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History · Murray

Murray’s post office opened in 1869, and 39% of its homes were built before 1940

1869first post office
0on the National Register
39%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: NPS Staff (Photo Credit: NPS) · Public domain
Quick answers

How Murray began

When was Murray founded?

1869

The Murray post office opened in 1869, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Oakland (1868), opened inside today’s city and later closed.

2020 census: 684157 years
Founding year: the first Murray post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Murray’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Murray are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Murray’s homes were built before 1958.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Murray’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Murray’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Murray came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Murray.

Read it all →

Murray was founded in 1868 as Oakland following the construction of the Burlington & Missouri River Rail Road through the State. The village was laid out in 1868 by Henry Clay Sigler (1830–1907) of Osceola 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. 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.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Murray, 1868 to 1900

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1868Post officeThe Oakland post office opens
  3. 1869Post officeThe Oakland post office closes
  4. 1869Post officeThe Murray post office opens
  5. 1898Born hereGlenn Parker is born here
  6. 20th century
  7. 1900Born hereMeridel Le Sueur is born here
By decade

Murray, decade by decade

Today2 recent
IAMap-doton-Murray2004IAMap-doton-Murray19. Murray Trail Exhibits (Murray, Iowa) on the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail (2004)200419. Murray Trail Exhibits (Murray, Iowa) on the Mormo…
Famous people

2 famous people were born in Murray

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Meridel Le SueurAmerican writer and social activist · b. 1900
G
Glenn ParkerAmerican judge · b. 1898
Places that used to be

Lost post offices

Murray’s post office has been open since 1869. Another post office, Oakland, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Oakland
1868–1869
Murray
1869–today
18601940today

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Murray’s history

What year was Murray founded?

The Murray post office opened in 1869, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.