Fort Morgan

Understand

Fort Morgan, first called Camp Tyler and Camp Wardwell, was established in the present-day city of Fort Morgan in Morgan County, Colorado as a U.S. military post in 1864. Fort Morgan is the home rule municipality city that is the county seat of and the most populous municipality in Morgan County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 11,597 at the 2020 United States census. Fort Morgan is the principal city of the Fort Morgan, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Fort Morgan was established as a military post in the 1860s and later developed as an agricultural and commercial centre in northeastern Colorado. Today, the city serves as an important centre for the surrounding farming communities.

Agriculture, food processing, manufacturing and related industries are important parts of the local economy. The area is known for its plains landscape and irrigated farmland along the South Platte River.

Get in

Amtrak serves Fort Morgan with the daily California Zephyr service between Chicago and Emeryville, California. Fort Morgan Amtrak station is located on South Ensign Street/Main Street in the city centre.

History

The station and military post, first called Camp Tyler, was established in 1859.It is estimated that the Pike's Peak Gold Rush drew about 100,000 people to Colorado. The South Platte Trail was the safest route. In 1859, a branch of the trail away from the South Platte River was established in the wilderness near the present day city of Fort Morgan during the gold rush to reduce the length of the trip to Denver. It was renamed Fort Morgan in 1866 for Christopher Morgan, the commanding officer of the 1st Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry. He died January 20, 1866.