The History of Morgan County and Mooresville, Indiana
Morgan County was organized on Jan. 2, 1822 and named for Revolutionary War General Daniel Morgan. Martinsville was selected as the county seat.
Mooresville was founded by Samuel Moore in 1824 after his Quaker family moved north from North Carolina. Moore platted the land he purchased for just $2 an acre, with the location being between the east and west forks of White Lick Creek due to its fertile bottom ground and water to power mills.
Mooresville is notable in Indiana history as the home of the design of the current Indiana state flag, created by local artist Paul Hadley for the state’s Centennial in 1916. Mooresville adopted “Home of the State Flag” as its slogan in 1966 in honor of Hadley.
As of the 2024 census, Mooresville’s population is 10,027, making it the second-largest incorporated town/city in Morgan County behind Martinsville (11,952). It is the 90th-largest city/town in Indiana.
Things to Do In or Near Mooresville, Indiana
Pioneer Park spans 130 acres with East Fork White Lick Creek running through the park. Home to the Mooresville Family Aquatic Center, the park also has playgrounds, baseball diamonds, soccer fields, sand volleyball courts, horseshoe courts, paved trails, and picnic shelters.
Depending on when you visit, community events like the annual Easter egg hunt, summer concert series, July 4th fireworks, and Halloween hike take place in Pioneer Park. If your visit occurs in early August, catch the popular Old Settlers Picnic and Fair in the park, complete with Poor Jack’s amusement rides, live music, food vendors, and a parade.
Anderson Orchard offers a fun u-pick experience for visitors, with produce ranging from red raspberries to blue plums, pumpkins, chestnuts, and apples. Plus, its Apple Barn has a ton of other varieties for purchase, and the annual Apple Festival every fall is a must.
Soshine Park is the go-to spot for pickleball and golf simulators. It hosts league play, clinics, and events. For those looking for golf outdoors, Eagle Pines Golf Club is the place to play. It opened in 1999 and offers 18 holes and a cart for just $38 on weekdays and $40 on weekends.
For history buffs, visit the Academy of Hoosier Heritage, a local history museum located in the first Mooresville High School building that is listed on the National Historic Register. The building was created in 1861 by the Society of Friends, making it one of the first high schools in the entire state. Located on the campus of Newby Memorial Elementary School, the museum is on the second floor of the building and includes a one-room school, information about Mooresville and Morgan County, temporary exhibits, and permanent exhibits from the belongings of Indiana State Flag creator Paul Hadley and items from the home of Samuel Moore, Mooresville’s founder.
Places to Eat and Shop in Mooresville, Indiana
Start your day with breakfast at Blueberry Hill Pancake House. This classic spot is known for its french toast, skillets, fried chicken, and of course, pancakes. Or visit the family-owned Rise & Shine Breakfast House (also with three Indianapolis locations) for breakfast and lunch.
Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, The Parlor P.S. is a refined Victorian era restaurant that offers upscale Southern food. They have 4.6 stars on Google with favorites including the crab dip delight, lump crab cakes, fried green tomatoes, and Momma’s Meatloaf.
Established in 2020, Smok’n Crew BBQ specializes in Texas-style barbecue like brisket and pork ribs. Other favorites include its corn bread, waffle fries, brisket burrito, and pork rinds.
TACO BOSS is a must for Mexican eats. Come for the chips and salsa, stay for the birria and carne asada tacos. It has 4.8 stars on Google and is the go-to place for authentic Mexican food in Mooresville.
For dessert, head to the family-owned Chunky Monkey Ice Cream & Sweets. They serve more than 30 flavors of hand-dipped ice cream and don’t cut corners on toppings.
High School History
Mooresville High School’s teams are known as the Pioneers, and they compete in the eight-school Mid-State Conference with recently added Bloomington North, plus Decatur Central, Franklin Community, Martinsville, Perry Meridian, Plainfield, and Whiteland.
The Pioneers were unified flag football state champions in 2019 after defeating McCutcheon 60-44 in the finals. Unified flag football is an inclusive sport where athletes with and without intellectual disabilities play together on the same team.
In 2024, Mooresville’s baseball team played in a memorable Class 4A state championship game at Victory Field but finished as runner-up to Lake Central, losing 2-1 in 12 innings. The teams combined for 25 strikeouts to match the state finals record for all classes, and the 12-inning contest was the longest in IHSAA baseball state finals history. The Pioneers were led by 2024 Indiana State Gatorade Player of the Year Hogan Denny, who had 12 strikeouts on the mound. He’s now playing for the Indiana Hoosiers.
That’s it for small town breakdown No. 56. Where should we head next?
