The first official post office was established in 1870 as the South Cottonwood Post Office . The area changed over time as the railroad came in , smelting expanded , the territorial road ( later known as State Street ) was established , and trolley transportation was developed . A business district also began to develop along the transportation corridor . ( See also Murray Downtown Historic District and Murray Downtown Residential Historic District . ) The army established Camp Murray in 1885 to house several companies of the Ninth Infantry Regiment . The army camp was meant to help protect the railroad and provide training . The short-lived camp 's most notable action was when General Alexander McDowell McCook and six divisions of the camp were ordered to escort Chinese nationals out of Evanston , Wyoming , due to the race riots that were happening among miners in Rock Springs , Wyoming . The camp was disbanded in the early 20th century
race riots
Rock Springs massacre
Murray, Utah