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Martin Murphy House

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Coordinates: 37°22′56″N 122°1′33″W / 37.38222°N 122.02583°W / 37.38222; -122.02583
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Martin Murphy House
Bay View or Home Of Martin Murphy, Jr.
Postcard of the Martin Murphy Jr. Homestead
Location252 North Sunnyvale Avenue, Sunnyvale, California, US
Coordinates37°22′56″N 122°1′33″W / 37.38222°N 122.02583°W / 37.38222; -122.02583
FounderMartin Murphy Jr.
Built1850 (1850)
Original useHome
Demolished1961
Official nameHome of Martin Murphy Jr.
DesignatedMary 22, 1960
Reference no.644
Martin Murphy House is located in San Jose, California
Martin Murphy House
Location in Santa Clara County

The Martin Murphy House, was a historic home located in Santa Clara County, California. It was the residence of Martin Murphy, Jr., who journeyed to California with his family in 1844, as part of the first wagon train to cross the Sierra Nevada. As the founder of Sunnyvale, Murphy had the house constructed using prefabricated lumber that had been transported around the Cape Horn in 1849. This house was the first frame house in Santa Clara County. The Murphy family maintained their residency in this house until 1953 when the city of Sunnyvale took ownership of the property. In 1961, a fire destroyed the house. The California Historical Landmark #644 now marks the location of Murphy's residence at Murphy Park in Sunnyvale.[1][2]

History

Martin Murphy Jr. (1807-1884) built Murphy House and founder of Sunnyvale, California.
Replica of the Murphy House, Sunnyvale.

Martin Murphy Jr. (1807-1884) came to California with his family in 1844, becoming part of a pioneering wagon train that was the first to cross the Sierra Mountains in 1844. The Stephens–Townsend–Murphy Party wagon train was composed of the Stephenson family, Townsend family, and the Murphy family, and used oxen to pull their covered wagons.[3][1] Murphy's father, Martin Murphy Sr., (1785-1865) is known for founding the town of San Martin South of San Jose. He and his family were from County Wexford, Ireland.[3][4][5]

In 1849, Murphy Jr. relocated to the Santa Clara Valley and purchased half of the Rancho Pastoria de las Borregas from Mariano Castro for $12,500 (equivalent to $457,800 in 2023), in present day Sunnyvale. Murphy established a wheat farm and cattle ranch. In 1850, he commissioned a prefabricated wood-frame house from a lumber mill in New England. He arranged for it to be shipped around Cape Horn and then reconstructed on his newly acquired property. This house was the first frame house in Santa Clara County. In honor of its unobstructed view of the southern region of San Francisco Bay, the Murphy family renamed it "Bay View." The 20-room home was located at 252 North Sunnyvale Avenue.[6][7][8][3] He and his wife Mary Bolger had eleven children. His sons John Murphy (1824-1892)[9] and Daniel Murphy found gold and started a mining town called Murphys, California.[10][11]

The Murphy family maintained their residency in this house until 1953 when the city of Sunnyvale took ownership of the property. The building became infested with termites and subsequently endured a fire, resulting in significant scorching and water damage. In 1954, most of city council members leaned towards supporting demolition, despite facing opposition from concerned citizens. In 1956, the Sunnyvale Historical Society, now known as the Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum, spearheaded the effort to save the home.[1][6]

California State Historical Landmark #644

Martin Murphy Home plaque

On May 22, 1960, the California State Park Commission in cooperation with the city of Sunnyvale and the Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum erected a commemorative plaque, that designates this site as California Historical Landmark #644, the homesite of Martin Murphy, Jr. The marker is at 250 North Sunnyvale Avenue, in Sunnyvale.[6][1][12][12][13]

The house was demolished in 1961 due to extensive damage following a fire.[14][15] The Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum constructed a replica of the Murphy House next to the Sunnyvale Community Center, and was dedicated and opened in September, 2008.[16]

A small museum was established in Murphy Park with the purpose of safeguarding and showcasing preserved artifacts from the Murphy house and other aspects Sunnyvale's history.[17]

The inscription on the plaque reads:

Martin Murphy, Jr., arrived in California with his family in 1844 in the first wagon train to cross the Sierra Nevada. The founder of Sunnyvale, he constructed here his house of pre-fabricated lumber brought around the Horn in 1849. Members of the Murphy family lived here continuously until 1953, when the property was acquired by the City of Sunnyvale.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Home of Martin Murphy, Jr". The Historical Marker Database. Sunnyvale, California. May 22, 1960. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  2. ^ "Martin Murphy Home and Estate (Site)". Office of Historic Preservation. April 28, 1958. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "The Murphy Story". Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum.
  4. ^ "Pioneering Murphy Family Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org.
  5. ^ Hoover, Mildred B.; Rensch, Hero; Rensch, Ethel; Abeloe, William N. (1966). Historic Spots in California. Stanford University Press. ISBN 978-0-8047-4482-9.
  6. ^ a b c Koning, Ben; Metz, Anneke (2011). Sunnyvale. Arcadia Pub. p. 118. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  7. ^ Ignoffo, Mary Jo (1955). Sunnyvale: From the City of Destiny to the Heart of Silicon Valley. Cupertino, California: California History Center & Foundation. pp. 6–11. ISBN 9780935089172. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  8. ^ "Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum - The Murphy Family Story". www.heritageparkmuseum.org.
  9. ^ "John Murphy (1824-1892)". The Historical Marker Database. Murphys, California. 1848. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  10. ^ "Murphys, California". Western Mining History. Murphys, California. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  11. ^ News-Sentinel, Ralph Lea and Christi KennedySpecial to the (October 1, 2004). "Pioneering brothers: Murphys struck gold and built town". Lodinews.com.
  12. ^ a b "Historic Sites and Points of Interest in Santa Clara County: Murphy Estate Site". NoeHill Travels in California. Sunnyvale, California. May 22, 1960. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  13. ^ "CA-644 Home of Martin Murphy, Jr". photos.historical-markers.org. Sunnyvale, California. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  14. ^ Cody Kraatz (October 9, 2008). "Hundreds attend opening of new Sunnyvale museum". The Mercury News. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  15. ^ Spencer Michels (September 23, 1961). "Historic Murphy home headed for axe". The Peninsula Times Tribune. Palo Alto, California. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  16. ^ "Museum Construction]". Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  17. ^ "About Sunnyvale". Sunnyvale Heritage Park. Sunnyvale, California. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
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Category:1850 establishments in California Category:Cities in Santa Clara County, California Category:History of Santa Clara County, California Category:Populated places established in 1850

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