Murray City marked a major milestone in its preservation and cultural revitalization efforts with the grand opening of the Murray Museum on May 2. Housed in the newly restored historic John P. Cahoon Mansion, the museum welcomed visitors with a day-long open house, a ribbon-cutting ceremony with city officials, and a community block party hosted in partnership with the Murray Downtown Alliance.

The opening event attracted families, history buffs and longtime residents eager to explore the city’s newest cultural anchor. Located at the southeast corner of City Hall at 4872 Poplar St., the museum has found a permanent home in a building with deep roots in Murray’s history. The festivities included period reenactors portraying the Cahoon family, interactive exhibits and family-friendly crafts and activities, including Lego kits, coloring pages and a geocache treasure hunt.

The opening celebration also coincided with the announcement that the Murray Museum had received the 2025 Community Stewardship Award from Preservation Utah, one of the state’s highest honors for preservation work. The award recognizes the city’s extensive efforts to restore the Victorian-era Cahoon Mansion and repurpose it as a modern, accessible and educational public space.

Preservation Utah praised the rehabilitation project, noting, “Cahoon Mansion, constructed between 1899 and 1903, is a prominent architectural landmark in Murray, Utah, and holds significant historical value as part of the Murray City Center District. This Victorian-style mansion was the home of John P. Cahoon, a key figure in the region’s development. Cahoon was a pioneering businessman who founded the Interstate Brick Company and played a critical role in bringing electricity to homes and businesses in Murray through his involvement with the Progress Company.”

The mansion features hallmark Victorian elements, including tall windows, decorative stonework, intricate woodwork and original fireplaces. The interior boasts 12-foot ceilings, leaded glass and period-appropriate furnishings. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, the mansion remained a symbol of Murray’s past even as it transitioned to its new role as a public museum.

The museum’s transformation began in 2019 when the city sold its former City Hall, which had previously housed the museum’s collections. With that sale, Murray leaders committed to revitalizing the Cahoon Mansion, combining historic preservation with contemporary functionality. 

Funding for the project came from multiple sources, including the Murray City Council and state and federal grant programs. Preservation Utah highlighted this collaboration, stating, “The transformation of the Cahoon Mansion into a museum was made possible through collaborative funding efforts from Murray City, the City Council and various grant programs. This funding allowed for structural restoration and modern safety and accessibility features, ensuring the mansion’s long-term viability as a community asset.”

The museum opening also serves as a centerpiece of the broader “Love, Murray” initiative, which focuses on preserving and activating Murray’s historic cultural treasures. Alongside the museum, the city has committed to revitalizing other notable landmarks, including the Murray Armory—set to open in June—and the Murray Theatre, which is scheduled to reopen in full later this year.

As part of this initiative, the city unveiled ambitious plans for the Townsend-Cahoon Festival Street, a new outdoor plaza that will complement the museum and further enliven the downtown corridor. The design for the plaza embraces the historic character of the district while creating a modern, community-friendly streetscape. The plaza replaces a segment of Poplar Street that has become permanently closed.

The festival street will feature a vintage-inspired metal gateway arch flanked by column-style structures reminiscent of the iconic Murray smokestacks. A curbless, pedestrian-friendly layout will include continuous brick paving, historic light posts and tree-lined walkways. Public seating and landscaped planting islands will provide shaded gathering spaces, while a restored dining car and permanent food truck stalls add culinary appeal. An intimate outdoor café patio and a gazebo doubling as a performance stage will round out the plaza’s offerings.

According to city planners, the goal is to create “an enchanting streetscape that celebrates the past while embracing the spirit of community, history and culture.” The plaza is designed to encourage pedestrian activity and host future community events, echoing the museum’s mission to serve as a cultural hub. λ