Murfreesboro, TN

Murfreesboro began as an agricultural area, growing primarily corn, cotton, and tobacco. In the 1850s, the area became home to three colleges, which attracted substantial development to the area. Following World War II, the Murfreesboro economy was driven by manufacturing and industry, resulting in increased expansion. From 1990 to 2000, the population grew from approximately 45,000 to 69,000. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Murfreesboro in the year 2006 was approximately 93,000.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Murfreesboro is known for its low unemployment rate. Large employers in the area include:

• The Rutherford County Government
• Middle Tennessee State University
• State Farm Operation Center
• The Middle Tennessee Medical Center
• The Ingram Book Company
• Whirlpool

Murfreesboro is also home to the Murfreesboro Gateway, a 400-acre business park that includes approximately a half-million square feet of office space. The Murfreesboro Gateway is also home to an 18-hole, championship-caliber golf course.

In 2006, Money Magazine included Murfreesboro in its annual rankings of "Top 100 Places to Live," while Business Week ranked the city among the best places to raise children in a 2008 survey.

EDUCATION

Murfreesboro boasts several prominent universities and colleges:

• Middle Tennessee State University, known as MTSU
• Motlow State Community College
• Draughons Junior College
• Middle Tennessee Barber & Styling College

SHOPPING

There are many shopping opportunities in Murfreesboro, from small specialty boutiques to a full shopping mall:

• Stones River Mall is a newly renovated indoor mall that boasts Italian tile floors.
• The Avenue of Murfreesboro is an outdoor shopping center that features specialty boutiques that offer affordable luxury and elegance to its patrons.
• Outlets LTD is an enclosed outlet mall that houses many popular retailers.
• Downtown Murfreesboro is also home to a range of specialty shops, boutiques, and restaurants.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

• Blackman Farm: This neighborhood is predominantly comprised of new-construction houses.
• Stewart Springs: The popularity of this rapidly-growing residential area offers proof of the city's vitality.
• Liberty Village: Located on the north side of Murfreesboro, Liberty Village is predominantly comprised of town homes, most of which are designed for singles or young families.
• Valley View: This neighborhood offers some of the most prestigious addresses in Murfreesboro. Constructed on the west end of the city, this area boasts a central common area with a gazebo and playground.

BEST BETS

• Art in the Rotunda: Located in City Hall, Art in the Rotunda provides artists with a forum to highlight their work.
• Bradley Academy Museum & Cultural Center: This museum is located in what was one of the area's first schools. In the 1880s, the original building was renovated to become the only school for African American students in Murfreesboro. Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, the school also served as important meeting place for the city's African-American residents. Now the museum showcases the county's history with displays that include a heritage classroom and the original auditorium.
• Children's Discovery House: A hands-on museum and nature center, the Children's Discovery House is dedicated to educating children through creative play and exploration.
• Oaklands Museum: This is a nationally registered landmark that showcases Italianate architecture and gives testimony to the elegance and prosperity of the Old South, as well as the hardships residents endured during the Civil War.
• Stones River National Battlefield: Located on Old Nashville Highway, this area marks the location of one of the bloodiest battles fought in the Civil War. The battle was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863; in the conflict's aftermath, the Confederate Army not only withdrew from the area, but also ceded control of Middle Tennessee to the Union. The battlefield shows the rugged terrain soldiers had to confront, along with replicas of military equipment and a Civil War cemetery. The cemetery is home to the Hazen Brigade Monument, the oldest U.S. Civil War monument that still stands in its original location.
• Cannonsburgh Pioneer Village: This site is a reproduction of a traditional nineteenth-century pioneer town. Visitors are welcome to explore the village's old-fashioned doctor's office, church, one-room schoolhouse, log homes, town hall, museum, and farming equipment exhibition. Live demonstrations show visitors a working blacksmith shop and a gristmill.
• Main Street Jazzfest: This annual festival showcases the community's vibrant musical culture, featuring performances by local high school bands, visiting jazz legends, and other musicians.

FUN FACTS

The following is a list of notable Murfreesboro natives:

• Winfield Scott Featherston, Confederate general
• Jean McArthur, wife of General Douglas MacArthur
• Sarah Childress Polk, First Lady of the United States, wife of President James Polk
• Grantland Rice, sportswriter
• Margaret Rhea Seddon, astronaut
• Chad Chaffin, NASCAR driver
• Bart Gordon, Democratic representative in the United States Congress
• David Price, major league baseball pitcher