Editing Murphy, North Carolina (section)

==Etymology and history==
This area had long been part of the homelands of the [[Cherokee people]]. They knew this site along the Hiwassee River as ''Tlanusi-yi'' (the Leech Place). They had a legend about a giant [[leech]] named ''Tlanusi'', that lived in the river here.<ref>Duncan, 177.</ref> The [[Trading Path]] (later called the "[[Unicoi Turnpike]]") passed by the future site of Murphy, connecting the Cherokee lands east of the mountains with what were known to European colonists as the "[[Overhill Cherokee|Overhill Towns]]" of [[Tennessee]].<ref>Duncan, 245.</ref>

After European Americans began to settle here, they named the site "Hunnington/ Huntington" after A.R.S. Hunter. He established the first [[trading post]] prior to 1828, where he would trade with the Cherokee, early European-American settlers, and U.S. Army soldiers on expeditions, or stationed at nearby [[Fort Butler (Murphy, North Carolina)|Fort Butler]].<ref name="walker">{{Cite book|title=Our Heritage |last=Walker-Freel|first=Margaret|publisher=The Miller Printing Company|year=1956|location=Asheville, N.C.|pages=51}}</ref> He was also appointed as the settlement's first postmaster, erecting the first Post Office in June 1839.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.carolana.com/NC/Towns/Cherokee_POs_Sorted.htm |title=Cherokee County, NC Post Offices - 1839 to 1971 |last=Lewis |first=J.D. |work=Carolana.com }}</ref>

[[File:Overlooking Murphy, North Carolina - NARA - 279828.jpg|left|210px|thumb|Murphy in 1938]]
European Americans later renamed the settlement as Murphy for [[North Carolina]] politician [[Archibald Murphey]]. He was influential in educational advances for the people of North Carolina in the early 19th century.<ref name="walker"/>  The original spelling of the town was to be "Murphey" but a clerk or stenographer of the [[North Carolina General Assembly]] misspelled the name and “Murphy” stuck.<ref>{{cite news |last=Voyles |first=Bruce |title=Five courthouses in Cherokee County |work=Cherokee Scout |location=Murphy, NC |publisher=Community Newspapers, Inc. |date=January 17, 2024 |page=5A |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/opinion-newsletter/five-courthouses-cherokee-county }} Retrieved January 21, 2024.</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn83004710/1927-11-18/ed-1/seq-1/ |title=Formally open Cherokee's new courthouse |work=The Cherokee Scout |location=Murphy, NC |date=November 18, 1927}} Retrieved January 25, 2024.</ref>

In 1836, during the [[Indian Removal|Cherokee removal]] known as the [[Trail of Tears]], the United States army built [[Fort Butler (Murphy, North Carolina)|Fort Butler]] in what is today Murphy. Fort Butler was used as the main collection point by the government 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]]), prior to their forcible removal to territory west of the [[Mississippi River]], in what became known as [[Indian Territory]] (today's Oklahoma).

Today, the Unicoi Turnpike is known as the Joe Brown Highway. There are no visible remains of [[Fort Butler (Murphy, North Carolina)|Fort Butler]], but the site can be visited and historical markers provide facts and interpretation about its history. In addition, the Cherokee County Historical Museum, located in Murphy, provides information about the Trail of Tears.<ref>Duncan, 185.</ref>

A 400-acre tract was surveyed for the town of Murphy in 1837.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Voyles |first=Bruce |date=March 27, 2024 |title=Archibald D. Murphey and Murphy's Law |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/opinion-newsletter/archibald-d-murphey-and-murphys-law |access-date=March 31, 2024 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=5A}}</ref> Cherokee County was formed in 1839 from a portion of [[Macon County, North Carolina|Macon County]], but Murphy was not incorporated as the county seat until 1851. [[Harshaw Chapel and Cemetery|Harshaw Chapel]], the oldest surviving building in Murphy, was constructed in 1869.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=Harshaw Chapel and Cemetery Historical Marker |url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=187501 |access-date=April 13, 2024 |website=www.hmdb.org |language=en}}</ref>

In 1888, the railroad reached Murphy, with Georgia and North Carolina Railroad's narrow gauge line built from [[Marietta, Georgia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fain, George Mercer, 1820-1893 {{!}} ArchivesSpace Public Interface |url=https://wcu.lyrasistechnology.org/agents/people/340 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=wcu.lyrasistechnology.org}}</ref>  In 1891, [[Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern Railway]] connected Murphy to [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]] via the [[Murphy Branch]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Cherokee County, North Carolina |url=https://www.carolana.com/NC/Counties/cherokee_county_nc.html |access-date=April 18, 2024 |website=www.carolana.com}}</ref> The L&N line from Georgia was removed in the mid-1980s. The [[Great Smoky Mountains Railroad]] ran excursions to Murphy on the Murphy Branch between 1988 and 1995. Today the track and right-of-way are still in place, owned by the [[North Carolina Department of Transportation]], but the line is inoperable. The L&N Depot, built southwest of downtown Murphy in 1901, has been refurbished as a community center.<ref name=":1" />

===20th century to present===
[[File:The_Cherokee_County_Courthouse_is_in_Murphy,_North_Carolina.jpg|thumb|Cherokee County Courthouse]]
Murphy began getting paved streets in 1917. The first paved road from Murphy to Georgia opened five years later. A highway from Murphy to Asheville opened in 1926.<ref name=":1" />

Architect James Baldwin designed the [[Cherokee County Courthouse (Murphy, North Carolina)|Cherokee County Courthouse]], located in downtown Murphy, in a [[Beaux-Arts architecture|Beaux-Arts]] style. Built in 1927, it is faced with locally sourced blue [[marble]]. It is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]], along with Harshaw Chapel and the [[Robert Lafayette Cooper House]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://d.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/catalog/buch0136|title=Cherokee County Courthouse, Murphy, North Carolina|publisher=NCSU Libraries |access-date=May 27, 2014}}</ref><ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> The county has had multiple prior courthouses; all burned down, or were replaced by improved versions. The first court sessions in the county were held at Fort Butler.

A two-story [[Carnegie library|Carnegie Library]] was constructed on Peachtree Street downtown in 1919. The building later housed the town police department until 2024 and has been occupied by the Cherokee County Historical Museum since its start in 1977. The [[Nantahala Regional Library]], headquartered in Murphy, is the oldest regional library in the state and one of the first regional libraries formed in the United States. It was organized May 1, 1937, and has locations in Cherokee, [[Clay County, North Carolina|Clay]], and [[Graham County, North Carolina|Graham]] counties. The current headquarters for the Murphy Public Library and the Nantahala Regional Library opened downtown on May 16, 1976. The building was renovated in 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of the Nantahala Regional Library |url=http://proofing.youseemore.com/redesigns/nantahala/contentpages.asp?loc=54 |access-date=March 4, 2024 |website=Nantahala Regional Library |place=Murphy, NC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Foster |first=Randy |date=2025-01-15 |title=Town, museum tour old PD HQ |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |pages=1–8A}}</ref>

Murphy was the home of the once well-known crafts manufacturer Margaret Studios. This company operated a nationwide chain of gift stores for its woodcraft products and housewares, such as [[lazy Susan]]s and gift trays.

Murphy High School was constructed in 1925.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 8, 1929 |title=Rapid Educational Development Of Cherokee County |url=https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn83004710/1929-11-08/ed-1/seq-1/#words=Murphy+High+School+MURPHY+HIGH+SCHOOL |access-date=March 21, 2024 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=1}}</ref> A new campus was built to replace the high school in 1957.<ref name=":0" /> Murphy gained a public swimming pool in 1931.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 17, 1931 |title=Massey building swimming pool |url=https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn83004710/1931-04-17/ed-1/seq-1/#words=swimming+pool+SWIMMING+POOL |access-date=March 11, 2024 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=1}}</ref> The pool, which was run by the [[Lions Clubs International|Lions Club]], closed in 1997 and a new pool opened around 2006 as part of the Hiwassee Valley Pool & Wellness Center.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=David |title=This week in local history |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local/week-local-history-104 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=2A}}</ref> The new pool was permanently enclosed in 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Putnam |first=Jared |date=January 11, 2022 |title=Fitness club installing enclosure over pool |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local-newsletter/fitness-club-installing-enclosure-over-pool |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC}}</ref>

Folklorist [[John Jacob Niles]] based his well-known Christmas song, "[[I Wonder as I Wander]]", on a phrase he heard on July 16, 1933, in a song sung by a daughter of traveling [[evangelism|evangelists]] in downtown Murphy.<ref>{{cite web |date=December 8, 2011 |title=I tried to get her to sing all the song |url=http://www.appalachianhistory.net/2011/12/i-tried-to-get-her-to-sing-all-song.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322021228/http://www.appalachianhistory.net/2011/12/i-tried-to-get-her-to-sing-all-song.html |archive-date=March 22, 2012 |access-date=May 2, 2012 |publisher=Appalachian History}}</ref> In 1945, [[Paul Westmoreland]] wrote his song “[[Detour (song)|Detour (There's a Muddy Road Ahead)]]" while traveling to Murphy. He debuted the song in the neighboring town of [[Hayesville, North Carolina|Hayesville]].<ref name="Moorebook">{{cite book |last1=Moore |first1=Carl S. |title=Clay County, N.C.: Then and Now |publisher=Genealogy Publishing Service |year=2008 |isbn=978-1881851240 |location=Franklin, N.C.}}</ref>

Murphy's first medical institution was Petrie Hospital, founded in November 1933 by Dr. R.W. Petrie, an eye, ear, nose, and throat specialist. The hospital was a two-story white brick building atop a hill on Peachtree Street downtown.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn83004710/1935-12-24/ed-1/seq-1/#words=PETRlE+HOSPITAL |title=Petrie Hospital Here is Granted a State Charter |work=The Cherokee Scout |location=Murphy, NC |date=December 24, 1935 |page=A1 }} Accessed January 18, 2024.</ref> The [[Sisters of Providence of Holyoke]] came to Murphy in 1956 to manage Petrie Hospital and renamed it Providence Hospital.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://st-william.net/history |title=Our History |work=St. William Catholic Church }} Accessed January 18, 2024.</ref>  The 22-bed Murphy General Hospital was built by Dr. F. V. Taylor in 1941 and closed in July 1969 due to insufficient staff and property.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=McKeever |first=Mrs. Hobart |date=January 29, 1961 |title=Cherokee County Shows Greatest Progress During 1950-60 Decade |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/201809295/?terms=cherokee%20county&match=1 |access-date=March 21, 2024 |work=[[Asheville Citizen-Times]] |page=77}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=July 24, 1969 |title=Murphy General Hospital Ceases Operation |url=https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn95072291/1969-07-24/ed-1/seq-1/ |access-date=March 21, 2024 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=1}}</ref> In January 1974 the Murphy Town Council approved spending $4,000 on a study to see whether constructing a new hospital was feasible. Following this study, Providence Hospital closed in 1978, and Murphy Medical Center was founded in nearby [[Peachtree, North Carolina|Peachtree]] in 1979.<ref>{{cite news |last=Brown |first=David |title=This week in local history |work=Cherokee Scout |location=Murphy, NC |publisher=Community Newspapers, Inc. |date=January 17, 2024 |page=9A }}</ref>

A new Murphy post office was constructed on Hiwassee Street in 1949, replacing the former location on Tennessee Street.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 23, 1950 |title=Post Office Is In New Building, Is To Be First Class |url=https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn83004710/1950-03-23/ed-1/seq-1/ |access-date=March 21, 2024 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=1}}</ref> In approximately 1961, the two-mile, four lane Dr. William A. Hoover Bridge was built over the Hiwassee River near Murphy to serve [[U.S. Route 19|US Route 19]].<ref name=":0" /> [[Levi Strauss & Co.]] opened a plant in Murphy in December 1963 to make jeans.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 5, 1963 |title=Levi Strauss Plant Here Begins Operation Monday |url=https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn95072291/1963-12-05/ed-1/seq-1/#words=Levi+Strauss |access-date=March 4, 2024 |work=The Cherokee Scout and Clay County Progress |location=Murphy NC |page=1}}</ref> The plant hired 380 employees at its peak. It closed in February 1999. Today, the building is occupied by [[Snap-on|Snap-on Tools]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=David |date=February 28, 2024 |title=This Week in Local History |work=Cherokee Scout |publisher=Community Newspapers, Inc. |location=Murphy, NC |page=8A}}</ref> The town's wastewater treatment plant was built in the mid-1960s.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=David |date=2025-03-12 |title=Town preps for $26M upgrade |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=2A}}</ref>

On April 3, 1974, an F4 tornado in Murphy killed four people (including two children) and injured 40. It destroyed 45 houses, 45 mobile homes, and caused major damage to 55 other homes.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Avett |first=Wally |date=2024-07-17 |title=April 3, 1974, tornado brought death, destruction |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=2A}}</ref> Local damages totaled $13 million (1974). It was the deadliest of four tornadoes that hit the county during the first four days of April in the [[1974 Super Outbreak]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Brittany |date=April 6, 2017 |title=Murphy, N.C. woman remembers deadly tornadoes of 1974 |url=https://newschannel9.com/news/local/murphy-nc-woman-remembers-deadly-tornadoes-of-1974 |access-date=April 12, 2024 |website=WTVC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=David |date=April 10, 2024 |title=This Week in Local History |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local/week-local-history-108 |access-date=April 12, 2024 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=8A}}</ref> An EF2 tornado hit Murphy on March 2, 2012, as part of the [[Tornado outbreak of March 2–3, 2012]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Citizen-Times |title=EF2 tornado on Mar. 02, 2012 19:44 PM EST |url=https://data.citizen-times.com/tornado-archive/north-carolina/366756/ |access-date=April 30, 2024 |website=Citizen-Times |language=en}}</ref> This tornado damaged two schools and affected multiple businesses.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 5, 2012 |title=Rare tornado hits NC mountains; Two schools closed |url=https://myfox8.com/news/two-schools-closed-after-rare-tornado-hits-nc-mountains/ |access-date=April 30, 2024 |website=FOX8 WGHP |language=en-US}}</ref>

Nearly a year after the March 2012 tornado, debris washed up in the [[Valley River]] under the Bulldog Drive bridge and caused the waters to go to the sides, causing strong currents, making a large portion of the bridge collapse. A water system was also damaged and left many businesses east of the bridge without sewer or water. The nearby Murphy High School was without both, with students having to use [[Portable toilet|port-a-potties]] and carry bagged lunches made at another school.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDp8skT8ilo |title=Murphy, NC Hit Hard by Flooding |date=2013-01-22 |last=WTVC NewsChannel 9 |access-date=2024-05-26 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

A four-lane highway was built between Murphy and the neighboring town of [[Andrews, North Carolina|Andrews]] around 1977.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ward |first=Trawick |url=https://www.rla.unc.edu/Publications/pdf/misc/Andrews.pdf |title=An Archaeological Survey of the New U.S. 19-129 Route Between Andrews and Murphy in Cherokee Co. |date=April 1977 |publisher=The Research Laboratories of Anthropology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill}}</ref> [[Walmart]]'s first North Carolina store was constructed in Murphy in 1983 and opened on August 16. The store moved to its current location in 1991 and the old building is now a Big Lots, Mexican store, and Mexican restaurant.<ref>{{Cite web |title=walmart/data/store_openings.csv at master · cjbayesian/walmart |url=https://github.com/cjbayesian/walmart/blob/master/data/store_openings.csv |access-date=March 21, 2024 |website=GitHub |language=en}}</ref> Murphy's Walmart remained the only one in the state until 1986. In 1999, a 10-mile, 12-inch water line was built to connect Murphy and Andrews' water systems. The interconnect agreement expired in 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Foster |first=Randy |date=2024-10-30 |title=Andrews seeking water with Murphy |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |pages=1A, 8A}}</ref>

On May 31, 2003 [[Centennial Olympic Park bombing|Olympic Park]] bomber [[Eric Rudolph]] was captured behind a Murphy [[Save-A-Lot]] by rookie police officer Jeff Postell.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 21, 2003 |title=CNN.com - Atlanta Olympic bombing suspect arrested - May. 31, 2003 |website=[[CNN]] |url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/05/31/rudolph.main/ |access-date=April 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030621163319/http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/05/31/rudolph.main/ |archive-date=June 21, 2003 }}</ref> In October 2024, one of the oldest remaining buildings in downtown Murphy, the Akin-Axley-Davidson house at 69 Valley River Avenue, was demolished. The home was built during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Foster |first=Randy |date=2024-10-30 |title=Downtown Murphy loses part of history |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local-newsletter/downtown-murphy-loses-part-history |access-date=2025-04-18 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |pages=1A, 8A}}</ref>

===Mayoral history===

# John H. Hennessee (1887-1893)
# J.S. Patterson (1893)
# Drury W. DeWeese (1893-1894)
# R.L. Cooper (1894-1896)
# Marshall Williams Bell (1896-1898)
# Ben Posey (1898-1901)
# J.V. Brittian (1901-1903)
# J.R. McLelland (1903-1904)
# Marshall Williams Bell (1904-1907)
# A.B. Hill (1907-1909)
# P.E. Nelson (1909-1913)
# J.D. Mallonee (1913-1914)
# P.E. Nelson (1914-1915)
# S.W. Lovingood (1915-1917)
# C.B. Hill (1917-1919)
# T.J. Hill (1919-1921)
# John H. Dillard (1921-1922)
# Don Witherspoon (1922-1923)
# Wm. Mercer Fain (1923-1926)
# F.N. Hill (1926-1927)
# A.A. Fain (1927-1928)
# Harry P. Cooper (1928-1930)
# W. McMillan (1930-1931)
# S.W. Lovingood (1931–1932)
# V.J. Britt (1932-1933)
# E.B. Norvell (1933-1934)
# J.B. Gray (1934-1941)
# C.D. Mayfield (1941-1942)
# E.L. Shields (1942-1943)
# J.W. Franklin (1943-1944)
# Wm. Mercer Fain (1944-1946)
# Oliver Neil Sneed (1946-1950)
# Buel Adams (1950-1952)
# L.L. Mason Jr. (1952-1966)
# Cloe Moore (1966-c.1987)
# William Hughes (1997–2017)
# Rick Ramsey (c.2019–2021)
# Tim Radford (2021–present)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/search/pages/results/?lccn=sn95072291&lccn=sn83004710&lccn=sn91068698&dateFilterType=yearRange&date1=&date2=&proxtext=andrews+mayor&proxdistance=5 |title=North Carolina Newspapers |work=Newspapers.DigitalNC.org |publisher=Digital NC }}</ref>