Editing Murray, Utah (section)

=== Center of industry ===
[[File:Murray Smoke Stacks.jpg|left|thumb|Murray's landmark smoke stacks, circa 1920s]]
Murray's central location in Salt Lake Valley made it a convenient location for industry. Construction of the Woodhill Brothers' smelter in 1869 initiated Murray's industrial history. In 1870, Murray produced the first silver bars smelted in Utah. In 1899, American Smelting & Refining Company (ASARCO) was organized by combining the Germania and Hanauer smelters. The smelters continued to dominate the local economy until the close of the [[ASARCO]] lead smelter in 1949. Business and commercial enterprise prospered along with the smelter industry. Murray's industry would later include a water plant, lighting system, canning factory, flour mills, and brickyards.<ref name=Rasmussen1936>Raymond R. Rasmussen, History of Murray, State of Utah (1936)</ref> Many of those employed at the Franklyn and Germania smelters were immigrants from [[Scandinavia]]n countries who had joined the LDS church in their homeland and moved to Utah; most spoke little English. The Scandinavian population settled in the area west of State Street and was large enough to hold separate LDS services in the [[Swedish language]]. (See [[Murray LDS Second Ward Meetinghouse]]).  The Scandinavians eventually dispersed, and with the exception of their meetinghouse, few ethnic reminders remain in this section of Murray.<ref>Johnson, G. Wesley; Schirer, David (1992). Between The Cottonwoods: Murray City in Transition. Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah: Timpanogos Research Associates.</ref> [[Joe Hill (activist)|Joe Hill]], the [[Industrial Workers of the World]] labor activist came to Murray in 1914 to rally laborers working at the smelters and nearby mines. He was arrested for a double homicide in Salt Lake City while recovering from a gunshot wound at the Murray home of Edward and John Eselius, that was located on 4800 South (then known as 17th South St.) and Plum Street.<ref>Foner, Philip Sheldon. ''The Case of Joe Hill.'' International Publishers Co, 1966 {{ISBN|0-7178-0022-9}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7178-0022-3}}</ref>

"Bergertown", a cluster of homes south of 4800 South Street on [[Little Cottonwood Creek]], was settled by Swiss immigrant Christian Berger prior to the town's industrialization. Simple small two-room frame houses without paint and running water characterized this side of town. Bergertown quickly became an immigrant enclave, as the population were mainly employees of the smelters. A few original homes remain among modern retail establishments.<ref>Griffin, Nicole. Doomed smokestacks, The Deseret News, September 6, 1998</ref>

In addition to the impact of lawsuits due to the spread of lead dust, Murray's industry suffered greatly in [[Great Depression|the 1930s depression]]. The smelters began to close in 1931, and major industry had nearly vanished by 1940. By the 1950s the industry was completely gone.<ref>[https://utahrails.net/mining/smelters-murray.php Murray Smelters]</ref> Murray was quick to take advantage of various federal projects to compensate for this economic loss.<ref name=Rasmussen1936 /> In 2000, to avoid designation as a [[Superfund]] site, the landmark ASARCO Smelters were imploded, and [[Intermountain Healthcare]] purchased the site for its [[Intermountain Medical Center]]. As landmarks, the smelters are remembered in Murray's logos and trademarks.