern Christian Home, a church-supported residential child care facility.

Public libraries

The Conway County Library is located at 101 West Church Street in Downtown Morrilton. The library was established in 1897 by the Pathfinder Club. It moved among members homes until 1916 when the Andrew Carnegie Foundation awarded the club a grant for a building. The Conway County Library is one of two public libraries in the state of Arkansas functioning from its original Carnegie building.

Notable people

* Carl B. Close (1907–1980), Louisiana state representative, a Democrat, who also served as mayor of

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

from 1947 to 1953, was born at Robertsville near Morrilton, the son of the country physician, Edgar Close. * Nathan Green Gordon (1916–2008), sixth lieutenant governor of Arkansas and distinguished

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

aviator An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators because they a ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

; born in Morrilton * William L. Moose, politician, judge, and

Attorney General of Arkansas The attorney general of Arkansas, usually known simply as the attorney general (AG), is one of Arkansas's seven State constitutional officer, constitutional officers. The officeholder serves as the state's top law enforcement officer and Consu ...

* James S. Moose, Jr. (1903–1989) First US Government representative to live in Saudi Arabia, ambassador to Syria and the Sudan *

Winthrop Rockefeller Winthrop Rockefeller (May 1, 1912 – February 22, 1973) was an American politician and philanthropist. Rockefeller was the fourth son and fifth child of American financier John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. He was one of th ...

(1912–1973),

governor of Arkansas The governor of Arkansas is the head of government of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Governor (United States), governor is the head of the Executive (government), executive branch of the Politics and government of Arkansas, Arkansas government a ...

from 1967 to 1971; lived at Petit Jean Mountain near Morrilton * John R. Stallings (1935–2008),

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, mathematical structure, structure, space, Mathematica ...

known for his seminal contributions to

geometric group theory Geometric group theory is an area in mathematics devoted to the study of finitely generated groups via exploring the connections between algebraic properties of such groups and topological and geometric properties of spaces on which these group ...

and 3-manifold topology; born in Morrilton * Shekinna Stricklen - Women's basketball player that graduated from

. Played collegiately for the

University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (or The University of Tennessee; UT; UT Knoxville; or colloquially UTK or Tennessee) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee, United St ...

. She was selected in the first round of the 2012 WNBA draft (2nd overall) by the

Seattle Storm The Seattle Storm are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The Storm compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference (WNBA), Western Conference. The team was founded by Gi ...

. Won the 2019 WNBA Three Point Contest the day before the

2019 WNBA All-Star Game The 2019 WNBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game played on July 27, 2019. The Las Vegas Aces hosted the WNBA All-Star Game for the first time. Rosters Selection On June 12, the WNBA announced that 2019 would similar roster selecti ...

. * C. Vann Woodward (1908–1999), American

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

focused primarily on the

Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Cens ...

and its individual sociology of race and ethnic relations. He attended

Media

Print

The ''Petit Jean Country Headlight'' is the largest newspaper in the city. It was established April 8, 1874, in Lewisburg before moving to Morrilton. It currently serves as a weekly newspaper and publishes on Wednesdays.

Radio

KVOM (AM) first began airing on Christmas Day 1952 and was started by J.C. Willis. KVOM-FM began broadcasting on 101.7 MHz FM in 1979.

Television

Morrilton Community Channel 6 started on the local cable system during the 1990s. It currently broadcasts local events on channel 6 and thei
website

References

External links

City of Morrilton official websiteMorrilton Area Chamber of CommerceMain Street Morrilton
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morrilton, Arkansas 1879 establishments in Arkansas Cities in Arkansas Cities in Conway County, Arkansas County seats in Arkansas Populated places established in 1879 Arkansas populated places on the Arkansas River