Murfreesboro is a city in and
county seat of
Rutherford County,
Tennessee, United States. The population was 152,769 according to the
2020 census, up from 108,755 residents certified in
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
.
Murfreesboro is located in the
Nashville metropolitan area of
Middle Tennessee, southeast of downtown
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
.
Serving as the state capital from 1818 to 1826, it was superseded by Nashville. Today, it is the largest
suburb
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
of Nashville and the
sixth-largest city in Tennessee. The city is both the
center of population
In demographics, the center of population (or population center) of a region is a geographical point that describes a centerpoint of the region's population. There are several ways of defining such a "center point", leading to different geogr ...
and the geographic center of Tennessee.
Since the 1990s, Murfreesboro has been Tennessee's fastest-growing major city and one of the fastest-growing cities in the country.
Murfreesboro is home to
Middle Tennessee State University, the largest undergraduate university in the state of Tennessee, with 22,729 total students as of fall 2014.
History
On October 27, 1811, the
Tennessee General Assembly
The Tennessee General Assembly (TNGA) is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is a part-time bicameral legislature consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The Speaker of the Senate carries the additional title ...
designated the location for a new county seat for Rutherford County, giving it the name Cannonsburgh in honor of
Newton Cannon, representative to the Assembly for the local area. At the suggestion of William Lytle, it was renamed Murfreesborough on November 29, 1811, after Revolutionary War hero Colonel
Hardy Murfree
Hardy Murfree (June 5, 1752 – April 6, 1809) was a lieutenant colonel from North Carolina during the American Revolutionary War.
Early life
Murfree was born on June 5, 1752 at Murfree's Landing, North Carolina, later renamed Murfreesboro.
...
.
The name was shortened to Murfreesboro in January 1812 when the town was formally chartered.
Author
Mary Noailles Murfree
Mary Noailles Murfree (January 24, 1850 – July 31, 1922) was an American author of novels and short stories who wrote under the pen name Charles Egbert Craddock. She is considered by many to be Appalachia's first significant female writer a ...
was his great-granddaughter.
As Tennessee settlement expanded to the west, the location of the state capital in
Knoxville became inconvenient for much of the population. In 1818, Murfreesboro was designated as the capital of Tennessee and its population boomed. Eight years later, however, it was superseded by
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
.
Civil War
On December 31, 1862, the
Battle of Stones River, also called the Battle of Murfreesboro, was fought near the city between the Union
Army of the Cumberland and the Confederate
Army of Tennessee. This was a major engagement of the
American Civil War, and between December 31 and January 2, 1863, the rival armies suffered a combined total of 23,515 casualties. It was the bloodiest battle of the war by percentage of casualties.
Following the Confederate retreat after the drawn
Battle of Perryville in central Kentucky, the Confederate army moved through East Tennessee and turned northwest to defend Murfreesboro. General
Braxton Bragg's veteran cavalry successfully harassed Union General
William Rosecrans troop movements, capturing and destroying many of his supply trains. However, they could not completely prevent supplies and reinforcements from reaching Rosecrans. Despite the large number of casualties, the battle was inconclusive. It is usually considered a Union victory, since afterward General Bragg retreated south to
Tullahoma. Even so, the Union army did not
move against Bragg until six months later, in June 1863. The battle was significant since the Union gained a base from which it could push its eventual drive further south, which enabled its later advances against
Chattanooga
Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...
and
Atlanta. The Union eventually divided the territory into the
Eastern and
Western theaters, followed by
Sherman's March to the Sea through the South. The
Stones River National Battlefield is now a national historical site.
General Rosecrans' move to the south depended on a secure source of provisions, and Murfreesboro was chosen for his supply depot. Soon after the battle, Brigadier General
James St. Clair Morton
James St. Clair Morton (September 24, 1829 – June 17, 1864) was an American military officer who served as chief engineer of the Army of the Ohio, the Army of the Cumberland and the XI Corps in the Union Army during the American Civil War. ...
, Chief Engineer of the Army of the Cumberland, was ordered to build
Fortress Rosecrans, some northwest of the town. The fortifications covered about and were the largest built during the war. Fortress Rosecrans consisted of eight
lunettes, four
redoubts, and connecting fortifications. The fortress was built around the
Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad and the West Fork of the
Stones River; two roads provided additional access and transportation.
The fort's interior was a huge logistical resource center, including sawmills, warehouses, quartermaster maintenance depots, ammunition magazines, and living quarters for the 2,000 men who handled the operations and defended the post. After the fortress was completed in June 1863, Rosecrans ventured to the south.
The fortress was never attacked, in part because the Union troops held the town of Murfreesboro hostage by training their artillery on the courthouse. Major portions of the earthworks still exist and have been incorporated into the battlefield historic site.
Post-Civil War
Murfreesboro was first developed as a mainly agricultural community, but by 1853 the area was home to several colleges and academies, gaining the nickname the "Athens of Tennessee". Despite the wartime trauma, the town's growth had begun to recover by the early 1900s, in contrast to other areas of the devastated South.
In 1911, the state legislature created Middle Tennessee State Normal School, a two-year institute to train teachers. It soon merged with the Tennessee College for Women. In 1925 the Normal School was expanded to a full, four-year curriculum and college. With additional expansion of programs and addition of graduate departments, in 1965 it became
Middle Tennessee State University.
MTSU now has the largest undergraduate enrollment in the state, including many international students.
World War II was an impetus for industrial development, and Murfreesboro diversified into industry, manufacturing, and education. Growth has been steady since that time, creating a stable economy.
Since the last decade of the 20th century, Murfreesboro has enjoyed substantial residential and commercial growth, with its population increasing 123.9% between 1990 and 2010, from 44,922 to 108,755. The city has been a destination for many refugee immigrants who have left areas affected by warfare; since 1990 numerous people from
Somalia and
Kurds from
Iraq have settled there. The city has also attracted numerous international students to the university.
Geography
Murfreesboro is located at .
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of . of it is land and of it (0.54%) is water. However, as of 2013 the city reports its total area as .
Murfreesboro is the
geographic center of the state of Tennessee. A stone monument marks the official site on Old Lascassas Pike, about north of
MTSU.
The West Fork of the
Stones River flows through Murfreesboro. A walking trail, the Greenway, parallels the river for several miles. A smaller waterway, Lytle Creek, flows through downtown including historic Cannonsburgh Village. Parts of the long creek suffer from pollution due to the urban environment and its use as a storm-water runoff.
Murfreesboro is home to a number of natural and man-made lakes plus several small wetlands including
Todd's Lake and the
Murfree Spring wetland area.
Murfreesboro has been in the path of
destructive tornados several times. On April 10, 2009, a low-end
EF4 tornado with estimated windspeeds up to 170 miles per hour struck the fringes of Murfreesboro. As a result, two people were killed and 41 others injured. 117 homes were totally destroyed, and 292 had major damage. The tornado is estimated to have caused over $40 million in damage.
Climate
Being in the
Sun Belt
The Sun Belt is a region of the United States generally considered to stretch across the Southeast and Southwest. Another rough definition of the region is the area south of the 36th parallel. Several climates can be found in the region — des ...
, Murfreesboro's climate is humid subtropical (''Cfa'') under the
Köppen system, with mild winters and hot, humid summers. Under the
Trewartha
Trewartha and Andrewartha are Cornish family names (and placename, Dexter). There are places called Trewartha in the parishes of Merther, St Agnes, St Neot and Veryan.
According to the ''Handbook of Cornish Names'' by G. Pawley White, "Trew ...
system, it is an oceanic (''Do'') climate due to five months of winter chill (monthly means below 10 °C (50 °F)); however, Murfreesboro is close to being humid subtropical (''Cf'') even under Trewartha (March falls 0.9 °F (0.5 °C) short of the threshold), supported by the fact that subtropical plants like
Southern magnolia trees and the occasional
dwarf palmetto and
needle palm shrubs can thrive long-term there but struggle much further north. Temperatures range from a record low of -19 °F (-28 °C) on January 26, 1940 to a record high of 109 °F (43 °C) on August 16, 1954. Precipitation is abundant year-round without any major difference, but there is still slight variation. The wet season runs from February through July, reaching its zenith in June with 144 mm of rain. The dry season runs from August through January with a September nadir of 88 mm and secondary December peak of 141 mm.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 152,769 people, 52,530 households, and 31,732 families residing in the city.
As of the
2010 census, there were 108,755 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 75.62%
White, 15.18%
Black / African American, 0.35%
Native American, 3.36%
Asian, 0.04%
Pacific Islander, 2.79% from
other races, and 2.65% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 5.93% of the population.
In the 2000 Census, There were 26,511 households, out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 20.5% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,705, and the median income for a family was $52,654. Males had a median income of $36,078 versus $26,531 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $20,219. About 8.2% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 12.0% of those under the age of 18 and 11.1% of those 65 and older.
Special census estimates in 2005 indicated 81,393 residents, and in 2006 the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey estimated a population of 92,559, with 35,842 households and 20,979 families in the city.
Murfreesboro's 2008 special census reported that the population had reached 100,575,
while preliminary information from the 2010 U.S. Census indicates a population of 108,755. In October 2017, the City of Murfreesboro started another special census. Given the continuous growth in the general area, the population is expected to exceed the 2016 estimate of 131,947. According to Money.com in 2018, 136,000 people called Murfreesboro home and it would see a nearly 10% expansion of jobs in the coming years.
Economy
Top employers
According to Murfreesboro's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in Rutherford County are:
Arts and culture
Music
Murfreesboro hosts several music-oriented events annually, such as the Main Street Jazzfest presented by MTSU's School of Music and the Main Street Association each May.
For over 30 years, Uncle Dave Macon Days has celebrated the
musical tradition of
Uncle Dave Macon. This annual July event includes national competitions for old-time music and dancing.
Murfreesboro also hosts an annual DIY not-for-profit music festival called Boro Fondo, which is also a bike tour and local artist feature.
Arts
The Murfreesboro Center for the Arts, close to the Square, entertains with a variety of exhibits, theatre arts, concerts, dances, and magic shows.
Murfreesboro Little Theatre has provided the community with popular and alternative forms of theatre arts since 1962.
Murfreesboro's International FolkFest began in 1982 and is held annually during the second week in June. Groups from countries spanning the globe participate in the festival, performing traditional songs and dances while attired in regional apparel.
Museums
The
Discovery Center at Murfree Spring is a nature center and interactive museum focusing on children and families. The facility includes of wetlands with a variety of animals.
Bradley Academy Museum
Bradley Academy Museum is a historic school building in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, that now serves as a museum and community center.
History
The original Bradley Academy was established in 1811 near Jefferson, Tennessee, Jefferson, the original cou ...
contains collectibles and exhibits of the first school in Rutherford County. This school was later renovated to become the only African American school in Murfreesboro, which closed in 1955.
The
Stones River National Battlefield is a national park which memorializes the
Battle of Stones River, which took place during the American Civil War during December 31, 1862, to January 3, 1863. The grounds include a museum, a national cemetery, monuments, and the remains of a large earthen fortification called Fortress Rosecrans.
Oaklands Historic House Museum
Oaklands Mansion is an historic house museum located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States. Oaklands is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a local landmark known for its unique Italianate design.
The plantation was caught in ...
is a 19th-century mansion which became involved in the Civil War. It was occupied as a residence until the 1950s, after which it was purchased by the City of Murfreesboro and renovated into a museum by the Oaklands Association.
Earth Experience: The Middle Tennessee Museum of Natural History is the only
natural history museum in Middle Tennessee. The museum opened in September 2014 and features more than 2,000 items on display, including a complete replica ''
Tyrannosaurus rex'' skeleton.
Shopping
There are two main malls located within the city limits.
Stones River Mall is a traditional enclosed mall, featuring stores and restaurants such as
Forever 21
Forever 21 is a multinational fast fashion retailer headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States. Originally founded as the store Fashion 21 in Highland Park, Los Angeles in 1984,Forever 21History & Facts, n.d. Retrieved 27 April 2014 ...
,
Aéropostale, Journey's,
Hot Topic, Agaci,
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is an upscale American department store chain with approximately 282 stores in 29 states and headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. Currently, the largest number of stores are located in Texas with 57 and Florida with 42. The ...
,
Buckle,
Books-A-Million
Books-A-Million, Inc., also known as BAM!, is a bookstore chain in the United States, operating 260 stores in 32 states. Stores range in size from 4,000 to 30,000 square feet and sell books, magazines, manga, collectibles, toys, technology, ...
,
Olive Garden
Olive Garden is an American casual dining restaurant chain specializing in Italian-American cuisine. It is a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants, Inc., which is headquartered in Orange County, Florida. As of 2012, Olive Garden restaurants accounted ...
, and
Miller's Ale House.
The Avenue Murfreesboro
The Avenue Murfreesboro is an open-air regional lifestyle shopping center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, located southeast of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville. More than one hundred stores reside within the complex. The anchor stores are The ...
is an outdoor
lifestyle center with such shops as
American Eagle,
Hollister,
Best Buy
Best Buy Co. Inc. is an American multinational consumer electronics retailer headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. Originally founded by Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler in 1966 as an audio specialty store called Sound of Music, it was rebra ...
,
Belk,
Petco,
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. (stylized as "DICK'S Sporting Goods") is an American sporting goods retail company, based in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. The company was established by Richard "Dick" Stack in 1948, and has approximately 854 stores an ...
,
Express
Express or EXPRESS may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* '' Express: Aisle to Glory'', a 1998 comedy short film featuring Kal Penn
* '' The Express: The Ernie Davis Story'', a 2008 film starring Dennis Quaid
Music
* ''Express'' ...
,
Mimi's Cafe,
Romano's Macaroni Grill, and
LongHorn Steakhouse.
The Historic Downtown Murfreesboro district also offers a wide variety of shopping and dining experiences that encircle the pre-Civil War Courthouse.
Points of interest
*
Discovery Center at Murfree Spring
* Geographic center of Tennessee
*
Middle Tennessee State University
*
Oaklands Historic House Museum
Oaklands Mansion is an historic house museum located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States. Oaklands is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a local landmark known for its unique Italianate design.
The plantation was caught in ...
*
Stones River Greenway Arboretum
The Stones River Greenway Arboretum is an arboretum located along the Stones River Greenway, beside the Stones River, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The arboretum contains species native to the area, many were originally on the site when it was ...
*
Stones River National Battlefield
* Cannonsburgh Village
* Bill Rice Ranch
Murfreesboro is the home of a
Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy
The Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP) initiative of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) uses highly automated facilities to fulfill prescriptions for Veterans.
History
During the 1970s and 1980s, the VA began exper ...
(CMOP). It is part of an initiative by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide mail order prescriptions to veterans using computerization at strategic locations throughout the United States. It is located on the campus of the
Alvin C. York
Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964), also known as Sergeant York, was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I. He received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine ...
Veterans Hospital.
The City Center building (also known as the Swanson Building) is the tallest building in Murfreesboro. Located in the downtown area it was built by Joseph Swanson in 1989. It has 15 floors, including a large penthouse, and stands tall. As a commercial building its tenants include
Bank of America and is the headquarters for the
National Healthcare Corporation (NHC).
Parks and recreation
Cannonsburgh Village is a reproduction of what a working pioneer village would have looked like from the period of the 1830s to the 1930s. Visitors can view the grist mill, school house, doctor's office, Leeman House, Caboose, Wedding Chapel, and other points of interest. It is also home to the
World's Largest Cedar Bucket.
Old Fort Park is a park which includes baseball fields, tennis courts, children's playground, an 18-hole championship golf course, picnic shelters and bike trail.
Barfield Crescent Park is a facility with eight baseball fields, of biking/running trails, an 18-hole championship
disc golf
Disc golf, also known as frisbee golf, is a flying disc sport in which players throw a disc at a target; it is played using rules similar to golf. Most disc golf discs are made out of polypropylene plastic, otherwise known as polypropene, which ...
course, and ten picnic shelters.
Murfreesboro Greenway System is a system of
greenways with of paved paths and 11 trail heads. In 2013, the city council approved a controversial 25-year "master plan" to extend the system by adding 173 miles worth of new greenways, bikeways and blueways at an estimated cost of $104.8 million.
Government
The city council has six members, all elected
at-large
At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...
for four-year terms, on staggered schedules with elections every two years. The mayor is also elected at large. City council members have responsibilities for various city departments.
* Joshua Haskell, 1818
* David Wendel, 1819
* Robert Purdy, 1820
* Henry Holmes, 1821
* W. R. Rucker, 1822-1823
* John Jones, 1824
* Wm. Ledbetter, 1825, 1827
* John Smith, 1828, 1830
* Edward Fisher, 1829, 1836, 1839
* James C. Moore, 1831
* Charles Ready, 1832
* Charles Niles, 1833
* Marman Spence, 1834
* M. Spence, 1835
* L. H. Carney, 1837
*
Edwin Augustus Keeble, 1838, 1855
* G. A. Sublett, 1840
* B. W. Farmer, 1841–1842, 1845-1846
* Henderson King Yoakum, 1843
* Wilson Thomas, 1844
* John Leiper, 1847-1848
* Charles Ready, 1849–1853, 1867
* F. Henry, 1854
*
Joseph B. Palmer
Joseph Benjamin Palmer (November 1, 1825 – November 4, 1890) was an American lawyer, legislator, and soldier. He served as a Confederate general in the American Civil War, during which he was wounded four times. After the conflict he resum ...
, 1856-1859
* John W. Burton, 1860-1861
* John E. Dromgoole, 1862
* James Monro Tompkins, 1863-1864
* R. D. Reed, 1865-1866
* E. L. Jordan, 1868-1869
* Thomas B. Darragh, 1870
* Joseph A. January, 1871
* I. B. Collier, 1872-1873
* J. B. Murfree, 1874-1875
* H. H. Kerr, 1876
* H. H. Clayton, 1877
* N. C. Collier, 1878-1879
* Jas. Clayton, 1880-1881
* E. F. Burton, 1882-1883
* J. M. Overall, 1884-1885
* H. E. Palmer, 1886-1887
* Tom H. Woods, 1888-1895
* J. T. Wrather, 1896-1897
* J. O. Oslin, 1898-1899
* J. H. Chrichlow, 1900-1909
* G. B. Giltner, 1910-1918
* N. C. Maney, 1919–1922, 1932-1934
* Al D. McKnight, 1923-1931
* W. T. Gerhardt, 1934–1936, 1941-1942
* W. A. Miles, 1937–1940, 1943-1946
* John T. Holloway, 1947-1950
* Jennings A. Jones, 1951-1954
* A. L. Todd, Jr., 1955-1964
* William Hollis Westbrooks, 1965-1982
* Joe B. Jackson, 1982-1998
* Richard Reeves, 1998-2002
* Tommy Bragg, 2002-2014
* Shane McFarland, 2014–present
Education
Elementary education within the city is overseen by
Murfreesboro City Schools (MCS). MCS focuses on prekindergarten through sixth grade learning. The city has 12 schools serving 8,800 students between grades
pre-K through 6th.
Secondary schools are overseen by
Rutherford County Schools, which has 50 schools and a student population of over 49,000.
The Japanese Supplementary School in Middle Tennessee (JSMT, 中部テネシー日本語補習校 ''Chūbu Teneshī Nihongo Hoshūkō''), a
weekend Japanese education program, holds its classes in Peck Hall at
Middle Tennessee State University, while its school offices are in Jefferson Square.
Media
Murfreesboro is serviced by the following media outlets:
Newspapers:
*''
The Daily News Journal''
*''The Murfreesboro Post''
*''The Murfreesboro Pulse''
*''Sidelines'' – MTSU student newspaper
*''Rutherford Source''
*''
The Sword of the Lord''
Radio:
*
WGNS – Talk radio
*
WMOT
WMOT is a public radio station serving the metropolitan Nashville, Tennessee market. Licensed to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, it is owned by the Middle Tennessee State University, located in nearby Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and it broadcasts an Ame ...
– MTSU
public radio
Public broadcasting involves radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing ...
station
*
WMTS-FM
WMTS-FM (88.3 FM broadcasting, FM) is a student-run college radio station licensed to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The station is currently owned by Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). It is the fourth attempt by students at MTSU to organize ...
– MTSU free-form student-run station
*WRHW-LP -
3ABN Radio
The Three Angels Broadcasting Network, or 3ABN, is a Christian media television and radio network which broadcasts Seventh-day Adventist religious and health-oriented programming, based in West Frankfort, Illinois, United States. Although it is ...
Christian
TV:
*City TV Murfreesboro, Channel 3 –
Government-access television channel
*MT10, Channel 10 – MTSU student-run educational-access television channel
Infrastructure
Transportation
Murfreesboro is served by
Nashville International Airport (
IATA code BNA),
Smyrna Airport (MQY) and
Murfreesboro Municipal Airport
Murfreesboro Municipal Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located north of the central business district of Murfreesboro, a city in Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrate ...
(MBT). The city also benefits from several
highways running through the city, including
Interstates 24 and
840; U.S. Routes
41,
70S, and
231
Year 231 ( CCXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Claudius and Sallustus (or, less frequently, year 984 '' Ab urbe ...
; and State Routes
1,
2,
10,
96,
99, and
268
__NOTOC__
Year 268 ( CCLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Paternus and Egnatius (or, less frequently, year 1021 ...
.
Industry also has access to north–south
rail service with the rail line from Nashville to Chattanooga. Into the latter 1940s the
Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway's #3/#4 (Memphis - Nashville - Atlanta) served Murfreesboro. By 1950 that train's route was shortened to Nashville - Atlanta. Until 1965 the
Louisville & Nashville's ''
Dixie Flyer'' (Chicago - Florida) made a stop in the town on its route. Likewise, the #3/#2 (renumbered from #3/4) continued to that period as an overnight train between Nashville and Atlanta, also making a stop in town.
Public transportation
In April 2007 the City of Murfreesboro established a public transportation system with nine small buses, each capable of holding sixteen people and including two spaces for wheelchairs. The system is called Rover; the buses are bright green with Rover and a cartoon dog painted on the side. , buses operate in six major corridors: Memorial Boulevard, Gateway, Old Fort Parkway, South Church Street, Highland Avenue and Mercury Boulevard.
A one-way fare is for adults, for children 6–16 and seniors 65 and over, and free for children under 6. The system operates Monday to Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Notable people
*
Jerry Anderson (1953–1989), football player
*
Rankin Barbee
David Rankin Barbee (October 15, 1874, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Murfreesboro, Tennessee—March 7, 1958, Orange, Texas, Orange, Texas) was an American journalist, a public relations writer for the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, and a res ...
(1874–1958), journalist and author
*
Ronnie Barrett (born 1954), firearms manufacturer
*
Rex Brothers (born 1987),
Major League Baseball pitcher, currently on the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
*
James M. Buchanan (1919–2013), economist
*
Bryan M. Clayton
Bryan M. Clayton is an American mobile app developer who is the cofounder of GreenPal, a mobile app and online freelancing platform that connects homeowners with local lawn care providers.Ehlinger, Samantha (2017-10-18).The Uber of yard work draw ...
- businessman and real estate investor, CEO and cofounder of
GreenPal
GreenPal is an online freelancing platform that connects landscapers to clients in the United States. The company is based in Nashville, Tennessee and was founded in 2012. GreenPal's business model was inspired by Uber, Airbnb and Lyft. As of Jan ...
*
Reno Collier
Reno Collier is a stand up comedianKlister, Eric (17 August 2006 ''The Post-Crescent'', Retrieved October 28, 2010 who gained celebrity as the opening act for Larry the Cable Guy and with his own Comedy Central Presents special. He was also fea ...
, stand-up comedian
*
Crystal Dangerfield (born 1998),
Minnesota Lynx
The Minnesota Lynx are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team won the WNBA title in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017.
Founded pr ...
point guard
*
Colton Dixon (born 1991), singer
*
Will Allen Dromgoole, (1860–1934), author and poet
*
Harold Earthman
Harold Henderson "Doc" Earthman (April 13, 1900 – February 26, 1987) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from Tennessee.
Biography
Born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Earthman was the son of Vernon King Earthman, a physician, and ...
(1900–1987), politician
*
Mary Ann Eckles
Mary Ann Eckles (born July 22, 1947) was an American politician.
Eckles lived in Murfreesboro, Tennessee with her husband and family. She served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001 and was a Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, ...
(born 1947), politician
*
Corn Elder
Cornelius Marquis Elder (born October 9, 1994) is an American football cornerback for the Houston Roughnecks of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Miami and was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round o ...
(born 1994), football player
*
Jeff Givens
Jeff Givens (1961/1962 – October 6, 2013) was a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer who won three World Championships with the same horse. Givens died in a truck and trailer crash in 2013, at age 51.
Career
Givens was a lifelong resident of Ruther ...
(died 2013), horse trainer
*
Bart Gordon (born 1949), politician and lawyer
*
Joe Black Hayes
Joe Black Hayes Sr. (September 20, 1915 − December 9, 2013) was an American football player and coach.
Born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Hayes played for the Tennessee Volunteers football, Tennessee Volunteers. Hayes was an assistant under Cha ...
(1915–2013), football player
*
James Sanders Holman
James Sanders Holman (February 7, 1804 – December 8, 1867) was a soldier, entrepreneur, and the first mayor of Houston.
Early life
Holman was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee to Isaac and Polly Anne (Wiggleworth) Holman on February, 7, 1804. W ...
(1804-1867), 1st
mayor of
Houston, Texas
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
*
Montori Hughes (born 1990), football player
*
Yolanda Hughes-Heying
Yolanda R. Hughes-Heying (born October 30, 1963) is an American professional female bodybuilder from the United States.
Biography
Yolanda Hughes-Heying (born Yolanda Hughes) was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on October 30, 1963. She was rais ...
(born 1963), professional
female bodybuilder
Female bodybuilding is the female component of competitive bodybuilding. It began in the late 1970s, when women began to take part in bodybuilding competitions.
*
Robert James Robert James may refer to:
*Robert James (actor) (1924–2004), Scottish actor
*Robert James (businessman) (died 1983), American founder of Raymond James Financial
* Robert James (defensive back) (born 1947), played in the National Football League, ...
(born 1947), football player
*
Marshall Keeble
Marshall Keeble (December 7, 1878 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee – April 20, 1968 in Nashville, Tennessee) was an African American preacher of the church of Christ, whose successful career notably bridged a racial divide in an important American ...
(1878–1962),
African American preacher
*
Muhammed Lawal (born 1981), mixed martial artist
*
Mike Liles
Mike J. Liles (September 19, 1945 – May 1, 2022) was an American businessman and politician. He served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1991 to 1995 and was a Republican.
Liles lived in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesbor ...
(1945-2022), businessman and politician
*
Sondra Locke (1944–2018), actress and director
*
Andrew Nelson Lytle (1902–1995), novelist, dramatist, essayist and professor
*
Jean MacArthur (1898–2000), wife of U.S. Army General of the Army
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...
*
Bayer Mack
Bayer Leevince Mack (born August 26, 1972) is an American record executive and filmmaker. He is the publisher of the late-1990s, early-2000s urban entertainment website ''HOT 104.com'', the founder of Block Starz Music and the director of '' The C ...
(born 1972), filmmaker, journalist and founder of
Block Starz Music
Block Starz Music is an American independent record label owned and operated by Bayer Mack. Its catalog includes independent releases by Machine Gun Kelly, Lega-C, Wiz Khalifa, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Big Sean, Rhymefest, and Ceddy Bu Rap Su ...
.
*
Matt Mahaffey (born 1973), record producer and recording engineer
*
Philip D. McCulloch Jr.
Philip Doddridge McCulloch Jr. (June 23, 1851 – November 26, 1928) was a U.S. Representative from Arkansas.
Born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, McCulloch moved with his parents to Trenton, Tennessee, where he attended private schools and And ...
(1851–1928), politician
*
Ridley McLean
Rear Admiral Ridley McLean, USN (10 November 1872 – 12 November 1933) was a two-star Admiral in the United States Navy. He was a Naval Academy graduate, the original author of the Navy's '' Bluejacket's Manual'', and Judge Advocate General (JA ...
(1872–1933),
United States Navy Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...
*
Judith Ann Neelley (born 1964), double murderer
*
William Northcott (1854-1917), lieutenant governor of Illinois
*
Andre Alice Norton
Andre Alice Norton (born Alice Mary Norton, February 17, 1912 – March 17, 2005) was an American writer of science fiction and fantasy, who also wrote works of historical and contemporary fiction. She wrote primarily under the pen name ...
(1912-2005), author of science fiction and fantasy
*
Joseph B. Palmer
Joseph Benjamin Palmer (November 1, 1825 – November 4, 1890) was an American lawyer, legislator, and soldier. He served as a Confederate general in the American Civil War, during which he was wounded four times. After the conflict he resum ...
(1825–1890), lawyer, legislator, and soldier
*
Sarah Childress Polk (1803–1891), First Lady of the United States
*
Patrick Porter
Patrick Porter is an American singer/songwriter, novelist, poet, and painter. Born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and raised in the isolated mountain town of Bailey, Colorado, Porter began playing music at a young age, often acting as a sit-in drumm ...
, singer-songwriter
*
David Price (born 1985),
Major League Baseball pitcher
*
Grantland Rice (1880–1954), iconic sportswriter, journalist and poet
*
Mary Scales
Mary Caruthers Scales (September 24, 1928 – October 6, 2013) was a professor, civic leader, and funeral home owner. She was the first black faculty member at Middle Tennessee State University where she taught in the College of Education, and be ...
(1928–2013), professor and civic leader
*
Robert W. Scales
Robert Winston "T-90" ("Tee-Niny") Scales, born June 22, 1926, died October 30, 2000, was an American civic leader, politician, and small business owner in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Scales was the first African-American elected to the City Council ...
(1926–2000), Vice-Mayor of Murfreesboro
*
Margaret Rhea Seddon (born 1947),
NASA astronaut
*
Adam Smith
Adam Smith (baptized 1723 – 17 July 1790) was a Scottish economist and philosopher who was a pioneer in the thinking of political economy and key figure during the Scottish Enlightenment. Seen by some as "The Father of Economics"——— ...
(born 1990),
Arena Football League player
*
Chuck Taylor (born 1942), Major League Baseball relief pitcher
*
Chris Young (born 1985), country music artist
*
Audrey Whitby
Audrey Whitby (born April 10, 1996) is an American actress. She is known for her many appearances on ''AwesomenessTV'' including starring in the cast of ''Betch: A Sketch Show'', and for her recurring roles as Audrey Vale on the Disney Channel ...
(born 1996), actress
Notable bands
Mosque controversy
Beginning in 2010, the
Islamic Center of Murfreesboro faced protests related to its plan to build a new mosque. The county planning council had approved the project, but opposition grew in the aftermath, affected by this being a year of elections. Signs on the building site were vandalized, with the first saying "not welcome" sprayed across it and the second being cut in two.
Construction equipment was also torched by arsonists.
In August 2011, a Rutherford County judge upheld his previous decision allowing the mosque to be built, noting the US constitutional right to religious freedom and the ICM's observance of needed process. The center has a permanent membership of around 250 families and a few hundred students from the university.
The case ultimately attracted national media attention as an issue of religious freedom.
See also
*
Blackman, Tennessee
*
Boxwood (Murfreesboro, Tennessee)
Boxwood, also known as the Thomas J.B. Turner House, is an antebellum plantation house in southwestern Rutherford County, Tennessee, near Murfreesboro in the historic Salem community.
The house was built by Thomas J. B. Turner and his wife, Sar ...
*
Barrett Firearms Manufacturing
*
First Presbyterian Church (Murfreesboro, Tennessee)
*
Murfreesboro Musicians
The Murfreesboro Musicians were a franchise of the now-defunct World Basketball Association that played in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
External linksOfficial Website
World Basketball Association teams
Basketball teams in Tennessee
Murfreesboro, ...
*
Murphy Center
*
Evergreen Cemetery
References
Bibliography
External links
*
''Daily News Journal'' (newspaper)''Murfreesboro Post'' (newspaper)
{{Authority control
Cities in Tennessee
Cities in Rutherford County, Tennessee
County seats in Tennessee
Tennessee
Cities in Nashville metropolitan area
Populated places established in 1811
1811 establishments in Tennessee