The area was in the heart of the Cherokee Nation at the time the boundary lines were drawn through the territory. Not until after the Cherokee were removed in 1838-1839 did white settlers enter the county in large numbers. Spring Place had been established in 1801 as a Moravian mission to the Cherokees and had been a post office since 1810-the second oldest in North Georgia. Soon after the Cherokee “Trail of Tears,” the white people who had drawn or purchased Murray County lots of 160 acres in the Georgia Land Lottery were pouring into the area.

Life drifted along in Murray for three-quarters of a century. The area was completely agricultural and somewhat secluded since the only railroad went through Dalton, the county seat of Whitfield, which had been formed from Murray in 1851. Since Murray had no industry and little wealth, the county was primarily undisturbed during the War Between the States, with only a handful of raids taking place here, but hundreds of Murray Countians fought in the conflict (on both sides). During Reconstruction, Murray residents had financial problems and a significant number migrated to the West to being new lives.

With the dawn of a new century, new life came to Murray County. At last industry and transportation arrived. Two earlier attempts at building a railroad had failed, but the third time was a charm as the Louisville and Nashville line ran along the foot of the mountains the entire length of the county by 1906. Murray would never be the same as new towns sprang up and old towns changed their names as the county boasted at least seven rail stops and new businesses were begun. Time could be shipped out of the mountains and the talc deposits, discovered in the 1870’s could be mined and the ore shipped all over the country.

Unfortunately (for some anyway), the railroad had by-passed the old town of Spring Place and amidst the new opportunities for prosperity, dissention tore the county apart as a fight to move the county seat to the new boom town of Chatsworth began. The bitterness surrounding a controversial election in 1912, which resulted in the naming of Chatsworth as the seat of the local government, divided the county for many years.

Into the 20th Century, Murray remained predominantly agricultural and most residents managed to weather the storms of the Great Depression, but the arrival of the Civilian Conservation Corps sure helped. Shortly after World War II a new era began- the textile mills of Whitfield County began spilling over into Murray and what was once an inside occupation for farm families during the winter, became a billion-dollar industry. Murray Countians produced thousands of bedspreads yearly and easily made the transition to carpet in the 1970’s

As textiles became kind, the talc and lumber industry continued. Other economic boosts came, too, such as the building of the Carters Dam complex in the 1960’s. Murray County progresses and yet remembers its rich heritage.

The old county seat of Spring Place has been a historic Georgia township since 1996. It is the home of the nationally famous Vann House, built in 1804 as the home of town chief James Vann. The Vanns, of mixed Cherokee and Scottish ancestry, were quite wealthy and had the first brick mansion in North Georgia and hosted President James Monroe in 1819. The Vann House has been operated as historic site since 1958. A new interpretive center opened in 2001 and additional land from the original Vann plantation has recently been acquired to allow further preservation. Nearby, the old Moravian Mission Cemetery has been restored too. The local historical society has also preserved the Old Spring Place Methodist Church. Built in 1875, the church is now the county’s oldest public building. It contains a museum/archives and along with several century old houses is part of a new historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.

Chatsworth still boasts its railroad depot (built in 1905 and under restoration on a new site), several early stores, the Wright Hotel (1909), and the beautiful Doric columned courthouse (1916). Both the courthouse and the Hotel are listed on the National Register with more listings pending. On Green Road stands the well known “rock building”, the first home of Murray County High School. This structure stands not only as the alma mater of thousands of residents, but also as symbol of progress in education through the school consolidation program. The 1934 building was constructed by WPA labor during the Depression from native stone. It was added to the National Register in 2004 and will eventually be restored to become the V.C. Pickering Administrative Complex for the Murray County School System.

Overlooking Chatsworth is beautiful Fort Mountain, so named because of the old stone wall that encircles its summit. Although not ever really a “fort”, the ancient wall predates even the earliest Cherokees. It is on the National register of Historic Places as well. The CCC constructed a nearby stone observation tower.

North of Chatsworth on U.S. Highway 411 a number of historic homes and the town well are preserved at Eton while the people of Cisco have saved their old school and post office. South of Chatsworth is the Dennis Mill at Ramhurst. The mill, built before the Civil War by Dennis Johnson operated until well into the 20th century.

Still farther south on the Coosawattee River is Carters. Though few signs remain of prehistoric settlement, this is probably the oldest continuously inhabited area of the county. The town was the capital of the Chiefdom of Coosa when Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto reached the spot in the 1540’s. After Cherokee Removal, a wealthy Georgia planted and merchant, Farish Carter accumulated thousands of acres of land in the area. Mr. Carter gave his name to this community as well as to the city of Cartersville in Bartow County. His descendants will own part of his plantation and the home, called Carter’s Quarter and Rock Spring. Originally owned by a Cherokee, George Harlan, the house (built around 1803) has also been placed on the National Register. Murray County does indeed have a rich heritage.