Murphy School
Murphy, Collin County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Murphy was originally called Old Decatur after the hometown of founder C.A. McMillen. In 1888 the town was renamed Murphy after William Murphy donated land to build a train depot and a post office. The Federal Works Project Administration (WPA) built Murphy School in 1939, which because of consolidation lasted only until 1950. The city purchased the building and has used it as City Hall, a police department and a firehouse. Murphy School is a good example of a depression-era public education building and is the last historical building in Murphy from the 1950s. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark -- 2012
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Murphy started as 'Old Decatur,' renamed in 1888 after William Murphy donated land for a rail depot and post office. The Works Progress Administration built Murphy School here in 1939, though consolidation shuttered it as a school by 1950. The city later repurposed the sturdy Depression-era building as its city hall, police station, and firehouse.
Why it matters
It stands as a tangible legacy of the New Deal, when federal work programs left durable public schools across small-town America.
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Related people
- · William Murphy
- · C.A. McMillen
Themes & tags
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