Morgan City dates to 1860, and 5 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 59% of U.S. towns · #46 of 161 in Louisiana. What drives it
Most of Morgan City was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1969. 5 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Mr. Charlie Offshore Oil Rig, a National Historic Landmark, and a historic district with 54 buildings. Below: 12 old photos and papers, maps from 1935 on, and the census since 1880.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1876.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Morgan City’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Morgan City is more historic than 59% of U.S. towns, #46 of 161 in Louisiana. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Morgan City’s overall grade.
Louisiana towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Louisiana town has 3.8 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Morgan City’s 51.5 sits above most of its state (83% of Louisiana towns have fewer) while its 57 historic buildings outnumber those of 86% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.1 points). Two sources give 1860.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Morgan City’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
During the American Civil War, the Star Fort of Fort Brashear was the larger of two works erected by the Union Army occupying the city to defend a Federal military depot and the town. During the Bayou Teche Campaign, on the night of June 22, 1863, 325 Confederates of Gen. A. A. Mouton's command, led by Major Sherod Hunter, landed their skiffs and flats in the rear of the town. Attacking the next day, they surprised and captured the city, taking 1,300 Union prisoners, 11 heavy siege guns, 2,500 stands of rifles, immense quantities of quartermaster, commissary and ordnance stores. They also captured 2,000 African Americans, between 200 and 300 wagons and tents, all while suffering losses of only three killed, 18 wounded.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1860, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Morgan City’s post office opened in 1876, and the census of 1880 counted 2,015 people here.
How does Morgan City rank for history?
Morgan City is more historic than 59% of U.S. towns, #46 of 161 in Louisiana. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Morgan City?
5 listings: 3 buildings, among them the US Post Office (listed 1982, the first), and 1 historic district, the Morgan City Historic District, with 54 contributing buildings. 57 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Morgan City?
9% of Morgan City’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.1 points), against a typical 3.4% for a Louisiana town; the median home was built in 1969.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (12), the National Register of Historic Places (5), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1880
1880
1893
1905
1938
1938
