Murray

History

The city now known as Murray began as a post office and trading center sometime in the early 1820s. It was at first called “Williston” in honor of James Willis, an early settler. Later, the name was changed to “Pooltown” after Robert Pool, a local merchant. The name was changed again to “Pleasant Springs” before its incorporation on January 17, 1844, when the present name was adopted to honor Rep. John Murray. Murray was not the first county seat, which was at Wadesboro. Calloway County was then much larger than today. In 1842, however, the state legislature divided the area, creating Marshall County. It was felt that a more centrally located county seat was needed, and as the village of Murray was at the geographic center, it was chosen. A new courthouse was built along with a jail, and the town Murray was laid out on an plot subdivided into 137 business and residential lots divided by eight streets. Kentucky did not officially secede from the Union at the start during the Civil War, instead declaring its neutrality, but both Murray and Calloway County were strongly pro-Confederate. Calloway County was one of the counties that sent a delegate to the Russellville Convention signing an Ordinance of Secession in which the Confederate government of Kentucky was formed and Kentucky was admitted into the Confederacy on December 10, 1861, with Bowling Green as the first capital. This region fell under Confederate control early in the war. No major battles were fought near the town, but guerrilla warfare sometimes took place nearby. In the spring of 1862, a Union force stationed in Paducah marched across the county to the Tennessee River, taking anything it wanted from the inhabitants without paying. Also, parts of Murray were burned on several occasions. Once, part…

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Calloway County High School
  High · Murray · 856 students · 16.8:1 ratio
• Calloway County Middle School
  Middle · Murray · 674 students · 16.9:1 ratio
• Murray Middle School
  Middle · Murray · 653 students · 15.9:1 ratio
• North Calloway Elementary School
  Elementary · Murray · 573 students · 14:1 ratio
• Murray High School
  High · Murray · 553 students · 14.9:1 ratio
• Murray Elementary School
  Elementary · Murray · 544 students · 14.3:1 ratio
• Southwest Calloway Elementary School
  Elementary · Murray · 445 students · 14.8:1 ratio
• East Calloway Elementary School
  Elementary · Murray · 314 students · 13.7:1 ratio