Murray Downtown Historic District facts for kids
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Murray Downtown Historic District
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Downtown Murray City, Circa 1920
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 Location in Utah
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by 4800 South, Poplar St., Vine St. and Center St., Murray, Utah |
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| Area | 20 acres (8.1 ha) |
| Built | 1898 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian Style/Art Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000928 (original) 100005563 (increase) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 26, 2006 |
| Boundary increase | November 5, 2020 |
The Murray Downtown Historic District is a special area in the heart of Murray, Utah, a city in Salt Lake County, Utah. It's like a time capsule that shows how Murray grew from a small farming area into a busy city. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006, which means it's recognized as an important historical site in the United States. Its boundaries were even expanded in 2020 because it's so significant!
Contents
A Glimpse into Murray's Past
How Murray Grew Up
The Murray Downtown Historic District is important because it tells the story of how the community developed. It shows how Murray changed from a small rural outpost to an industrial city. The downtown area became a busy urban center.
Murray is one of the few towns in Utah, and the only one in the Salt Lake Valley besides Salt Lake City, that has a mix of businesses and homes in its downtown. People actually lived on the upper floors of the commercial buildings!
A Diverse Community
The people living in Murray's city center were a mix of Utah-born residents and new immigrants. These immigrants came to Murray because of the smelter industry, which processed metals. This mix of people made the downtown area very lively.
The Look of Old Murray
The busy streets, especially along State Street, remind us of how important Murray's businesses were. This area was a major commercial hub in the south-central part of the valley. The district is also special because of its unique street design and the beautiful old buildings.
Many buildings show how "Main Street" changed over time. Between the 1920s and 1950s, many storefronts were updated. This was done to match the new architectural styles popular in America.
Old Buildings, New Stories
The buildings in the district show Murray's main construction periods. They still look much like they did between 1897 and 1956. This business district is next to the Murray Downtown Residential Historic District. That area, which has homes, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
Famous Buildings in the District
The district includes three buildings that were already listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These buildings are:
- The Warenski-Duvall Commercial Building and Apartments
- The Iris Theater (now known as the Desert Star Theater), which also had apartments and businesses
- The Murray Theater
Images for kids
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Downtown Murray, present day
