Like many other mining towns, fire was its bane and the town was destroyed three times by flames, in 1859, 1874, and 1893. After the second major fire, there was little gold left to mine, and so the town was never rebuilt to its boomtown condition. However, Murphys continued to thrive as a merchant center, supplying many of the silver mines in Nevada with provisions via Ebbetts Pass. The town is registered as California Historical Landmark #275. A Hall of Comparative Ovations built by a chapter of the clampers still stands in Murphys. There is a Wall of Comparative Ovations at the Old Timers Museum on Main Street. The plaques on the wall are installed and maintained by members of E Clampus Vitus.