Murfreesboro, Rutherford County's seat, was originally dubbed Cannonsburgh but was renamed Murfreesborough in 1811 in honor of Revolutionary War hero Col. Hardy Murfree. The town served as Tennessee's state capital from 1819 to 1825 and was the setting for many of American history's most notable figures, including Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, Pres. Andrew Jackson, and Pres. James K. Polk. Now its beautifully preserved and bustling town square surrounds the Rutherford County Courthouse, its historic downtown the axis for a vast and progressive community. Murfreesboro is home
to Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and the Civil War site Stones River National Battlefield.