The county seat of Rutherford County, about 34 miles southeast of downtown Nashville.
01 — At a Glance
Murfreesboro is the county seat of Rutherford County, about 34 miles southeast of downtown Nashville, and the 2020 census counted 152,769 residents. It served as the state capital from 1818 to 1826 and is home to Middle Tennessee State University.
Murfreesboro covers 39.2 square miles, by Census Bureau figures, in Rutherford County, with the West Fork of the Stones River flowing through the city. The 2020 census counted 152,769 residents, and the city is both the center of population and the geographic center of Tennessee.
Sources: Wikipedia: Murfreesboro, Tennessee (U.S. Census Bureau figures) · City of Murfreesboro · National Park Service: Stones River
02 — History
1811
In October 1811 the Tennessee General Assembly picked the site for a new Rutherford County seat, first named Cannonsburgh. A month later it was renamed Murfreesborough for Colonel Hardy Murfree, and the shorter Murfreesboro arrived with the town charter in January 1812.
1818
Murfreesboro served as the capital of Tennessee from 1818 until 1826, when Nashville took the role.
1862
The Battle of Stones River was fought near the city from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863. The Stones River National Battlefield now preserves the site, along with major portions of the Fortress Rosecrans earthworks.
1911
The state created Middle Tennessee State Normal School in 1911. It became a four-year college in 1925 and Middle Tennessee State University in 1965.
03 — Places
A national park that memorializes the Battle of Stones River, fought from December 31, 1862, to January 3, 1863.
A hands-on center beside Murfree Spring, listed among the city’s points of interest.
Collections and exhibits of the first school in Rutherford County.
An outdoor lifestyle center, with Stones River Mall nearby for traditional shopping.
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