National Register of Historic Places

Downtown Morehead Historic District

Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky

Listed

May 11, 2022

Type

District

Period

Industrial

Ref No.

100006264

About this property

The Downtown Morehead Historic District, in Morehead in Rowan County, Kentucky, is a 30.37 acres (12.29 ha) historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022. Its area is the original downtown business district area, as of 1881. It is roughly bounded by South Hargis Ave., West 1st, East 1st, Bridge, East Main, and East 2nd Sts., North Wilson Ave., and West Main St. and includes 55 contributing buildings, 17 non-contributing buildings and 23 non-contributing sites. Morehead Police Department (1938), 105 E. Main St., in Works Progress Administration-era building which was U.S. Post Office until 1987, and later was City Hall Morehead Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Freight Depot (1904), already separately NRHP-listed in 2016 Rowan County Courthouse (1899), already separately NRHP-listed Moonlight School, 182 East 1st St., a one room schoolhouse building now on the campus of Morehead State, representing how in 1911 educator Cora Wilson Stewart, superindentend of Rowan County schools, began the Midnight Schools, the "forerunner of adult education in the United States and the world." The structure, one site in the program, was moved to this location in 1972 from Big Brushy (a locality about eight miles north). - First Christian Church (1925), 227 E. Main St., church which replaced the Union Church that had been built by Col. John Hargis, founder of Morehead. Col. Hargis's funeral was the first in the new building.

Location

Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky

Everything a full report reveals about Downtown Morehead Historic District

This page lists Downtown Morehead Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview

An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.

The Land

The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.

Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.

Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.

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Questions about this property

When was Downtown Morehead Historic District listed on the National Register?

Downtown Morehead Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 11, 2022.

What type of historic resource is Downtown Morehead Historic District?

Downtown Morehead Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Downtown Morehead Historic District?

The period of significance for Downtown Morehead Historic District is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1881.

Can I research the history near Downtown Morehead Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Downtown Morehead Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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