Murray, Kentucky
| Murray, Kentucky | |
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| City | |
A portion of Murray as seen from US Hwy 641
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| Coordinates: 36°36′34″N 88°18′56″W / 36.60944°N 88.31556°WCoordinates: 36°36′34″N 88°18′56″W / 36.60944°N 88.31556°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Calloway |
| Founded | c. 1822 |
| Incorporated | January 17, 1844 |
| Named for | Rep. John L. Murray |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jack Rose |
| Area | |
| • City | 11.3 sq mi (29.2 km2) |
| • Land | 11.2 sq mi (29.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 535 ft (163 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • City | 17,741 |
| • Density | 1,578/sq mi (609.4/km2) |
| • Metro | 37,191 |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP Code | 42071 |
| Area code(s) | 270 & 364 |
| FIPS code | 21-54642 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0499118 |
| Website | www |
Murray is a home rule-class city in Calloway County, Kentucky, in the United States. It is the seat of Calloway County and the 22nd-largest city in Kentucky. The city's population was 17,741 during the 2010 U.S. census, and its micropolitan area's population was 37,191.
It is the home of Murray State University.
The city now known as Murray began as a post office and trading center sometime in the early 1820s. It was at first called Williston in honor of James Willis, an early settler. Later, the name was changed to Pooltown after Robert Pool, a local merchant. The name was changed again to Pleasant Springs before its incorporation on January 17, 1844, when the present name was adopted to honor Rep. John Murray.
Murray was not the first county seat, which was at Wadesboro. Calloway County was then much larger than today. In 1842, however, the state legislature divided the area, creating Marshall County. It was felt that a more centrally located county seat was needed, and as the village of Murray was at the geographic center, it was chosen. A new courthouse was built along with a jail, and the town Murray was laid out on an 80-acre (320,000 m2) plot subdivided into 137 business and residential lots divided by eight streets.
Kentucky did not officially secede from the Union during the Civil War, instead declaring its neutrality, but both Murray and Calloway County were strongly pro-Confederate. No major battles were fought near the town, but guerrilla warfare sometimes took place nearby. In the spring of 1862, a Union force stationed in Paducah marched across the county to the Tennessee River, taking anything it wanted from the inhabitants without paying. Also, parts of Murray were burned on several occasions. Once, part of the town was burned by the Union Army in retaliation for its presumed support for the Confederate guerrillas. A diary kept by Josh Ellison of Murray tells that one night during the winter of 1864-65, a detachment of Union soldiers from Paducah torched every buildings on the east side of the court square, three days later burning all those north of the square.
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Wikipedia