City of Murphy

City of Murphy Municipal Water Report Info
Murphy, Texas History: Located in southeastern Collin County, primarily at the junction of FM Road 544 and Murphy Road, Murphy began as part of the empresario grants from Peter's Colony before Texas statehood. Collin County was established by legislative act on April 3, 1846, previously being part of Fannin County.

The earliest settlers came from Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama, the Carolinas, Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio. The first Murphy area pioneers were the Comfort and Lydia McMillen family with their six children, who arrived from Arkansas in 1846 and settled along Muddy Creek (later renamed Maxwell Creek). Lydia's brothers, James and Henry Maxwell, accompanied them.

By 1850, William and Dorothy Murphy also settled along Maxwell Creek. These founding families were hardy Scottish-Irish Presbyterians attracted by the promises of abundant land, fertile soil, plentiful rainfall, long growing seasons, wildlife for food, and timber for building.

The community that developed was initially named Maxwell or Maxwell's Creek after James Maxwell and his wife Hannah. A nearby settlement near C.A. McMillen's property was called Old Decatur, and when the Maxwell brothers sold lots in the area, that settlement became known as Decatur.

During the 1870s, when the growing town needed a post office, they discovered another Decatur already existed, so the post office was designated Maxwell's Branch. By 1888, the town was renamed for James Murphy, who donated land for the Murphy Train Depot. The City of Murphy was officially established with the State of Texas on September 29, 1958.

Murphy remained primarily agricultural from the late 1880s to 1970, with the railroad serving as a shipping point for cotton, corn, and onions. The Old Murphy Schoolhouse, built in 1938 as a WPA project, served elementary and high school students. Both the school and post office closed during the 1950s, and by 1970 the population had dwindled to 136 residents, with younger students attending Plano schools.

As farmers began selling their large properties for housing developments, the Old Schoolhouse was renovated to serve as City Hall and a Community Center. By the 1980s, the population grew as families were attracted to lot sizes ranging from 1 to 5 acres, and businesses returned.

Murphy is now served by both Plano Independent School District and Wylie Independent School District. In 2005, the current Municipal Complex housing City Hall, Police Department, Fire Department, and Parks and Public Works Building opened across from the Old City Hall/School House. In 2012, the historic Old School House reopened as a Community Center.

Bordered by Plano, Richardson, Wylie, Sachse, and Parker, Murphy encompasses approximately 5 square miles. It lies about 20 miles from downtown Dallas, 35 miles from DFW Airport, and 25 miles from Love Field Airport. Since the 2000 opening of the President George Bush Turnpike through Plano and Richardson, economic development and residential growth have flourished, bringing the current population to 18,800.

Murphy residents enjoy their spacious community in a prime Collin County location with excellent retail access, award-winning school districts, community events, and beautiful parks and trail networks. They also value Murphy's history, preserving the Old Murphy School, four pioneer family cemeteries, and the relocated First Baptist Church of Murphy. The community maintains an active Murphy Historical Society and Cemetery Association of Murphy, with the Historical Society (a 501(c)3 non-profit) meeting on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm for the Murphy Veterans Tribute Project and 7pm for the Murphy Historical Society. For more information, contact the City Secretary's office at 972-468-4011.