Murray

Murray Community Profile

Murray City isn’t all that it seems; as the locals like to say, “There’s more to Murray.”

Known for its central location in Salt Lake County, Murray is a unique, proud, and independent city that is growing rapidly in the tailwind of the Salt Lake boom. Murray is unlike most of its neighboring communities in that it operates its own police, fire, power, water, library, and parks and recreation departments. It also has its own school district.

In spite of all those independent amenities, Murray has one of the lowest city tax rates in the state. Murray is also home to the Intermountain Medical Center, an immense medical campus that is also the city’s largest employer.

Murray isn’t strictly about business, though. It’s also home to several professional and amateur performing-arts groups, which are just some of the hidden cultural gems in the city. The Desert Star Playhouse, located in the historic Iris Theatre, is noted for its community-based plays that delight its loyal following with straightforward humor and satire.

Additionally, the historic Murray Theatre hosts a variety of performances, primarily musical, throughout the year, and has hosted screenings for the Slamdance Film Festival. The city-sponsored Murray Park Amphitheatre also hosts summertime plays in the cozy outdoor setting of Murray Park, which is a popular event for families of all sizes and ages.

Murray School District

The Murray City School District was created on January 1, 1906 and has ten schools: Seven elementaries, two middle schools, and one high school.

Murray High School is a 4-A school in Utah’s 5 Division high school sports leagues (1A being the smallest; 5A the largest). Coincidentally, the school was used to film parts of the High School Musical movie series for the Walt Disney Company.

When residents on the eastern boundary of Murray annexed themselves into the city in 2004, three Granite School District schools were included: Cottonwood High School, Twin Peaks Elementary, and Woodstock Elementary School. No school district boundaries were changed due to this annexation.

Also worth mentioning is Murray’s one major private school, Mount Vernon Academy. Founded in 1975, it is fully accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. Mt. Vernon offers a complete educational program for grades Pre-K through 12.

You can visit GreatSchools.org for more information, including parent reviews on all the schools within the Murray area.

History

Before being permanently settled by Mormon pioneers in 1848, the area now known as Murray City was a natural area that served as the seasonal home of Paiute, Shoshone, and Bannock Native American tribes. The tribes camped along creek banks and stream beds during their migrations, leaving artifacts of their encampments along the Jordan River, some near Willow Pond Park in Murray.

A year after the Mormon pioneers settled the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, branches of the group called the Mississippi Saints began to develop a scattered settlement in the south end of the valley. At the time, the area was distinguished by names such as the Mississippi Ward, Cottonwood, Big Cottonwood, and South Cottonwood. By the 1860s, written records tell us that at least 20 families were living in the area known today as Murray City.