Murphys, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Murphys
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Murphys in Winter
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Location in Calaveras County and the state of California
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 Murphys, California
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Calaveras |
| Area | |
| • Total | 10.323 sq mi (26.738 km2) |
| • Land | 10.321 sq mi (26.732 km2) |
| • Water | 0.002 sq mi (0.006 km2) 0.02% |
| Elevation | 2,172 ft (662 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,995 |
| • Density | 193.26/sq mi (74.613/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
95247, 95229
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| Area code | 209 |
| FIPS code | 06-50034 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 277560, 2408892 |
| Reference #: | 275 |
Murphys, once known as Murphys New Diggings and then Murphy's Camp, is a small village in the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is located in Calaveras County, California, United States. In 2020, about 1,995 people lived there.
This area used to be a busy gold mining town. Today, its main street has many wine tasting rooms. You can also find local vineyards all around. Nearby, you can visit Calaveras Big Trees State Park and Mercer Caverns. The world's largest crystalline gold leaf is on display nearby at Ironstone Vineyards. Murphys also hosts a big Irish Days parade and street fair every March. Sometimes, over 35,000 people come to enjoy the fun!
Contents
History of Murphys
Early Days and the Gold Rush
The Miwok people originally lived in the area around Murphys. In 1844, brothers John and Daniel Murphy were part of the first group to bring wagons across the Sierra Nevada mountains. They were merchants, but like many others, they started looking for gold when the California Gold Rush began.
They first prospected in a place called "Murphys Old Diggings." In 1848, they moved to a new spot, which became "Murphys New Diggings." This place was later called "Murphy's Camp" and finally "Murphys" in 1935.
Gold Mining and Wealth
The gold mining in Murphys was very successful. Miners found a lot of gold, even though their claims were small. The Murphy brothers made a lot of money as merchants, selling supplies to miners. John Murphy became very rich and left town in 1849. He never returned.
About $20 million in gold was found in Murphys and the nearby areas. Some of the richest mining spots were named Owlsburg and Owlburrow Flat.
A Tourist Destination
Murphys also became a popular place for tourists. People came to see the giant giant sequoia trees in what is now Calaveras Big Trees State Park. These trees are still a major attraction today.
The famous writer John Muir visited Murphys. He wrote about the town in his book, The Mountains of California (1894):
"MURPHY'S CAMP is a curious old mining-town in Calaveras County, at an elevation of 2,400 feet (730 m) above the sea, situated like a nest in the center of a rough, gravelly region, rich in gold."
He described the area as a great place to study nature and geology.
Fires and Rebuilding
Like many mining towns, Murphys suffered from fires. The town was destroyed three times: in 1859, 1874, and 1893. After the second big fire, there wasn't much gold left to mine. So, the town was not rebuilt to its earlier "boomtown" size.
However, Murphys continued to be an important trading center. It supplied many silver mines in Nevada with goods. The town is recognized as California Historical Landmark #275. A group called the "clampers" (part of E Clampus Vitus) built a "Hall of Comparative Ovations" here. There is also a "Wall of Comparative Ovations" at the Old Timers Museum on Main Street.
The first post office opened in 1851 as Murphy's. The name changed to Murphy in 1894, and then to Murphys in 1935.
Geography and Climate
Location and Size
Murphys covers an area of about 10.3 square miles (27 km2). Almost all of this area is land.
Weather Patterns
Murphys has warm to very hot and dry summers. Temperatures often go above 100 °F (38 °C) during summer months. Winters are mild, and sometimes there is light snowfall early in the season. This type of weather is known as a warm-summer Mediterranean climate.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 2,061 | — | |
| 2010 | 2,213 | 7.4% | |
| 2020 | 1,944 | −12.2% | |
In 2010, Murphys had a population of 2,213 people. Most of the people living in Murphys were White (92.4%). About 10.1% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino. The median age in Murphys was 54.1 years. This means half the people were older than 54.1, and half were younger.
Fun Things to Do in Murphys
Yearly Events and Festivals
Murphys hosts many fun events throughout the year:
- Presidents Weekend Open House (February): Wine Alliance members open their tasting rooms.
- Passport Weekend (June): Another chance to visit local tasting rooms.
- Vineyard Tour (July): Explore the beautiful vineyards.
- Grape Stomp (October): A fun event where people stomp grapes at Murphys Park. There's also a street fair.
- Irish Days (March): A parade and street fair celebrating the town's Irish history.
- Dia de los Muertos (November): Celebrated on Main Street.
The Calaveras County Fair is held in nearby Angels Camp every May. It features the famous Jumping Frog Jubilee, made popular by Mark Twain's story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County".
Car Shows and Concerts
The Ironstone Concours d'Elegance car show happens every year at Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys. This event helps raise money for the 4-H Club and Future Farmers of America. Ironstone also has a summer concert series. Many famous musicians have performed there, like Coldplay, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, and ZZ Top.
Interesting Places to Visit
- Murphys Hotel (CHL #267): This is one of California's oldest hotels that is still open. Famous people like Ulysses S. Grant and Mark Twain have stayed here.
- The Old mining camp of Brownsville (CHL #465): Just southwest of Murphys, this was a rich mining camp in the 1850s and 1860s.
- The Peter L. Traver Building (CHL #466): This is the oldest stone building in Murphys. Its strong iron shutters and sand on the roof helped it survive the big fires. Today, it is a museum about Murphys' gold-rush history.
- Mercer Caverns and The "Moaning Cavern": These are amazing underground caves you can explore.
- Wineries and Tasting Rooms: Murphys is famous for its vineyards and wines. There are 25 wine tasting rooms right on Main Street.
Famous People from Murphys
- Albert Abraham Michelson: He was the first American scientist to win a Nobel Prize. He grew up in Murphy's Camp. The local elementary school is named after him.
See also
In Spanish: Murphys (California) para niños
