1763Military
Until the Treaty of Paris in 1763, what is now known as Morgantown was greatly contested by white settlers and Native Americans, and by British and French soldiers.
1767History
Zackquill Morgan and David Morgan, sons of Morgan Morgan, entered the area of Virginia that would become Morgantown around 1767, although others, such as Thomas Decker, were rec...
1769Military
Several forts were built in the area during this time: Fort Pierpont near the Cheat River, in 1769; Fort Coburn, near Dorsey's Knob, in 1770.
1772Military
Zackquill and David lived here for a few years and eventually built Fort Morgan in present-day Downtown Morgantown in 1772.
1775Military
The treaty decided the issue in favor of the British, but Indian fighting continued almost to the beginning of the American Revolutionary War in 1775.
1783Military
By 1783, following his wartime duties, Colonel Morgan commissioned Major William Haymond to survey his land and divide it into streets and lots.
1785History
Fifty acres (20 hectares) were appropriated for Morgan's Town by the Virginia General Assembly in October 1785.
1803Education
While informal schools existed from Morgantown's earliest days, formal education began in July 1803 with a one-story, coeducational Virginia common school supported by tuition.
1814Government
In 1814, the Virginia General Assembly incorporated Monongalia Academy, the county's first public school and a male-only institution roughly equivalent to a modern high school, ...
1830Education
The Academy moved to a new two-story building in 1830 and expanded its curriculum; under Presbyterian minister James Robertson Moore, it reached its peak between 1852 and 1864, ...
1838Government
On February 3, 1838, the Virginia General Assembly enacted a municipal charter incorporating the city, now with a population of about 700, as Morgantown, Virginia.
1863Culture
The town became part of the newly created state of West Virginia on June 20, 1863, through the Reorganized Government of Virginia.
1867Government
== Education ==
=== Colleges and universities ===
West Virginia University is a public land-grant university founded in 1867.
1899History
Extreme temperatures range from −25 °F (−32 °C) on February 10, 1899, up to 105 °F (41 °C) on August 26, 1893.
1915Education
A Catholic elementary school, Saint Francis de Sales, began sometime prior to 1915 as a two-room school in a house on McLane Avenue in the Seneca neighborhood, and run by lay te...
1926Education
Virginia, West Virginia University, 1926)
Morgantown a Bicentennial History, by West Virginia University Public History Option for the Morgantown Bicentennial Commission (Morgan...
1975Infrastructure
The Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) has been in use since 1975.
1985History
Virginia, Monongalia Historical Society, 1985)
== External links ==
City of Morgantown, West Virginia
Greater Morgantown Convention & Visitors Bureau
Ancestry.com
Animated th...
1990Education
On June 9, 1990, the grade school moved into the former St.
1999History
Conrail was split by Norfolk Southern and CSX in 1999.
2000History
=== 2000 census ===
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,809 people, 10,782 households, and 4,183 families residing in the city.
2003Education
The West Virginia University Foundation purchased its building and land in 2003.
2004History
The first step was to create a comprehensive revitalization plan, which was published in fall 2004.
2009History
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Morgantown had some of the lowest unemployment rates in the United States as of early 2009.
2010History
== Demographics ==
Following the 2010 census, Monongalia County and neighboring Preston County were acknowledged as a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) by the United States g...
2012Education
West Virginia University constitutes 913 acres (369 hectares) of the city and vicinity, and with the fall 2012 enrollment added an additional population of 29,707 students.
2015History
The inaugural Morgantown Marathon was held in September 2015.
2020History
The City of Morgantown contained just over 30,000 permanent residents in 2020.
2024History
It enrolled over 25,000 students and employed over 1,200 faculty as of 2024.