| Murphy, Idaho | |
| Settlement Type: | Census-designated place |
| Pushpin Map: | Idaho#USA |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Locationof Murphy |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Idaho |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Owyhee |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 3.839 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 3.839 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 96 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Timezone: | Mountain (MST) |
| Utc Offset: | -7 |
| Timezone Dst: | MDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -6 |
| Elevation Ft: | 2820 |
| Coordinates: | 43.2183°N -116.5522°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP codes |
| Postal Code: | 83650 |
| Area Code: | 208, 986 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 16-55720 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
Murphy is a census-designated place in, and the county seat of, Owyhee County, Idaho, United States.[1] It is among the smallest of county seats nationwide, with a population as of the 2020 census of 96.[2] [3] Murphy is part of the Boise City - Nampa, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area. Murphy is also located within the census-designated place bearing its name. Murphy is home to the Owyhee County Historical Museum and Library.
Murphy developed around a railhead of the Boise, Nampa and Owyhee Railroad, built in 1899 by Colonel William H. Dewey. Dewey had planned to extend the railroad to Silver City, but when mining operations in the Owyhee Mountains became unproductive, the line was not continued past Murphy. The railroad operated until 1947.[4]
By a narrow margin, Owyhee County voters selected Murphy as county seat in 1934, succeeding Silver City (which was located in the Owyhee Mountains and had been in decline; it is now defunct).[5] Although the county seat was moved to Murphy after the vote, and a new Owyhee County Courthouse was constructed in 1936, the Idaho State Legislature did not ratify the change of county seat until 1999. The error in the Idaho Code, discovered by county prosecutor G. Edward Yarbrough, was finally corrected by Senate Bill 1009.[6]
The community likely was named after Cornelius "Con" Murphy, a crew boss with the Boise, Nampa and Owyhee Railroad and foreman during construction of the Guffey Bridge in 1897.[4] Another source for the name may have been Pat Murphy, a Silver City mining engineer and friend of railroad owner Dewey.[7]
Murphy's population was estimated at 100 in 1909,[8] and was 50 in 1960.[9]
Murphy is located at 43.2183°N -116.5522°W,[10] at an elevation of 2820feet above sea level; it is 25miles south of Nampa.
According to the Köppen climate classification, Murphy has a cold semi arid climate (BSk).
Murphy's airstrip is situated immediately northeast of the community, without a control tower. Its 2500feet asphalt runway is oriented NW-SE (12/30),[11] parallel with State Highway 78. The elevation drops 60feet in the northwest (30) direction, from 2,855 to 2,795 feet.