Editing Murphys, California (section)

==History==
The area around Murphys was originally occupied by the [[Miwok]]. [[Murphy's Corral#Martin Murphy|John and Daniel Murphy]] were part of the [[Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party]], the first immigrant party to bring wagons across the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] to [[Sutter's Fort]] in 1844. They earned a living as merchants, but like many others, began prospecting when the [[California Gold Rush]] began. They first started in [[Vallecito, California|Vallecito]], which was then known as "Murphys Old Diggings," before moving to another location in 1848 which became "Murphys New Diggings," "Murphy's Camp," and eventually just "Murphys" in 1935.

The [[placer mining]] in this location was very successful, but wreaked havoc on the natural landscape. Miners were limited to claims of 8 square feet (0.75 m<sup>2</sup>) and yet many were still able to become wealthy. The Murphy brothers themselves, however, made far more money as merchants than as miners. In fact, John was so successful that he left town at the end of 1849 and never returned, having amassed a personal fortune of nearly $2 million. Roughly $20 million in gold was discovered in Murphys and the surrounding area.  Two of the richest diggings were named Owlsburg and Owlburrow Flat.<ref name=CNG>{{California's Geographic Names|808}}</ref>

[[Image:MurphysCA-July,1853.jpg|thumb|right|[[Daguerreotype]] of Murphy's, California taken in July 1853.]]

Murphys was also a tourist resort destination, as the nearby [[giant sequoia]] trees in what is now [[Calaveras Big Trees State Park]] were a major draw, and they continue to be so today. After visiting, [[John Muir]] wrote in his book, ''The Mountains of California'' (1894):<ref>http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/frameindex.html?http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/writings/the_mountains_of_california/chapter_15.html</ref>

<blockquote>"MURPHY'S CAMP is a curious old mining-town in Calaveras County, at an elevation of {{convert|2400|ft|m}} above the sea, situated like a nest in the center of a rough, gravelly region, rich in gold. Granites, slates, lavas, limestone, iron ores, quartz veins, auriferous gravels, remnants of dead fire-rivers and dead water-rivers are developed here side by side within a radius of a few miles, and placed invitingly open before the student like a book, while the people and the region beyond the camp furnish mines of study of never-failing interest and variety."</blockquote>

Like many other mining towns, fire was its bane and the town was destroyed three times by flames, in 1859, 1874, and 1893. After the second major fire, there was little gold left to mine, and so the town was never rebuilt to its [[boomtown]] condition. However, Murphys continued to thrive as a [[merchant]] center, supplying many of the [[silver]] mines in [[Nevada]] with provisions via [[Ebbetts Pass]].  The town is registered as [[California Historical Landmark]] #275.<ref name=CHL>{{cite ohp|275|Murphys|2012-10-06}}</ref> A "Hall of Comparative Ovations" built by a chapter of the [[E Clampus Vitus|clampers]] still stands in Murphys. There is a "Wall of Comparative Ovations" at the Old Timers Museum on Main Street.  The plaques on the wall are installed and maintained by members of E Clampus Vitus.

The first post office was established as Murphy's in 1851. The name was changed to Murphy in 1894, and finally to Murphys in 1935.<ref name=CNG />