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Murray, Iowa

Coordinates: 41°02′29″N 93°56′56″W / 41.04139°N 93.94889°W / 41.04139; -93.94889
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Murray, Iowa
City
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail exhibit
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail exhibit
Motto: 
Murray Matters
Location of Murray, Iowa
Location of Murray, Iowa
Coordinates: 41°02′29″N 93°56′56″W / 41.04139°N 93.94889°W / 41.04139; -93.94889
Country United States
State Iowa
CountyClarke
Government
 • Type
Mayor – Council
 • Mayor
Jeffrey Dale Robbins
 • City
   Administrator
Denise Arnold (née Denise Rae Palmer)
Area
[1]
 • Total0.8 sq mi (2 km2)
 • Land0.8 sq mi (2 km2)
 • Water0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation
[2]
1,217 ft (371 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total684
 • Density855.00/sq mi (330.17/km2)
Time zone
8:48 am CDT [refresh]
ZIP code
50174
→ 501 + 74
Area code641
FIPS code19-55065
GNIS feature ID2395142[2]
Websitewww.murrayia.org

Murray is a city in Clarke County, Iowa, United States. The population was 684 at the time of the 2020 census.[3]

History[edit]

Murray was founded in 1868 as Oakland[4] following the construction of the Burlington & Missouri River Rail Road through the State.[5] The village was laid out in 1868 by Henry Clay Sigler (1830–1907) of Osceol and Smith Henderson Mallory (1835–1903) of Chariton. At that time, Oakland occupied a 120-acre (0.1875-square-mile) tract. The first U.S. Post Office in Oakland was established in the Fall of 1868 – In section 10, Troy Township. Albert ("Bert") Straub (1842–1897) was appointed postmaster November 27, 1868.[6][7][8][9] Straub had been a member of Company E of the 50th Illinois Infantry Regiment and served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Murray was incorporated as a city Thursday, October 21, 1880 – thirty-four years after Clarke County had been established by the Territorial Legislature (January 13, 1846). Murray's first City Council meeting was held December 7, 1880.[10][5] Alanson Bowers (1848–1922) served as founding mayor until March 1882.[11]

Geography[edit]

According to the United States Census Bureau, Murray has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2), all land.[1] The city is in western Clarke County, along the historic Mormon Trail.

Driving distances from Murray:

  1. Osceola, the Clarke County seat, is about 10 miles (16 km) east via U.S. Route 34.[12][13][a]
  2. Des Moines is about 57.6 miles (92.7 km) north via I-35.
  3. Omaha is about 122 miles (196 km) west via U.S. Route 34.

Demographics[edit]

Historical populations
YearPop.±%
1880491—    
1890666+35.6%
1900949+42.5%
1910796−16.1%
1920847+6.4%
1930828−2.2%
1940857+3.5%
1950767−10.5%
1960613−20.1%
1970620+1.1%
1980703+13.4%
1990731+4.0%
2000766+4.8%
2010756−1.3%
2020684−9.5%
Source: 2020 U.S. Census[14][15]

2010 census[edit]

As of the census[16] of 2010, there were 756 people, 310 households, and 200 families living in the city. The population density was 957.0 inhabitants per square mile (369.5/km2). There were 337 housing units at an average density of 426.6 per square mile (164.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.1% White, 0.5% African American, and 1.3% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.9% of the population.

There were 310 households, of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.5% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97.

The median age in the city was 36.8 years. 26.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.8% were from 25 to 44; 25.2% were from 45 to 64; and 14.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.

2000 census[edit]

As of the census[17] of 2000, there were 766 people, 308 households, and 218 families living in the city. The population density was 977.4 inhabitants per square mile (377.4/km2). There were 338 housing units at an average density of 431.3 per square mile (166.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.43% White, 0.65% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.13% from other races, and 0.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.31% of the population.

There were 305 households, out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.2% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,879, and the median income for a family was $37,083. Males had a median income of $27,583 versus $20,577 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,879. About 5.0% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people[edit]

Historical markers[edit]

Cemeteries[edit]

Murray[edit]

Northeast corner Section 7: northeast corner of Ferdinand D. Friday (1833–1920) 240 acre tract.
Troy Township, Section 15: about 4 acres in the southwest corner of the old William Harvey Dewey (1956–1946) 76 acre tract.
135th Avenue, at the northwest corner of Route 34 and County Road R16
41°01′40″N 93°56′44″W / 41.02780°N 93.94560°W / 41.02780; -93.94560
41°07′35″N 93°54′41″W / 41.12650°N 93.91150°W / 41.12650; -93.91150

See also[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

Annotations[edit]

  1. ^ On July 31, 1948, by way of a ceremony at Red Oak, Iowa — about 71 miles (114 km) west of Murray via US-34 — US Highway 34 (the part that runs through Iowa) was dedicated as the 34th Infantry Division Memorial Highway, for the Iowans who served in the Division during World War II. Signs with the Red Bull insignia for the 34th are posted along the highway, from Burlington, Iowa, to Plattsmouth, Nebraska. The insignia was designed in 1917 by an Iowan, Marvin Dorwart Cone (1891–1965), while serving in the U.S. Army at Camp Cody, New Mexico. (Des Moines Sunday Register, July 25, 2010. 162 (6). p. 7A)

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b "2023 Gazetteer Files".
  2. ^ a b GNIS, February 27, 2008.
  3. ^ US Census 2020.
  4. ^ Savage, 2007, p. 158.
  5. ^ a b Clarke County History, July 1886.
  6. ^ "Clarke County, Iowa", 2010.
  7. ^ Register, September 13, 1869, p. 414.
  8. ^ Kirkpatrick, 1975, p. 158.
  9. ^ Mott, October 1930, p. 459.
  10. ^ Murray History, 1968, p. 5.
  11. ^ University Journal, May 1922, p. 10.
  12. ^ "Map of Clarke County", 1875, p. 217.
  13. ^ Des Moines Sunday Register, July 25, 2010, p. 7A.
  14. ^ US Census Data, 2020.
  15. ^ Iowa State Data Center.
  16. ^ US Census 2010.
  17. ^ US Census 2000.
  18. ^ Hartley & Anderson, October 29, 2012, pp. 82–83.
  19. ^ a b Cemeteries in Clarke County, 1939.
  20. ^ a b Clark County Genealogical, 1997.

References[edit]

Books, journals, magazines, websites, papers
  • Cemeteries in Clarke County, Iowa (Graves Registration Project, Works Project Administration). 1939. Retrieved April 22, 2024. Via Internet Archive (Allen County Public Library). Free access icon. OCLC 43251790 (Vols. 1 & 2); OCLC 6113564 (Vols. 1 & 4).
    1. Vol. 1: "A–D".
    2. Vol. 1: "D–H".
    3. Vol. 3: "I–P".
    4. Vol. 4: "P–Z".
    1. Vol. 1.
    2. Vol. 2.
    1. Microfilm (filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah; 1976). Digital Genealogical Society No. 7579379; OCLC 865939525 (all editions).
    1. Via Google Books (University of Minnesota). Free access icon.
    2. Via Google Books (Penn State Libraries). Free access icon.
    1. Via Google Books (limited preview). Retrieved April 22, 2024.
    1. Via Google Books (University of Michigan).
    2. Via Hathitrust (University of Michigan).
    1. History of Murray (transcription). Retrieved February 22, 2014 – via The IAGenWeb Project.
    2. "Villages: Murray". pp. 525–531. Retrieved April 18, 2024 – via archive.org (Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, Indiana).Free access icon
    3. "Clark County Newspapers". Murray News (transcription). Retrieved February 22, 2014 – via The IAGenWeb Project. Free access icon
    4. "The Press". Murray News. pp. 488–489. Retrieved April 18, 2024 – via archive.org (Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, Indiana).Free access icon
News media
State & Federal socioeconomic and geographic data
    1. DP-1: "Profiles of General Demographic Characteristics: Iowa". May 2001. Free access icon. OCLC 60585236 (all editions)
      1. Via Census Bureau (PDF).
    2. PHC-1-17: "Summary Population and Housing Characteristics". October 2002. Retrieved April 22, 2024. OCLC 1129332479; OCLC 51273055 (all editions).
      1. Via Census Bureau (PDF). October 2002. Free access icon
      2. Via Google Books (Indiana University). October 2002. Free access icon
      3. Via Census Bureau. May 2002. OCLC 50448644 (all editions). Free access icon
    3. PHC-2-17: "Summary Social, Economic, and Housing Characteristics". March 2003. Retrieved April 22, 2024. OCLC 52299535 (all editions); OCLC 58926898 (all editions); OCLC 52369198 (all editions).
      1. Part 1 – via Census Bureau (PDF).
      2. Part 1 – via Google Books (University of Virginia).
      3. Part 2 – via Census Bureau (PDF).
      4. Part 2 – via Google Books (Indiana University).
      5. Part 2 – via Google Books (DIANE Publishing Co).
    4. PHC-3-17: "Population and Housing Unit Counts". July 2003. Retrieved April 22, 2024. OCLC 53171106 (all editions).
      1. Via Census Bureau (PDF). July 2003.
      2. Via Google Books (Indiana University). July 2003.
    1. CPH-1-17: "Summary Population and Housing Characteristics" (PDF). September 2012. Free access icon; OCLC 1023510171; OCLC 841795053 (all editions).
      1. Via Census Bureau (PDF).
    2. CPH-2-17: "Population and Housing Unit Counts" (PDF). August 2012. Free access icon; OCLC 1023510171; OCLC 841795053 (all editions).
      1. Via Census Bureau (PDF).


    1. Gazetter File → Type: "Places". State: "Iowa". Text file: "2023_gaz_place_19.txt". FIPS (GEOID) → State: 19; Place: 55065; Combined: 19–55065.
      1. "2010 Gazetteer Files".
      2. "2020 Gazetteer Files".
      3. "2023 Gazetteer Files".
    1. "Quick Facts, City Quick Facts": "Murray" (1 drop-down menu → select "Murray").
    2. "Data by Source, Decennial Census, Total Population": "Total Population for Murray: 1850–2020" (2 drop-down menues: 1. Geographic Level → select "City"; 2. Geographic Name → select "Murray").
Annals of Iowa
Editor from 1939 to 1947: Ora Clark Williams (1862–1955)
  1. Mott, David Charles (1858–1941) (October 1930). "Abandoned Towns, Villages and Post Offices of Iowa". Vol. 17, no. 6. pp. 435–465. Retrieved April 22, 2023.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link); doi:10.17077/0003-4827.5529 (article); OCLC 7790170116 (article index).
      1. Via Iowa Historical Society. Free access icon
      2. Via HathiTrust (University of Michigan). Free access icon

Atlases

    1. "Map of Clarke County, State of Iowa". p. 217. Free access icon. OCLC 699494886, 50799955 (map).
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