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A−History
History · Murfreesboro

Murfreesboro dates to 1787, and 14% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 82% of U.S. towns. What drives it

11 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 9 buildings. Below: maps from 1973 on and the census since 1860.

1787founded
11on the National Register
14%homes built before 1940
8famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Murfreesboro began

When was Murfreesboro founded?

1787

Murfreesboro dates its founding to 1787 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1860.

First census: 466 in 18602020 census: 2,619239 years

How historic is Murfreesboro?

A−

More historic than 82% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1795.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Murfreesboro’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Murfreesboro is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Murfreesboro’s overall grade.
Founding era1787, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194014.1% of homes (±5.7) · typical NC town 4.1% · U.S. 8.4%BNational Register11 listings, 24 historic buildings, 75.7 per 10,000 residents · typical NC town 12.5 · U.S. 2.4A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 82%
NewerOlder

North Carolina towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical North Carolina town has 12.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Murfreesboro’s 75.7 sits above most of its state (72% of North Carolina towns have fewer) while its 24 historic buildings outnumber those of 80% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.7 points). Two sources give 1787.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Murfreesboro’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 Murfreesboro are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 4,418 in 1970; 2,619 people lived here in 2020.Landmarks on the Register11 places on the National Register.Deep rootsEstablished in 1787: 239 years of Murfreesboro.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Murfreesboro’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Murfreesboro’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
People over time

Murfreesboro, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,500190019502000Peak: 4,418

Peaked at 4,418 in 1970; 2,619 people lived here in 2020.

17 censuses, 1860–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Murfreesboro’s Wikipedia page.

On the National Register

11 historic places in Murfreesboro

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
11
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
24
each building in a district counts
first listed
1970
William Rea Store
William Rea StoreColumns, TheFreeman HouseRoberts-Vaughan HouseJohn Wheeler HouseMelroseMyrick HouseMurfreesboro Historic DistrictDavid A. Barnes HouseMyrick-Yeates-Vaughan House, built 1855Cowper-Thompson House
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival4
Federal2
Vernacular1
Transitional Georgian1
William Rea StoreBuilding
Columns, TheGreek Revival
Freeman HouseBuilding
Roberts-Vaughan HouseGreek Revival
John Wheeler HouseBuilding
MelroseGreek Revival
Myrick HouseFederal
Murfreesboro Historic DistrictDistrict
All 11 listings
David A. Barnes HouseBuilding · listed 2014Myrick-Yeates-Vaughan HouseBuilding · listed 1983Cowper-Thompson HouseBuilding · listed 1992

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

The story

How Murfreesboro came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Murfreesboro.

Read it all →

The first recorded inhabitants of the area were Native Americans from the Nottoway, Meherrin and Chowanoke tribes.

The first European known to visit the area was John White of the Roanoke Colony in the 16th century. It was also visited by an expedition from Jamestown, Virginia, in the 17th century.

The last native inhabitants, the Chowanoke, were expelled after warring with the English in 1675 and 1676. After that, they were moved to a reservation east of the Chowan River in what is now Gates County.

ChaptersBefore European settlementColonial era to the American RevolutionRevolution to the American Civil War

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Murfreesboro, 1787 to 1973

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

  1. 18th century
  2. 1787
    FoundingMurfreesboro is established
  3. 1795Post officeThe Murfreesboro post office opens
  4. 19th century
  5. 1812Born hereWilliam Nathan Harrell Smith is born here
  6. 1855BuiltMyrick-Yeates-Vaughan House is built
  7. 1880Born hereJulian Myrick is born here
  8. 20th century
  9. 1957Born hereDwight Stephenson is born here
  10. 1970CensusPopulation peaks at 4,418
  11. 1971Born hereFred Vinson is born here
  12. 1973On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Murfreesboro, decade by decade

Today11 recent
Barnes Historical Marker2010Barnes Historical MarkerAgriculture & Transportation Museum2010Agriculture & Transportation MuseumAgriculture & Transportation Museum2010Agriculture & Transportation MuseumAgriculture & Transportation Museum2010Agriculture & Transportation MuseumAgriculture & Transportation Museum2010Agriculture & Transportation MuseumAgriculture & Transportation Museum2010Agriculture & Transportation Museum144 May 24-72010144 May 24-7144 May 24-62010144 May 24-6NCMap-doton-Murfreesboro2004NCMap-doton-MurfreesboroToilet and commode collection2002Toilet and commode collectionPhonograph collection2002Phonograph collection
On the map

Murfreesboro on the map, 1973 to 1985

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Murfreesboro. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Murfreesboro on the 1973 USGS mapMurfreesboro on the 1985 USGS map1973Murfreesboro sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Murfreesboro.

Famous people

8 famous people were born in Murfreesboro

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

See all →
D
Dwight StephensonPlayer of American football · b. 1957
William Nathan Harrell SmithAmerican politician · b. 1812
F
Fred VinsonAmerican basketball player-coach · b. 1971
J
Julian MyrickAmerican insurance salesman and tennis promoter · b. 1880
T
Tim CofieldAmerican football player · b. 1963
C
Curtis DeloatchPlayer of American football · b. 1981
Places that used to be

Old corners

Murfreesboro’s post office has been open since 1795.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Buena Vista

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

Questions about Murfreesboro’s history

What year was Murfreesboro founded?

In 1787, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Murfreesboro’s post office opened in 1795, and the census of 1860 counted 466 people here.

How does Murfreesboro rank for history?

Murfreesboro is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Murfreesboro?

11 listings: 10 buildings, among them the William Rea Store (listed 1970, the first), and 1 historic district, the Murfreesboro Historic District, with 9 contributing buildings. 24 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Murfreesboro?

14% of Murfreesboro’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.7 points), against a typical 4.1% for a North Carolina town; the median home was built in 1971.

Memory lane

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

Town Square →
Start a conversation
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).

From Wikimedia Commons (11), the National Register of Historic Places (11), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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.