Murphy is a town in Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,568 at the 2000 census. Murphy is the county seat of Cherokee County[3] and is the westernmost county seat in North Carolina. It is closer to the capitals of six other states (Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky, and West Virginia) than to Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina. Murphy was named for North Carolina politician Archibald Murphey.
Geography
Murphy is located at 35°5′23″N 84°1′48″W / 35.08972°N 84.03°W / 35.08972; -84.03 (35.089848, -84.029924).[4]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²), of which, 2.3 square miles (5.9 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (8.80%) is water.
The town is located at the confluence of the Hiwassee River and Valley River.
History
The site of Murphy, along the Hiwassee River, was known to the Cherokee as Tlanusi-yi (the Leech Place), because of a legend about a giant leech named Tlanusi that lived in the river there.[5]
The Trading Path (later called the "Unicoi Turnpike") passed by the future site of Murphy, connecting the Cherokee lands east of the mountains with the "Overhill Towns" of Tennessee.[6]
In 1836, during the Cherokee removal known as the Trail of Tears, the United States army built Fort Butler in what is today Murphy. Fort Butler acted as the main collection point for Cherokee east of the mountains. From Fort Butler the Cherokee were taken over the mountains on the Unicoi Turnpike to the main internment camps at Fort Cass (today Charleston, Tennessee). Today the Unicoi Turnpike is known as Joe Brown Highway. The Cherokee County Historical Museum located in Murphy provides information about the Trail of Tears.[7]
Murphy was once the terminus of the Murphy Branch rail line built in the late 1800s, although the branch no longer reaches Murphy.
Murphy was also the home of the once well-known crafts manufacturer Margaret Studios, which operated a nationwide chain of gift stores for its woodcraft products and housewares, such as lazy susans and gift trays.
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,568 people, 725 households, and 440 families residing in the town. The population density was 687.7 people per square mile (265.5/km²). There were 819 housing units at an average density of 359.2/sq mi (138.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.60% White, 5.48% African American, 1.28% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 1.15% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.87% of the population.
There were 725 households out of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% are married couples/sex couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 24.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $24,952, and the median income for a family was $35,234. Males had a median income of $30,395 versus $16,908 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,926. About 16.7% of families and 22.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.2% of those under age 18 and 21.4% of those age 65 or over.
Murphy Trivia
- Murphy is mentioned extensively in "A Walk Across America" by Peter Jenkins, as the author spent several months living with a local family and working at a sawmill nearby.
- Mark Deweese, All-American Cross Country and Track runner was born in Murphy and attended Murphy High.
- Murphy has been an answer on the game show Jeopardy 3 different times for the following:
1. At one time, it was 1 of only 2 towns in the country to be the terminus of two trains lines (Southern and L&N) 2. One of only 3 towns to have an all marble court house. Only one in which it was actually quarried in the same county. 3. Though not right in Murphy, the largest 10 Commandments in the world is located just outside of Murphy at Fields of the Wood.
References
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