Editing Murphys, California

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Murphys
| settlement_type          = [[Census designated place]]
| image_skyline            = File:Murphys in Winter.jpg
| image_caption            = Murphys in Winter
| imagesize                = 250x200px
| image_seal               =
| image_map                = Calaveras_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Murphys_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 250x200px
| map_caption              = Location in [[Calaveras County, California|Calaveras County]] and the state of [[California]]
| image_map1               =
| mapsize1                 =
| map_caption1             =
| pushpin_map              = USA
| pushpin_map_caption      = Location in the United States
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = {{USA}}
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = {{flag|California}}
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in California|County]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Calaveras County, California|Calaveras]]
| government_type          =
| leader_title             =
| leader_name              =
| established_date         =
<!-- Area------------------>
| area_magnitude           =
| unit_pref                = US
| area_footnotes           = <ref>{{Cite US Gazetteer|2010|places|CA}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi         = 10.323
| area_land_sq_mi          = 10.321
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.002
| area_total_km2           = 26.738
| area_land_km2            = 26.732
| area_water_km2           = 0.006
| area_water_percent       = 0.02
| area_note                =
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref>{{Cite GNIS|277560|Murphys|access-date=January 8, 2015}}</ref>
| elevation_ft             = 2172
| elevation_m              = 662
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = <ref name="US Census Bureau 2020 Murphys, CA Population">{{cite web |title=US Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/all?q=Murphys%20CDP,%20California |website=www.census.gov |access-date=15 August 2024}}</ref>
| population_total         = 1995
| population_metro         =
| population_density_km2   = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific]]
| utc_offset               = -8
| coordinates              = {{coord|38|8|N|120|28|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
| timezone_DST             = [[Pacific Daylight Time|PDT]]
| utc_offset_DST           = -7
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code              = 95247, 95229
| area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
| area_code                = [[Area code 209|209]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
| blank_info               = {{FIPS|06|50034}}
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs
| blank1_info              = {{GNIS4|277560}}, {{GNIS4|2408892}}
| footnotes                = {{Designation list|embed=yes|designation1=California|designation1_number=275}}
| website                  =
}}
<ref name="US Census Bureau 2020 Murphys, CA Population">{{cite web |title=US Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/all?q=Murphys%20CDP,%20California |website=www.census.gov |access-date=15 August 2024}}</ref>'''Murphys''', originally '''Murphys New Diggings''' then '''Murphy's Camp''', is an unincorporated village located in the foothills of the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] mountains in [[Calaveras County, California|Calaveras County]], [[California]], [[United States]]. The population was 2,213 at the 2010 census, up from 2,061 at the 2000 census.

A former gold mining settlement, the main street today is lined with over two dozen wine tasting rooms and surrounded by local vineyards. Nearby attractions include [[Calaveras Big Trees State Park]], [[Bear Valley (resort)|Bear Valley Ski Resort]] and historic [[Mercer Caverns]]. The world's largest crystalline gold leaf is displayed just south of town at Ironstone Vineyards. The town also hosts an annual Irish Day parade and street fair every March on Main Street, with some years seeing over 35,000 people in attendance.

==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 />

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|10.3|sqmi|km2}}, 99.98% of it land.

===Climate===
This region experiences warm to very hot, dry summers, with average monthly temperatures above {{convert|71.6|F|C}}, and many days above {{convert|100|F|C}} during summer months. Winters are mild, with occasional light snowfall in the early months. According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Murphys has a [[Mediterranean climate#Warm-summer Mediterranean climate|warm-summer Mediterranean climate]], abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=82140&cityname=Murphys%2C+California%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Murphys, California]</ref>

==Demographics==

{{US Census population
|2020=1944
|2010=2213
|2000=2061
|footnote=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0650034|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715031927/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0650034|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Murphys CDP|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref><ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
}}

At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] Murphys had a population of 2,213. The population density was {{convert|214.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Murphys was 2,045 (92.4%) White, 9 (0.4%) African American, 17 (0.8%) Native American, 7 (0.3%) Asian, 10 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 82 (3.7%) from other races, and 43 (1.9%) from two or more races.  Hispanic or Latino of any race were 223 people (10.1%).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0650034|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715031927/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0650034|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Murphys CDP|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref>

The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized.

There were 1,053 households, 219 (20.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 505 (48.0%) were [[marriage|opposite-sex married couples]] living together, 81 (7.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 37 (3.5%) had a male householder with no wife present.  There were 41 (3.9%) [[POSSLQ|unmarried opposite-sex partnerships]], and 7 (0.7%) [[same-sex partnerships|same-sex married couples or partnerships]]. 378 households (35.9%) were one person and 226 (21.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.10.  There were 623 families (59.2% of households); the average family size was 2.70.

The age distribution was 401 people (18.1%) under the age of 18, 109 people (4.9%) aged 18 to 24, 327 people (14.8%) aged 25 to 44, 726 people (32.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 650 people (29.4%) who were 65 or older.  The median age was 54.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.0 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.5 males.

There were 1,256 housing units at an average density of {{convert|121.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}},of which 1,053 were occupied, 726 (68.9%) by the owners and 327 (31.1%) by renters.  The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.5%.  1,491 people (67.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 722 people (32.6%) lived in rental housing units.

[[Image:MurphysCAResidentsWall.jpg|thumb|right|Murphys' Famous Residents Wall]]

==Arts and culture==
===Annual cultural events===
Visit Murphys hosts the Irish Day parade and street fair in celebration of the town's Irish heritage the third Saturday of March and Dia de los Muertos is celebrated every first Saturday of November. The Calaveras Wine Alliance members host Spring Wine Weekend every fourth weekend in April and Grape Stomp every first Saturday in October. All member tasting rooms are open to the public.  The Calaveras County Fair held in neighboring [[Angels Camp, California|Angels Camp]] takes place the third weekend of May and features the Jumping Frog Jubilee made famous in the 1865 short story by Mark Twain, "[[The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County]]".<ref>Calaveras Wine Alliance</ref>

The Ironstone [[Concours d'Elegance]] car show is held annually in Murphys at Ironstone Vineyards every September. Proceeds from the event benefit the [[4-H Club]] and [[Future Farmers of America]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Leven|first=Michael|title=2010 Ironstone Concours d'Elegance|journal=[[Sports Car Market]]|date=January 2011|page=38}}</ref>
Ironstone also hosts a summertime concert series every year. Past seasons have featured acts such as Coldplay, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, The Doobie Brothers, Earth, Wind & Fire, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bryan Adams, B. B. King, Huey Lewis and the News, Steely Dan, and ZZ Top.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

===Places of interest===
[[Image:MurphysHotel.jpg|thumb|The historic [[Murphys Hotel]]. 2007]]
*[[Murphys Hotel]] (CHL #267), one of the oldest continually operating [[hotel]]s in California. Its historic register contains such names as [[Ulysses S. Grant]] and [[Mark Twain]].
*The [[Old mining camp of Brownsville]] (CHL #465) sits just southwest of the town. Brownsville was a mining camp on rich Pennsylvania Gulch in the 1850s and 1860s. The camp was named for Alfred Brown, former owner of Table Mountain Ranch. Laws of the Brownsville mining district provided that each miner could own one wet and one dry claim, not to exceed {{convert|150|sqft|m2}} each
*The [[Peter L. Traver Building]] (CHL #466) is the oldest stone building in Murphys. Its iron shutters and sand on the roof protected it from the fires of 1859, 1874, and 1893. It served as a general store, a [[Wells Fargo]] office, and later a garage.  Today, it houses a [[not-for-profit]] museum documenting Murphys' gold-rush history.
*[[Mercer Caverns]]
* The "[[Moaning Cavern]]"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.caverntours.com/MoCavRt.htm|title = Cave and Mine Adventures -}}</ref>
[[File:California-Murphys-Mercer cave2.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Mercer Caverns]]]]
*Murphys is also known for its vineyards and wines. There are 25 tasting rooms along Main Street.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

==Politics==
In the [[California State Legislature|state legislature]], Murphys is in {{Representative|casd|4|fmt=sdistrict}},<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=https://sd04.senate.ca.gov/district
 |title=Senate District 4
 |access-date=June 26, 2023
 |publisher=State of California}}</ref> and {{Representative|caad|8|fmt=adistrict}}.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=https://assembly.ca.gov/ad8
 |title=Members Assembly
 |access-date=June 26, 2023
 |publisher=State of California}}</ref> Federally, Murphys is in {{Representative|cacd|5|fmt=district}}.<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|5|access-date=June 26, 2023}}</ref>

==Notable residents==
* [[Albert Abraham Michelson]], the first American to receive the Nobel in the sciences, grew up in Murphy's Camp and [[Virginia City, Nevada|Virginia City]], Nevada. The elementary school is named for him.

==See also==
*[[California Historical Landmarks in Calaveras County]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category}}

==External links==
* {{gnis|277560}}
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Murphys-California.html http://www.city-data.com/city/Murphys-California.html City Data - Murphys, CA]

{{Calaveras County, California}}
{{California Historical Landmarks in Calaveras County, California}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places established in 1848]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Calaveras County, California]]
[[Category:California Historical Landmarks]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in California]]