Decatur - Murphy
In the middle 1880s land speculation was running wild because of rumors about building a railroad across southern Collin County. A group of men in the Maxwell/Murphy area started a planned community. It was located on the north side of FM544 near Murphy Road, where the present shopping center is. Lots were sold with the hopes of developing a town. The name Decatur was presented to the US Post Office for the town. The name was turned down because there was already a Decatur in Texas. The town was named Maxwell. A community of Maxwell had existed near the area since the 1850s. The planned community was a failure. Very few lots were sold. When the railroad came through in 1888, the depot was named Murphy. The surrounding area adopted that name.
