Murphy, city in Collin County, Texas, United States
Murphy is a city in southern Collin County, Texas, about 5 miles east of Plano, with a mix of open land and small shops serving residents and families. The city has ten parks with trails, sports fields, and a large pond, plus a shopping center and community facilities that form the center of daily life.
Settlers came to the area starting in 1846, attracted by land offers from the Peters Colony, and the community was first called Old Decatur and later Maxwell's Branch. In 1888, the arrival of the railroad brought change and renamed the town Murphy, making it a shipping point for farmers and livestock traders until the Great Depression and farm mechanization caused the population to decline.
The town is named after William Murphy, who helped the railroad arrive in the 1800s, tying the community's identity to that era of growth. Today you can see this history reflected in local gatherings at parks and the shops in Murphy Marketplace, where residents connect to their small-town roots.
The city sits about 5 miles east of Plano on Farm Road 544, with easy access by car from nearby neighbors and main roads. Murphy Central Park offers trails and open spaces for walking, picnicking, and enjoying outdoor activities with family.
For decades after the railroad arrived in 1888, Murphy served as a shipping point where farmers loaded crops and livestock onto trains, giving the town its economic purpose. The post office closed in 1954 as the population shrank, but the place survived and later transformed into a residential community as people began commuting to nearby cities for work.
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