Murray, Utah
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Murray () is a city situated on the
Wasatch Front The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of contiguous cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Provo in the south to Logan in the north ...
in the core of
Salt Lake Valley Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably Murray, Sandy, South Jordan, West Jordan, and West Valley City; its total po ...
in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
. Named for territorial governor Eli Murray, it is the state's fourteenth largest
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
. According to the 2020 census, Murray had a population of 50,637. Murray shares borders with Taylorsville, Holladay,
South Salt Lake South Salt Lake is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States and is part of the Salt Lake City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 23,617 at the 2010 census. History Jesse Fox Jr. developed the area South Salt Lake referre ...
and
West Jordan, Utah West Jordan is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is a suburb of Salt Lake City and has a mixed economy. According to the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 116,961, placing it as the third most populous in the state. T ...
. Once teeming with
heavy industry Heavy industry is an industry that involves one or more characteristics such as large and heavy products; large and heavy equipment and facilities (such as heavy equipment, large machine tools, huge buildings and large-scale infrastructure); o ...
, Murray's industrial sector now has little trace and has been replaced by major mercantile sectors. Known for its central location in
Salt Lake County Salt Lake County is located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 1,185,238, making it the most populous county in Utah. Its county seat and largest city is Salt Lake City, the state capital. The coun ...
, Murray has been called the ''Hub of Salt Lake County''. Unlike most of its neighboring communities, Murray operates its own police, fire, power, water, library, and parks and recreation departments and has its own school district.Murray City Office of Community and Economic Development. Murray City General Plan. June 2003 While maintaining many of its own services, Murray has one of the lowest city tax rates in the state. Thousands of people each year visit
Murray City Park Murray City Park (or Murray Park) is a public urban park located in and operated by the city of Murray, Utah, USA. Features Murray City Park's most recognizable feature is a large wooden sculpture of Chief Wasatch, a fictional composite of l ...
for organized sports and its wooded areas. Murray is home to the
Intermountain Medical Center Intermountain Medical Center is the flagship hospital of Intermountain Healthcare. Located in Murray, Utah on a site at the center of the Salt Lake Valley, Intermountain Medical Center serves as a major adult referral center for six surrounding ...
, a medical campus that is also Murray's largest employer. Murray has been designated a
Tree City USA The Arbor Day Foundation is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. The Arbor Day Foundation has more than one million members and has planted more than 350 million trees in neighborhoods, communities ...
since 1977.


History


Pre-settlement

Before being permanently settled by
Mormon pioneers The Mormon pioneers were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), also known as Latter Day Saints, who migrated beginning in the mid-1840s until the late-1860s across the United States from the Midwest to the S ...
in 1848, the area where Murray is located was a natural area that served as the seasonal home of
Paiute Paiute (; also Piute) refers to three non-contiguous groups of indigenous peoples of the Great Basin. Although their languages are related within the Numic group of Uto-Aztecan languages, these three groups do not form a single set. The term "Pai ...
,
Shoshone The Shoshone or Shoshoni ( or ) are a Native American tribe with four large cultural/linguistic divisions: * Eastern Shoshone: Wyoming * Northern Shoshone: southern Idaho * Western Shoshone: Nevada, northern Utah * Goshute: western Utah, easter ...
, and
Bannock Bannock may mean: * Bannock (food), a kind of bread, cooked on a stone or griddle * Bannock (Indigenous American), various types of bread, usually prepared by pan-frying * Bannock people, a Native American people of what is now southeastern Oregon ...
Native American tribes. The tribes camped along local creek banks and stream beds during their migrations. Artifacts of Native American encampments have been located along the Jordan River, including camps near Willow Pond Park. At what was known as the "big bend" of the
Jordan River The Jordan River or River Jordan ( ar, نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn'', he, נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, ''Nəhar hayYardēn''; syc, ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ ''Nahrāʾ Yurdnan''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Shariea ...
(near 4984 South 700 West Street), the
Goshute The Goshutes are a tribe of Western Shoshone Native Americans. There are two federally recognized Goshute tribes today: * Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, located in Nevada and Utah * Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians of Utah ...
Indians from Skull Valley made their camp. This was made every spring on the way to their hunting ground at the headwaters of the Bear River. On their return in the fall, they also stayed for a week and traded with white settlers. Early settlers recorded that they generally traded buffalo robes, deer skins, dried meat and
tallow Tallow is a rendering (industrial), rendered form of beef or mutton fat, primarily made up of triglycerides. In industry, tallow is not strictly defined as beef or mutton fat. In this context, tallow is animal fat that conforms to certain techn ...
.


A new settlement

Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
pioneers came into the
Salt Lake Valley Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably Murray, Sandy, South Jordan, West Jordan, and West Valley City; its total po ...
in 1847. A pioneer group that was called the Mississippi Saints arrived one year later and began to develop a scattered settlement in the south end of the valley that fall. The area was distinguished by various names, such as the Mississippi Ward, Cottonwood, Big Cottonwood and South Cottonwood. Written history states that at least 20 families were living in the South Cottonwood area in the 1860s. When the first pioneer families settled in the South Cottonwood area in the fall of 1848, they selected the low or bottom lands along the streams of
Little Cottonwood Creek Little Cottonwood Creek is one of the principal streams entering Salt Lake Valley from the east. The creek rises near the summit of the Wasatch Mountains, a short distance south of the ski resort town of Alta, and flows in a westerly direction th ...
and Big Cottonwood Creek. They found an abundance of grass for their cattle and horses there. It was easy to take the water from the streams for irrigation of farm crops. The higher bench lands were covered with sagebrush and produced very little grass. Because of the labor and difficulty in getting water to them, they were left, for later settlement.Kate B. Carter, ''Our Pioneer Heritage'',
Daughters of Utah Pioneers The International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers (ISDUP, DUP) is a women's organization dedicated to preserving the history of the original settlers of the geographic area covered by the State of Deseret and Utah Territory, including Mormon pio ...
, Vol. 20, pp. 161-4; originally written October 1, 1946 by William B. Erekson for Cottonwood Camp, Daughters of Utah Pioneers.
There was a strip of high bench land, completely surrounded by low land north of what is now Vine Street and 5600 South Street. Before and after the advent of the pioneers, this land was used by the Ute Indians as a camping ground. This is because water and grass could be obtained on either side of it and enemies could not approach without being seen long before coming to the high ground. This area would become the present-day Murray City Cemetery. The early settlers mutually agreed that no individual should fence or take title to it, but that it should be set aside and considered as belonging to South Cottonwood Ward. In 1853, when teamsters commenced to haul granite rock from Little Cottonwood Canyon to the
Salt Lake Temple The Salt Lake Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. At , it is the largest Latter-day Saint temple by floor area. Dedicated in 1893, it is the sixth temple ...
construction site, a dirt path was made along what is now Vine Street. The east side of the road (at the northeast corner, where the Stillwater Apartments now stand) became a halfway camping ground for the teamsters. The first building in the Salt Lake Valley outside of
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...
erected for the purpose of religious and educational instruction was built on present-day Gordon Lane, and is commemorated with a monument from the Sons of the Utah Pioneers. In 1858, during the so-called
Utah War The Utah War (1857–1858), also known as the Utah Expedition, Utah Campaign, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between Mormon settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the US go ...
,
Albert Sidney Johnston Albert Sidney Johnston (February 2, 1803 – April 6, 1862) served as a general in three different armies: the Texian Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army. He saw extensive combat during his 34-year military career, figh ...
's army of the Utah Expedition passed through western Murray after camping on the "flats" above the North Jordan farms. Its large livestock herd reportedly ate everything to within an inch of the ground. General Johnston, who was crossing James Winchester's property (now Murray Parkway Golf Course), advised Winchester to pursue a homestead patent. In 1870 James Winchester entered the first homestead of the entire
Intermountain West The Intermountain West, or Intermountain Region, is a geographic and geological region of the Western United States. It is located between the front ranges of the Rocky Mountains on the east and the Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada on the west ...
. The
Pony Express The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pik ...
traveled through central Murray, along what is now State Street. The Utah Pony Express Station Number 9 was located near present-day 6200 State Street and was called "Travelers' Rest", but the accommodations were meager, consisting of a stable and one-room bunk house. The
Overland Stagecoach ''Overland Stagecoach'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Fred Myton. The film stars Robert Livingston as the Lone Rider, Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones, and Dennis Moore as Sheriff Smoky Moore ...
later made use of Travelers' Rest during its period of operation. The
Sons of Utah Pioneers The National Society of the Sons of Utah Pioneers (SUP) is an organization dedicated to preserving the legacy and studying the history of the Mormon Pioneers of Utah and the West. The organization is open to "All good men of every age and circumstan ...
erected a monument at 7200 State Street in Midvale commemorating the station. The area remained agricultural until 1869 when a body of
ore Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals, typically containing metals, that can be mined, treated and sold at a profit.Encyclopædia Britannica. "Ore". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 7 Apr ...
was found in
Park City, Utah Park City is a city in Utah, United States. The vast majority is in Summit County, and it extends into Wasatch County. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City' ...
, and additional ore deposits were found in
Little Cottonwood Canyon Little Cottonwood Canyon lies within the Wasatch-Cache National Forest along the eastern side of the Salt Lake Valley, roughly 15 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah. The canyon is part of Granite, a CDP and "Community Council" designated by Salt ...
. Because of Murray's central location and access to the railroad, the first
smelter Smelting is a process of applying heat to ore, to extract a base metal. It is a form of extractive metallurgy. It is used to extract many metals from their ores, including Silver mining#Ore processing, silver, iron-making, iron, copper extracti ...
was built there in 1870 and over the next 30 years Murray became home to some of the largest smelters of gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc in the region. The first official post office was established in 1870 as the South Cottonwood Post Office. The area changed over time as the railroad came in, smelting expanded, the territorial road (later known as State Street) was established, and trolley transportation was developed. A business district also began to develop along the transportation corridor. (See also
Murray Downtown Historic District The Murray Downtown Historic District is located in the historic city center of Murray, Utah, Murray, Salt Lake County, Utah. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006, with a boundary increase in 2020. The historic dis ...
and
Murray Downtown Residential Historic District The Murray Downtown Residential Historic District is the best representative area of the residential settlement and development of the city of Murray, Utah, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. It is ...
.) The army established Camp Murray in 1885 to house several companies of the Ninth Infantry Regiment. The army camp was meant to help protect the railroad and provide training. The short-lived camp's most notable action was when General
Alexander McDowell McCook Alexander McDowell McCook (April 22, 1831June 12, 1903) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. Early life McCook was born in Columbiana County, Ohio. A Scottish family, the McCooks were prominent ...
and six divisions of the camp were ordered to escort Chinese nationals out of
Evanston, Wyoming Evanston is a city in and the county seat of Uinta County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 12,359 at the 2010 census. It is located near the border with Utah. History Evanston was named after James A. Evans, a civil engineer for th ...
, due to the
race riots An ethnic conflict is a conflict between two or more contending ethnic groups. While the source of the conflict may be political, social, economic or religious, the individuals in conflict must expressly fight for their ethnic group's positio ...
that were happening among miners in
Rock Springs, Wyoming Rock Springs is a city in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 23,036 at the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state of Wyoming, and the most populous city in Sweetwater County. Rock Springs is ...
. The camp was disbanded in the early 20th century. The city received its present name from the post office, which had officially changed its name from South Cottonwood Post Office to Murray Post Office in 1883, after the Civil War general, Eli Murray, territorial governor of Utah from 1880 to 1886. After a riot and fire were started by a rowdy group of smelter workers in a local saloon, a local newspaper editor began agitating for the settlement to be incorporated. The final incorporation committee drafted a petition in 1901 and created an intense campaign on both sides of the incorporation battle. An incorporation election was held on November 18, 1902. Those in favor won, and
C.L. Miller Chillion Letts "C.L." Miller was the first elected mayor of Murray, Utah from 1902 to 1903. Serving along with him were as Recorder (judge), City Recorder M.A. Williamsun and Councilmen James Gilbert, Reynolds Cahoon, Arthur E. White, Herbert S. ...
was elected Mayor by a margin of three votes. Salt Lake County recognized the election results as official on November 25, 1902, and the city was officially recognized as a Third Class City by the State of Utah on January 3, 1903.


Center of industry

Murray's central location in Salt Lake Valley made it a convenient location for industry. Construction of the Woodhill Brothers' smelter in 1869 initiated Murray's industrial history. In 1870, Murray produced the first silver bars smelted in Utah. In 1899, American Smelting & Refining Company (ASARCO) was organized by combining the Germania and Hanauer smelters. The smelters continued to dominate the local economy until the close of the
ASARCO Asarco LLC (American Smelting and Refining Company) is a mining, smelting, and refining company based in Tucson, Arizona, which mines and processes primarily copper. The company has been a subsidiary of Grupo México since 1999. Its three la ...
lead smelter in 1949. Business and commercial enterprise prospered along with the smelter industry. Murray's industry would later include a water plant, lighting system, canning factory, flour mills, and brickyards.Raymond R. Rasmussen, History of Murray, State of Utah (1936) Many of those employed at the Franklyn and Germania smelters were immigrants from
Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...
n countries who had joined the LDS church in their homeland and moved to Utah; most spoke little English. The Scandinavian population settled in the area west of State Street and was large enough to hold separate LDS services in the
Swedish language Swedish ( ) is a North Germanic language spoken predominantly in Sweden and in parts of Finland. It has at least 10 million native speakers, the fourth most spoken Germanic language and the first among any other of its type in the Nordic countr ...
. (See Murray LDS Second Ward Meetinghouse). The Scandinavians eventually dispersed, and with the exception of their meetinghouse, few ethnic reminders remain in this section of Murray. Joe Hill, the
Industrial Workers of the World The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), members of which are commonly termed "Wobblies", is an international labor union that was founded in Chicago in 1905. The origin of the nickname "Wobblies" is uncertain. IWW ideology combines genera ...
labor activist came to Murray in 1914 to rally laborers working at the smelters and nearby mines. He was arrested for a double homicide in Salt Lake City while recovering from a gunshot wound at the Murray home of Edward and John Eselius, that was located on 4800 South (then known as 17th South St.) and Plum Street. "Bergertown", a cluster of homes south of 4800 South Street on
Little Cottonwood Creek Little Cottonwood Creek is one of the principal streams entering Salt Lake Valley from the east. The creek rises near the summit of the Wasatch Mountains, a short distance south of the ski resort town of Alta, and flows in a westerly direction th ...
, was settled by Swiss immigrant Christian Berger prior to the town's industrialization. Simple small two-room frame houses without paint and running water characterized this side of town. Bergertown quickly became an immigrant enclave, as the population were mainly employees of the smelters. A few original homes remain among modern retail establishments. In addition to the impact of lawsuits due to the spread of lead dust, Murray's industry suffered greatly in the 1930s depression. The smelters began to close in 1931, and major industry had nearly vanished by 1940. By the 1950s the industry was completely gone. Murray was quick to take advantage of various federal projects to compensate for this economic loss. In 2000, to avoid designation as a
Superfund Superfund is a United States federal environmental remediation program established by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). The program is administered by the United States Environmental Pro ...
site, the landmark ASARCO Smelters were imploded, and
Intermountain Healthcare Intermountain Healthcare is a not-for-profit healthcare system and is the largest healthcare provider in the Intermountain West of the United States. Intermountain Healthcare provides ambulatory and acute health services, along with other medi ...
purchased the site for its
Intermountain Medical Center Intermountain Medical Center is the flagship hospital of Intermountain Healthcare. Located in Murray, Utah on a site at the center of the Salt Lake Valley, Intermountain Medical Center serves as a major adult referral center for six surrounding ...
. As landmarks, the smelters are remembered in Murray's logos and trademarks.


Post–World War II to present

With the demise of heavy industry prior to World War II, and the advent of the Interstate Freeway System in the 1950s, Murray became a major retail hub due to its central location. State Street is dominated by automobile dealerships, where auto magnate, Larry H. Miller, purchased his first dealership May 1, 1979, as Larry H. Miller Toyota. Fashion Place Mall was constructed in the 1970s. It is now a major mercantile center which saw major renovation and expansion in the first decade of the 21st century. The mall achieved some fame after serial killer
Ted Bundy Theodore Robert Bundy ( born Cowell; November 24, 1946 – January 24, 1989) was an American serial killer who kidnapped, raped and murdered numerous young women and girls during the 1970s and possibly earlier. After more than a decade ...
's murder spree temporarily came to an end when he tried to lure Carol DaRonch into his car at the mall on November 8, 1974. DaRonch fought Bundy, escaped from his car, and survived to testify against him in court. Cottonwood Hospital opened in the 1960s, receiving numerous recognitions. Replaced by Intermountain Medical Center (IMC) in 2007, it spawned
The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital (TOSH) was founded in 1991 and is a facility located in Murray, Utah, Murray, Utah, United States, at the former Intermountain Healthcare Cottonwood Hospital location. It includes 36 clinical patient rooms, ten s ...
(TOSH) in the 1990s. As part of the construction of the
Utah Transit Authority The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) is a special service district responsible for providing public transportation throughout the Wasatch Front of Utah, in the United States, which includes the metropolitan areas of Ogden, Park City, Provo, Salt ...
's (UTA) TRAX light-rail line in the 1990s, three stations were built in Murray along the primary route (the Blue Line). The Fireclay Housing Project received national recognition for its use of creating development around the Murray North station as a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). Murray's Fashion Place West station is the junction for the Red Line (Mid-Jordan Line) light-rail spur. In 2012 ''
FrontRunner FrontRunner is a commuter rail train operated by the Utah Transit Authority that operates along the Wasatch Front in north-central Utah with service from the Ogden Intermodal Transit Center in central Weber County through Davis County, Salt ...
''
commuter rail Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter rail systems are con ...
service was extended to the Murray Central station. In the mid-2000s, people of the
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
(CDP), Cottonwood West, petitioned for annexation into Murray, increasing the population by 17,000, nearly one-third more than in the 2000 census. Murray's eastern boundary, along 900 East, was extended as a result of the annexation to Van Winkle Expressway and Highland Drive, along the city borders of Holladay and Cottonwood Heights.


Government

Incorporated on January 3, 1903, Murray initially created a Mayor-Council form of government. A 1911 State law changed the form of government for cities of the First and Second Class in Utah from the old Council form to the Commission form of government. This form of government was reversed in 1981. The City adopted the "
Strong Mayor Strong may refer to: Education * The Strong, an educational institution in Rochester, New York, United States * Strong Hall (Lawrence, Kansas), an administrative hall of the University of Kansas * Strong School, New Haven, Connecticut, United St ...
"-Council form of government, which included an elected Mayor and five City Council members. To ensure staggered terms of the Council, an election is held every two years for half the Council members for four-year terms. The city provides for most of its own services, including Police, Fire, Power, Water, Sewer, Library, Senior Center, and Parks and Recreation.
George Huscher George Albert Huscher was elected mayor of Murray, Utah from 1912 and re-elected in 1914. He ran for the statewide office of Secretary of State in 1916 but was defeated. He remains to date the Socialist party’s highest elected official in Uta ...
was mayor of Murray during 1912–1915, and was the first (and to date only)
Socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...
elected to a major office in Utah. Murray's citywide elections are now
non-partisan Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party. While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers sp ...
races. Murray is located in
Utah's 4th congressional district Utah's 4th congressional district is a congressional district created by the state legislature as a result of reapportionment by Congress after the 2010 Census showed population increases in the state relative to other states. Prior to 2010 rea ...
, which is represented by
Burgess Owens Clarence Burgess Owens (born August 2, 1951) is an American politician, nonprofit executive and former professional football player serving as the U.S. representative for Utah's 4th congressional district since 2021. He played safety for 10 se ...
. In the Utah State Senate, Murray falls primarily in the 3rd Utah Senate District, held by Gene Davis and the 8th Utah Senate District held by Kathleen Riebe. In the Utah House of Representatives, Murray is primarily located in the 44th House District represented by Andrew Stoddard and 35th House District represented by Mark Wheatley.


Geography


Topography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of 9.6 square miles (24.9 km), all land. Murray is located in the heart of the Salt Lake Valley. The city is nearly built out with a broad mix of commercial, residential and industrial uses. The topography is generally gentle, sloping westward from the nearby Wasatch Mountain Range toward the
Jordan River The Jordan River or River Jordan ( ar, نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn'', he, נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, ''Nəhar hayYardēn''; syc, ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ ''Nahrāʾ Yurdnan''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Shariea ...
, which is the terminal river feature in the Salt Lake Valley. Murray's average altitude is approximately 1300 meters Above Sea Level, with the highest variation located near the border of
Cottonwood Heights Cottonwood Heights is a city located in Salt Lake County, Utah, the United States, along the east bench of the Salt Lake Valley. It lies south of the cities of Holladay and Murray, east of Midvale, and north of Sandy within the Salt Lake City, U ...
and lowest variation along the Jordan River near 4500 South Street. Lying at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, and located approximately three miles to the east of Murray, in neighboring Holladay, is the
Wasatch Fault The Wasatch Fault is an active fault located primarily on the western edge of the Wasatch Mountains in the U.S. states of Utah and Idaho. The fault is about long, stretching from southern Idaho, through northern Utah, before terminating in cen ...
. Liquefaction is a particular danger to Murray because of the close proximity of the Wasatch fault.
Soil liquefaction Soil liquefaction occurs when a cohesionless saturated or partially saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in response to an applied stress such as shaking during an earthquake or other sudden change in stress condition, in ...
potential, according to the Utah Geological Survey, estimates that the majority of Murray is in either High or Moderate Liquefaction zones. City policies are in place to minimize the potential impacts on structures.


Hydrology

The
Jordan River The Jordan River or River Jordan ( ar, نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn'', he, נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, ''Nəhar hayYardēn''; syc, ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ ''Nahrāʾ Yurdnan''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Shariea ...
is the largest water feature within Murray. It traverses the western edge of Murray, where it eventually reaches the
Great Salt Lake The Great Salt Lake is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere and the eighth-largest terminal lake in the world. It lies in the northern part of the U.S. state of Utah and has a substantial impact upon the local climate, particula ...
. Murray administers a trail and green area that borders the river through the whole city. Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood Creeks join the Jordan River within Murray boundaries, following routes between properties, along streets, and through parks and open spaces. Significant wetlands adjoin the river and these two creeks. Murray contains only small lakes. Willow Pond and Turner Pond are the largest natural lakes within the city limits. Willow Pond is the only lake that permits public access, and is stocked with fish. Several man-made lakes have been created in the '' Lynn Pett Murray Parkway'' and ''Mick Riley Golf Courses''. Other lakes are small and are contained within Murray's wetland areas.


Climate

Murray has a
Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Csa'').


Education


Primary and secondary schools

The
Murray City School District The Murray City School District is a school district in Murray, Utah, United States. Although the district was formally established in 1906, the first known school building in the area was built in 1851. It was a small, single-room adobe structure, ...
was created on January 1, 1906. It has ten schools: seven elementaries, two middle schools, (Riverview and Hillcrest), and one senior high school (Murray). An alternative high school, (Creekside) was closed in 2006. Murray High School is a 4-A school in Utah's 5 Division high school sports leagues (1A being the smallest; 5A the largest). It was used in the ''
High School Musical ''High School Musical'' is a 2006 American musical television film directed by Kenny Ortega and written by Peter Barsocchini. The 63rd Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) and first installment of the ''High School Musical'' film series, th ...
'' movie series for the
Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
. When residents on the eastern boundary of Murray annexed themselves into the city in 2004, three
Granite School District The Granite School District spreads across central Salt Lake County, Utah, serving West Valley City, Millcreek, Taylorsville, South Salt Lake, and Holladay; Kearns and Magna Townships; and parts of West Jordan, Murray and Cottonwood Heights. ...
schools were included: Cottonwood High School, Twin Peaks Elementary, and Woodstock Elementary School. No school district boundaries were changed due to this annexation. Murray has one major private school, Mount Vernon Academy, founded in 1975. It is fully accredited by the
Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) is an independent, non-profit membership organization recognized by the United States Department of Education since 1952 as an institutional accreditor for colleges and universities. ...
. Mt. Vernon offers a complete educational program for grades Pre-K through 12.


Higher education

Several private colleges have campuses in Murray:
University of Phoenix University of Phoenix (UoPX) is a private for-profit university headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 1976, the university confers certificates and degrees at the certificate, associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree level ...
, Stevens-Henager College, and
Eagle Gate College Eagle Gate College is a Private college, private For-profit higher education in the United States, for-profit college in the U.S. state of Utah that specializes in health career education. The college is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of H ...
.


Parks and recreation

Murray took advantage of various federal projects during the
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
to develop its Park System. The city actively sought federal money to refurbish its 22-acre
Murray City Park Murray City Park (or Murray Park) is a public urban park located in and operated by the city of Murray, Utah, USA. Features Murray City Park's most recognizable feature is a large wooden sculpture of Chief Wasatch, a fictional composite of l ...
and buildings and to purchase an additional twelve acres of fairgrounds. By 1939, Murray was the site of the annual Salt Lake County Fair. The county fair relocated from Murray Park, and the Fair buildings were replaced by a community recreation facility called the Park Center, with indoor swimming pools, indoor track, exercise facilities and gymnasium. Murray Park's Ken Price Ball Park hosted the 2009
Babe Ruth League The Babe Ruth League is an international youth baseball and softball league based in Hamilton, New Jersey, US named after George Herman "Babe" Ruth. The parent program, Babe Ruth League, Incorporated, is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. ...
World Series and the 2012 Babe Ruth League World Series. Murray Park is adjacent to the Salt Lake County Ice Center that was utilized as a practice venue during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. There are several neighborhood parks, as well as the substantial
Jordan River Parkway The Jordan River Parkway is an approximately urban park that runs along the Jordan River within the U.S. state of Utah. The parkway follows along the river from Utah Lake in Utah County, through Salt Lake County and onto the Great Salt Lake i ...
; a park system of natural trails along the Jordan River that includes pedestrian and equestrian trails, picnic areas, and canoe launches. The trails connect several significant city parks of Winchester, Walden Park, Germania Park, and Arrowhead. The parkway also has The Kennecott Nature Center, an environmental education center that is utilized by school districts. Wheeler Historic Farm is located in Murray. Operated by Salt Lake County, the farm is a restoration of Henry J. Wheeler's turn-of-the-20th-century dairy farm. The farm presents to the public the history of Utah family agriculture and rural lifestyle from 1890–1920, and gives historic demonstrations and exhibits.


Parks and recreation facilities in Murray


Salt Lake County managed facilities

*Mick Riley Golf Course- Two courses include an Executive and Par 3 course *Salt Lake County Ice Center- Ice Skating and Hockey *Woodstock Meadows Park- Natural area, pavilion, and playground * Wheeler Historic Farm- Historical park and natural area *Riverview Park- Tennis, shuffleboard, horseshoe pits, baseball complex


City of Murray managed facilities

*Park Center- indoor pool, basketball courts, weight room, spin room, track *Murray Aquatics Center- outdoor pool *L. Clark Cushing Heritage Center- recreation center for senior citizens * Lynn Pett Murray Parkway Golf Course- 18 Hole executive course *
Jordan River Parkway The Jordan River Parkway is an approximately urban park that runs along the Jordan River within the U.S. state of Utah. The parkway follows along the river from Utah Lake in Utah County, through Salt Lake County and onto the Great Salt Lake i ...
- Natural trail and equestrian paths *
Murray City Park Murray City Park (or Murray Park) is a public urban park located in and operated by the city of Murray, Utah, USA. Features Murray City Park's most recognizable feature is a large wooden sculpture of Chief Wasatch, a fictional composite of l ...
- baseball stadium, softball stadium, soccer, rugby,
arboretum An arboretum (plural: arboreta) in a general sense is a botanical collection composed exclusively of trees of a variety of species. Originally mostly created as a section in a larger garden or park for specimens of mostly non-local species, man ...
, amphitheatre, playgrounds *Arrowhead Park- picnic area and trailhead *Germania Park- outdoor basketball, soccer, playground *Grant Park- baseball complex, playgrounds *Hidden Village Park- tennis, soccer, and playground *Southwood Park- tennis, playground *Walden Park- canoe launch, playground *Willow Pond Park- fishing, baseball, soccer, playgrounds *Winchester Park- canoe launch, natural area, playground


Sports


Ice skating and hockey

For the 2002 XIX Winter Olympiad in Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake County Ice Center was a practice venue, primarily for women's hockey, and hosted a preliminary game between Germany and Kazakhstan. The U.S. Figure Skating sanctions the facility and its figure skating lessons.
USA Hockey USA Hockey is the national ice hockey organization in the United States. It is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee as the Sport governing body, governing body for organized ice ...
hosts an adult league that utilizes the facility. Youth and beginner hockey lessons are offered.


Rugby

The Murray Park Rugby Stadium has hosted
USA Rugby USA Rugby (officially the United States of America Rugby Football Union, Ltd.) is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. Its role is to achieve and maintain “high levels of quality in all aspects of rugb ...
's national high school championships. The Highland Rugby club, one of the most nationally successful high school rugby programs, is based there. Utah Rugby Football Union, an affiliate of the Pacific Coast Rugby Football Union, sanctions most semi-professional, adult, collegiate, and high school clubs that use the field. In June 2012 this stadium hosted the 2012 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy.


Baseball

In 1914, Murray had its own professional baseball team called the Murray Infants which was part of the Union Association league. The team was managed by
Cliff Blankenship Clifford Douglas Blankenship (April 10, 1880 – April 26, 1956) was an American professional baseball player. He played his first game on April 17, 1905. He played his 95th and final game on August 18, 1909. His batting average was .225. In 1907 ...
, a former
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
and Washington Senators player. Notable players include Ike Caveney who was called up to play in the Cincinnati Reds and Mickey Shader that later managed a team in the Reds baseball
farm system In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
. The team folded in 1914 with the collapse of the league. In August 2009, Murray hosted its first 13-Year-Old
Babe Ruth League The Babe Ruth League is an international youth baseball and softball league based in Hamilton, New Jersey, US named after George Herman "Babe" Ruth. The parent program, Babe Ruth League, Incorporated, is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. ...
World Series. All World Series games were played at the 3000-seat Ken Price Ball Park, home field to Murray High School baseball team and next to
Murray City Park Murray City Park (or Murray Park) is a public urban park located in and operated by the city of Murray, Utah, USA. Features Murray City Park's most recognizable feature is a large wooden sculpture of Chief Wasatch, a fictional composite of l ...
. Adult, high school and youth leagues use the facility that is sanctioned by the Murray City Parks and Recreation department. Murray hosted the 14-Year-Old Babe Ruth League World Series in 2012.


Basketball

When the
Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...
first located to Utah in 1979, the Sports Mall fitness center was reserved as a practice facility for visiting teams including notable players
Larry Bird Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded a ...
and
Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in the ...
. The Jazz later constructed its own practice center. Utah Jazz players hold basketball clinics and camps for youth at the Murray Park Center. Murray's adult and youth basketball leagues are sanctioned by the Murray City Parks and Recreation department.


Soccer

Murray was one of three final candidates to be the home of the
Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake, often shortened to RSL, is an American professional soccer franchise based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes as a member club of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Western Conference. RSL began play in 20 ...
soccer team. The stadium was awarded to Sandy, Utah. Sanctioned by the Murray Parks and Recreation department, adult and youth leagues play on the numerous soccer fields. The department also has a small soccer stadium located in Willow Pond Park. The US Youth Soccer Association sanctions games that are played there.


Golf

The Murray Parkway Golf Course has been rated among the top 25 golf courses in Utah. It has hosted events for the Utah State Amateur Championship of the Utah Golf Association. Mick Riley Golf Course also has hosted Utah State Amateur events.


Boxing

While Murray no longer has a boxing venue, it did host a number of championship fights in the early part of the 20th century. Most notable was boxing legend
Jack Dempsey William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed Kid Blackie and The Manassa Mauler, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927, and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. ...
's only defeat, due to a
knockout A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...
, at the Murray Fire Hall (4735 South State Street).Roger Kahn, ''A Flame of Pure Fire: Jack Dempsey and the Roaring '20s'' Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2000 Dempsey was knocked out by Fireman Jim Flynn on February 13, 1917, and many speculated that Dempsey may have thrown the fight as he was knocked out in the first round, but witnesses stated he was on the mat for at least 20 seconds. One year earlier, Dempsey defeated the boxer, Young Hector who retired from the fight at the same location. Murray hosted the 1913
welterweight Welterweight is a weight class in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like Muay Thai, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts also use it for their own weight division system to classify the ...
tournament for the western United States. Ernest "Cyclone" Wright won the Welterweight championship of the western states. He was also a member of Murray's first volunteer fire department.


Library

Murray's library exists outside the Salt Lake County library system, with which it has a lending agreement along with the Salt Lake City library system. The library started as one of the Carnegie libraries and came into existence on January 6, 1911. Murray would create an additional small library along with this one. In 1992 Murray consolidated its two libraries into a new center that would permit it to have more books, include a small amphitheater for children, study spaces, and conference rooms. The historic Carnegie building on Vine Street was preserved as a building for Mount Vernon Academy and is now located in the
Murray Downtown Residential Historic District The Murray Downtown Residential Historic District is the best representative area of the residential settlement and development of the city of Murray, Utah, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. It is ...
, although the alterations to the building made it ineligible to be a
contributing property In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distri ...
in the district. The new library was further renovated in 2008, adding significant electronic media resources and
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio wave ...
access throughout the building. It offers several reading clubs and children activities. In 2008 it created its "Deseret Voices" author series that brings local and regional authors to discuss their books.


Arts and culture

Murray is home to several professional and amateur performing-arts groups, notably, the Desert Star Playhouse, located in the historic
Iris Theatre Iris Theatre is a professional theatre company created in 2007 by Dr. Daniel Winder to produce work at St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden. It is particularly known for its outdoor productions which run throughout the summer months, playing to au ...
which is noted for its community-based plays and melodramas. The historic Murray Theatre hosts a variety of performing acts, primarily musical, throughout the year, and has hosted screenings for the
Slamdance Film Festival The Slamdance Film Festival is an annual film festival focused on emerging artists. The annual week-long festival takes place in Park City, Utah, in late January and is the main event organized by the year-round Slamdance organization, which als ...
. The city-sponsored Murray Park Amphitheatre produces plays in the outdoor setting of Murray Park during the summer. The Murray Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is a community-based orchestra of professional and amateur musicians. The MSO is volunteer-based and receives funding from Murray and Salt Lake County. MSO also features jazz and string combos.Development of the Arts in Murray City. Murray Arts Advisory Board 2008 The Ballet Centre in Murray features ballet performances, with training for children and adults. The Murray Arts Centre features ballroom dancing in addition to modern styles of dance on a daily basis, and has live
big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...
and jazz combo accompaniment. The Murray City Cultural Arts program was created in 1992 under the Parks and Recreation Department. Together, the Arts Advisory Board and the Cultural Programs Office have created year-round cultural activities including arts-in-education projects, workshops and camps, musicals, visual art exhibits and competitions involving over 5000 youth and adults annually. A summer and winter season, created together with local performing arts organizations, have been successfully operating since 1990. Murray Arts in the Park entertains over 13,000 patrons each summer.


Historic architecture

Murray has several buildings and districts listed on the
National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
's
National Historic Register The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
: *
Murray Downtown Historic District The Murray Downtown Historic District is located in the historic city center of Murray, Utah, Murray, Salt Lake County, Utah. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006, with a boundary increase in 2020. The historic dis ...
*
Murray Downtown Residential Historic District The Murray Downtown Residential Historic District is the best representative area of the residential settlement and development of the city of Murray, Utah, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. It is ...
*
Wheeler Farm The Henry J. Wheeler Farm is a farmstead in Murray, Utah, United States, that is one of the few remaining late 19th century farmsteads in the Salt Lake Valley that has not been lost to expanding housing developments of metropolitan Salt Lake Cit ...
* Murray Theater *
Desert Star Theater Desert Star Theater is a dinner theater establishment in Murray, Utah, Murray, Utah. It started out as a small theater called the Gem, which showed silent movies with a piano for music. It was later closed down and demolished, but rebuilt and expa ...
* John P. Cahoon House (Murray Mansion) * Murray LDS Second Ward Meetinghouse *
Warenski-Duvall Commercial Building and Apartments The Warenski-Duvall Commercial Building and Apartments, built in 1915, is a two-story brick, two part commercial block that is listed in National Register of Historic Places. The building is significant for its role in the early urbanization of Mu ...


Demographics

According to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2017, there were 49,295 people in Murray. The racial makeup of the county was 80.2% non-Hispanic
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 1.9%
Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
, 0.4% Native American, 2.2%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 1.0%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, and 3.4% from two or more races. 11.6% of the population were
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race.


Transportation


Roads

Southern Murray contains the major interchange between
Interstate 15 Interstate 15 (I-15) is a major Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the western United States, running through Southern California and the Intermountain West. I-15 begins near the Mexico–United States border, Mexican border i ...
, a ten-lane north/south freeway that divides Murray centrally, and Interstate 215, an auxiliary eight-lane freeway that roughly follows the southern boundary of the city. Interstate 15 provides two interchanges inside city limits at 4500 South ( SR-266) and 5300 South ( SR-173). Interstate 215 provides two interchanges at State Street ( US-89) and Union Park Boulevard. State Street runs through central Murray through the
Murray Downtown Historic District The Murray Downtown Historic District is located in the historic city center of Murray, Utah, Murray, Salt Lake County, Utah. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006, with a boundary increase in 2020. The historic dis ...
and passes by the main retail centers at 5300 South and the Fashion Place Mall. Van Winkle Expressway ( SR-152) is a four-lane road that forms the eastern boundary of Murray, while 4500 South traverses the northern part of Murray and extends the length of
Salt Lake Valley Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably Murray, Sandy, South Jordan, West Jordan, and West Valley City; its total po ...
. 5400 South enters western Murray and then shifts northward one block to become 5300 South, which bears the honorary designation of Spartan Boulevard from Woodrow Street to State Street.


Rail

Historically, the railroad was vital to the development of Murray. In 1870 the railroad line was extended southward through Murray and was called the Utah Southern. The Rio Grande Western (RGW) railway came in the fall of 1881 and purchased the Alta lines which had been built earlier. RGW merged to form the
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to ''Rio Grande'', D&RG or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, was an American Class I railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow-gauge line running south from De ...
which later created a depot in Murray. The Utah Northern Railway developed a key terminus in the late 19th century that connected mining operations from
Park City Park City may refer to: a city in Utah. Places * National Park City, London, England, UK; see parks and open spaces in London in the United States * Park City, Illinois * Park City, Kansas * Park City, Kentucky * Park City, Montana * Park City, ...
and Bingham, and Murray's industrial complex developed along that rail line. Utah Northern Railway and
Oregon Short Line Railroad The Oregon Short Line Railroad was a railroad in Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Montana and Oregon in the United States. The line was organized as the Oregon Short Line Railway in 1881 as a subsidiary of the Union Pacific Railway. The Union Pacific int ...
merged and were later acquired by
Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
. Downtown Murray was accessible by trolley car, operated by the Utah Light and Railway, at the beginning of the 20th century. The trolley ran along State Street from downtown Salt Lake City to Murray. E.H. Harriman, president of Union Pacific and Southern Pacific Railroads, purchased Utah Light and Railway and continued its operation until the 1920s.


Public transit

Murray is served by the
Utah Transit Authority The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) is a special service district responsible for providing public transportation throughout the Wasatch Front of Utah, in the United States, which includes the metropolitan areas of Ogden, Park City, Provo, Salt ...
(UTA) bus system. Two lines of UTA's TRAX light rail serve Murray. The Blue Line connects Murray with
Downtown Salt Lake City Downtown (also called City Center) is the oldest district in Salt Lake City, Utah. The grid from which the entire city is laid out originates at Temple Square, the location of the Salt Lake Temple. Location Downtown Salt Lake City is usually def ...
and
Draper Draper was originally a term for a retailer or wholesaler of cloth that was mainly for clothing. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher. History Drapers were an important trade guild during the medieval period ...
, while the Red Line connects with the
University of Utah The University of Utah (U of U, UofU, or simply The U) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the flagship institution of the Utah System of Higher Education. The university was established in 1850 as the University of De ...
and the
Daybreak Community Daybreak is a master-planned community over 4,000 acres (16 km²) in size that began construction in 2004 under the direction of land development company Kennecott Land (a subsidiary of Rio Tinto Group) in South Jordan, Utah. In 2016, the b ...
in
South Jordan South Jordan is a city in south central Salt Lake County, Utah, United States, south of Salt Lake City. Part of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, the city lies in the Salt Lake Valley along the banks of the Jordan River between the Oquir ...
. Both the Blue and Red Lines connect further north with the Green Line which provides service to
West Valley City West Valley City is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, Salt Lake County and a suburb of Salt Lake City in the U.S. state of Utah. The population was 140,230 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities and towns in ...
and the
Salt Lake City International Airport Salt Lake City International Airport is a civil-military airport located about west of Downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, in the United States. The airport is the closest commercial airport for more than 2.5 million people and is within a 30-minu ...
(via Downtown Salt Lake City). Murray's section of TRAX has three stations: Murray North Station located on Fireclay Ave (4300 South), Murray Central Station at 5200 South, and Fashion Place West Station. UTA's ''
FrontRunner FrontRunner is a commuter rail train operated by the Utah Transit Authority that operates along the Wasatch Front in north-central Utah with service from the Ogden Intermodal Transit Center in central Weber County through Davis County, Salt ...
''
commuter rail Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter rail systems are con ...
opened for service in December 2012, extending ''Frontrunner'' from Pleasant View (on the north) south to Provo. The ''FrontRunner'' South extension included a stop at Murray Central Station.


Infrastructure

Electric power came into Murray in 1905, with the Progress Electric Company; they strung enough wire to light over a hundred street lights in the City, and a few buildings. City residents and businesses soon clamored for more electricity, which Progress Electric didn't have the capacity to deliver. The City commissioners decided to acquire the system and improve upon delivering power to more people. On July 9, 1912, the city commission approved a resolution to create a municipally-owned power company. That same resolution also created a municipally-owned water and sewage system. Murray generates much of its electricity from natural gas, coal, and water turbines. Murray was one of the first communities in Utah to receive power from
methane Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The relative abundance of methane on Eart ...
generated in its
landfill A landfill site, also known as a tip, dump, rubbish dump, garbage dump, or dumping ground, is a site for the disposal of waste materials. Landfill is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of the waste ...
. Methane electricity generation fulfills 3 percent of Murray's needs but it is estimated that it can cover up to 13 percent. Murray Public Services operates its water, sewer, and garbage and recycling program. Some areas of the city are serviced by the Salt Lake Valley Water Conservancy District and Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District.


Sister cities


Notable people

*
Gary Andersen Gary Lee Andersen (born February 19, 1964) is an American football coach who was most recently head football coach at Utah State University. Andersen has also been the head football coach of Southern Utah (2003), Wisconsin (2013–2014), and Or ...
, head football coach,
Utah State University Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public land-grant research university in Logan, Utah. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. With nearly 20,000 students living on or near campus, USU is Utah's ...
* Jack Anderson,
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
winner, started writing for the '' Murray Eagle'' *
Lou Andrus Louis John Andrus (born July 10, 1943) is a former professional American football linebacker American Football League (AFL). He played one season for the Denver Broncos (1967). He played college football at Brigham Young University. See also * ...
, former linebacker, 1967, for the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
*
David Archuleta David James Archuleta (born December 28, 1990) is an American pop singer. At ten years old, he won the children's division of the Utah Talent Competition, leading to other television singing appearances. When he was twelve years old, he becam ...
, ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'' season 7 runner-up *
Ben B. Banks __NOTOC__ Benjamin Berry Banks (born April 4, 1932) has been a general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 1989. He was a member of the seven-man Presidency of the Seventy from 1999 to 2002 and has al ...
, LDS Church General authority,
Presidency of the Seventy A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified by a ...
*
Shawn Bradley Shawn Paul Bradley (born March 22, 1972) is a German-American former professional basketball player who played center for the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, and Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the ...
, former
Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...
and
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
Basketball player. * Deondra Brown, member of
The 5 Browns The 5 Browns are a classical piano ensemble consisting of five siblings—two brothers and three sisters. Their repertoire ranges from beloved concert hall staples, such as Igor Stravinsky's ''The Rite of Spring'', Gershwin's ''Rhapsody in Blue' ...
classical piano ensemble. *Kim Candilora II ( KC Supreme), Multi-Platinum Music Producer and member of
Internet Money Records Internet Money Records, often credited as Internet Money, is an American record label and record producer collective. It was founded by American record producer Taz Taylor, who serves as the chief executive officer (CEO). The producer collecti ...
* Lauren Cholewinski, 2010 Olympic speed skater, resides in Murray while training *
Parley Parker Christensen Parley Parker Christensen (July 19, 1869 – February 10, 1954) was an American attorney and politician who was a Utah state representative, a Los Angeles City Council member, and the Farmer–Labor Party's presidential nominee during the 1920 ...
, Utah and California politician, Esperantist. Teacher in Murray. *
Nathaniel Coleman Nathaniel Coleman (born January 1, 1997) is an American professional climber who won the silver medal in men's combined sport climbing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He became the first American male climber to qualify for the Olympic Games after ad ...
, 2020 Olympic silver-medalist in men's combined sport climbing. *
Kevin Curtis Kevin Devon Curtis (born July 17, 1978) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah State and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. ...
,
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
player *
Bruce Hardy Bruce Alan Hardy (born June 1, 1956 in Murray, Utah), is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the 9th round of the 1978 NFL Draft. A 6'5", 232 lbs. tight end from Arizona State University ...
, former
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
football player, Arena Football head coach *
Allan Howe Allan Turner Howe (September 6, 1927 – December 14, 2000) was a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Utah. Born in South Cottonwood near Murray, Utah, Howe attended public schools before receiving a B.S. from the Un ...
,
U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
1974–1976. * Paul Hunt, comedian gymnast and gymnastics coach. *
Alejandra Ibáñez Alejandra Ibáñez (born January 26, 2000) is an American wheelchair basketball player. She represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Paralympics. Career Ibáñez made her international debut for the United States at the 2018 Wheelchair ...
, 2020 Paralympic bronze medalist in women's wheelchair basketball. *
Ken Jennings Kenneth Wayne Jennings III (born May 23, 1974) is an American game show host, author, and former game show contestant. He is the highest-earning American game show contestant, having won money on five different game shows, including $4,522,70 ...
, 72 consecutive wins and $2.52 million in ''
Jeopardy! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead given genera ...
'' * Britton Johnsen,
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player *
Mark Koncar Mark Koncar is a former American football offensive tackle. He is a graduate from Murray High School located in Murray, Utah. After graduating high school Koncar attended the University of Colorado Boulder. Koncar was drafted by the Green Bay Pa ...
, NFL player for the Green Bay Packers and Houston Oilers *Golden Richards, Former wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys *James Henry Madsen Paleontologist from University of Utah *Chris Mazdzer, Olympic Luge silver medalist. *Leonidas Ralph Mecham, former Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts *Jerold Ottley, American music director and conductor. He served as the director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir from 1974 to 1999. *LaVern W. Parmley, Primary (LDS Church), LDS Church Primary President *Kim Peek, inspiration for the character of Raymond Babbitt, played by Dustin Hoffman, in the movie ''Rain Man''. *Emily Sophia Tanner Richards, Emily S. Richards national suffrage leader. * Robert F. Sanders, American YouTuber, aka "Road Guy Rob" *Dan Snarr, four-time mayor of Murray *Stan Watts, longtime head coach of Brigham Young University, BYU basketball team


Newspapers

*''American Eagle (Murray, Utah), American Eagle'', '' Murray Eagle'' and ''The Green Sheet'' covered Murray from 1891 to the first decade of the 21st century. *''The Murray Journal'' covering Murray since early first decade of the 21st century.


In the media

*''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'' featured Murray and Murray High School for
David Archuleta David James Archuleta (born December 28, 1990) is an American pop singer. At ten years old, he won the children's division of the Utah Talent Competition, leading to other television singing appearances. When he was twelve years old, he becam ...
's homecoming during season 7's finale. Mayor Dan Snarr's distinctive handlebar mustache received notice from show host Ryan Seacrest. *Tiffany Darwish, Tiffany filmed parts of her video "I Think We're Alone Now" at Fashion Place Mall, 49th Street Galleria and Murray Park. *Walt Disney Productions filmed four movies at Murray High School: A few of the scenes from the wrestling movie ''Take Down (1979 film), Take Down'' (1978). ''Read It and Weep'' (2006), the auditorium scene of ''
High School Musical ''High School Musical'' is a 2006 American musical television film directed by Kenny Ortega and written by Peter Barsocchini. The 63rd Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) and first installment of the ''High School Musical'' film series, th ...
'' (2006), and ''Minutemen (film), Minutemen'' (2008) Disney used the Murray High School for the 2008 reality TV show ''High School Musical: Get in the Picture''. *The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City featured Heather Gay's ''Beauty Lab + Laser'' located in Murray. Jen Shah's arrest took place in the parking lot of the clinic.Jared Alexander. Jen Shah’s arrest caught on camera in RHOSLC sneak peek, ''Yahoo News,'' September 8, 2021


See also

* List of cities and towns in Utah * Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency, Utopia community FTTH program


References


External links

*
Utah History Encyclopedia (Murray)
{{Authority control Murray, Utah, Cities in Utah Cities in Salt Lake County, Utah Pony Express stations Populated places established in 1848 Wasatch Front Salt Lake City metropolitan area 1848 establishments in the United States