Due to climate of the area presently in Murree, the heights were liked by the British and they decided to build “little England” in the Punjab. For this purpose they purchased and leased hill tops from the local Dhond tribe under different agreements. It is also said that it was build on the “shamlat” or pasture lands of the Village known as Mussiari. The village Mussiari can be seen from any point on the ridge extending from Kashmir to the Pindi point. There are conflicting opinions of the origin of the name Murree, with some believing that the name is derived from the word ’marhi’ meaning high place. This would make sense from a purely geographical perspective, however there are some camps who insist it is named after the Virgin Mary, most likely as a result of the British occupation of the village in the 19th century. According to an old legend, the name ‘Murree’ is derived from ‘Marium’ or Mary. Among locals it is know as Mai Mari da Asthan (“Resting Place of Mother Mary”). When the British first arrived here in 1850s to establish a new hill-station in India, Murree was still known as Mari. The spelling was later changed to the present one in 1875.

Murree, was set up as a hill station by the by the Governor of Punjab, Sir Henry Lawrence in the Himalayan foothills during the 19th century (1851). It was originally established at 7,000 feet for the British troops garrisoned on the Afghan frontier in Peshawar. The Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Rawalpindi established their summer offices in the area in 1851.

The permanent town of Murree was constructed at Sunnybank in 1853 while the Church was build in the center of the town in 1857, main road, Jinnah Road, formerly known as The Mall was built. The most significant commercial establishments, the Post Office, general merchants, tailors and a millinery, were established opposite the church. Murree Sanatorium Committee was established in 1851. The committee was renamed as municipal committee in 1867. An aspect of the Mall was that the buildings were allowed on one side of the road only to maintain the beauty of the surroundings. This law continued to be strictly followed for next hundred and thirty years. In early 1990s, the law was allowed to be violated which has resulted in undesired construction on the Mall and defaced its natural beauty. Entry of people of subcontinent to Mall Road was restricted before Partition.

In the summer of 1857, the local tribes of Murree and Hazara, including the Dhond Abbasi and Tanoli, planned to attack the British Army. They fought respectably against the British Army, giving the British considerable difficulties. The British Army eventually signed an agreement with the local Abbasi tribe, which was refused by the Tanoli tribe, thereby dividing the opposition to the British. The British Army later ignored the agreement to take control of Murree again. On October 17, 1858, 23 persons were blasted away by tying them in front of cannon. That brutal act took place at agency ground adjacent of Army Public School. Others were sent in banishment to Andaman and Nicobar islands for life. As a collective punishment Dhonds were banned from joining any government service. The ban was only lifted at the start of present century but still the British animosity was not removed and they were continued to be called as treacherous, mischievous and untrustworthy in the government chronicles.

Fire of 1875:
The great fire burnt much of the bazar on May 16 1875. A new Mall strip was built in its place in an area overlooked by the church grounds and parallel to the “lower bazaar. A devastating fire took place in Murree Bazar on December25, 1873 and again on 17th May, 1875. On the later occasion , the Lt. Governor came to the Bazar and talked to and sympathised with the sufferers . On his instructions, the Commissioner, Rawalpindi , Division raised a fund of Rs. 1500.00 from Rawalpindi and remitted it to the Municipal Committee for relief work. The Municipal Committee gave timber and stones on nominal rates to enable the sufferers to rebuild their houses but clearly laid down the design which provided for keeping timber at least 2 feet away from the mouth of the Chimneys.

MurreeBrewery:
To meet the beer requirements of British personnel (mainly army), Murree Brewery was established in 1860 at Ghora Galli which was among the first modern beer breweries established in Asia. Murree Beer proved to be very popular among the British troopers who were largely barracked in the ‘Galis’ of these hills. Murree Beer was first awarded a medal for product excellence at the Philadelphia Exhibition in 1876. At Ghora Galli (Murree), the scarcity of water became an emerging problem. By the 1920s, brewing was mostly transferred to the Rawalpindi brewery but malting continued at Ghora Galli till the 1940s, when this property was sold. This historic brewery built in Gothic style architecture was burnt during the partition riots of 1947/48.

Education Institutions:
(You can learn details about education institutions at Murree at related section of our website.)
Murree was declared summer capital of the Punjab in 1873 which later shifted to Simla (India) due to Diarrhea in Murree. At the start of twentieth century the British government established Military setups at various places around Murree. During this period a number of English medium schools for the children of British families and solders were established i.e the Lawrence college, Saint Dynes and convent of Juses and Merry.

Lawrence College Gora Gali, established as Lawrence Memorial Asylum in 1860 for children of serving or retired British soldiers away from tropical climate of sub-continent. It was part of chain of four such schools established across British India. Spread over an area of more then 150 acres at an altitude of 6397 feet (1950 meters) Lawrence College provides education from class one to twelve including A level and O level and is popular among Pakistani upper classes.
Saint Dynes and Convent of Jesus and Marry Established during the British period for their children. Saint Dynese has recently closed its boarding to in order to cater the needs of local population. Jesus and Marry was founded in 1818, by a French woman named Claudine Thévenet, whose sole purpose for the school was to train young ladies so that they make good housewives and women in life. In 1876, the Bishop of Agra bought a property named “Woodburn” on Pindi Point for the Religious of Jesus and Mary, a French order of Catholic sisters. The Convent of Jesus and Mary in Murree has been one of the best girls’ boarding schools in Pakistan.

Roads:
Construction of matelled road between Rawalpindi and Murree was completed in 1873 There were several ekka stands between Rawalpindi and Murree and Horses used to be changed after 12 miles. Tamtums or the Tongas took 8 hours between Rawalpindi and Murree, the ekkas one day and one night, and bullock carts two days and two nights. The first motor vehicle with solid tires traveled between Rawalpindi and Murree on 13th May, 1922. The pedestrians on the road became panicky at the unheard of noises made by the car.

Interestingly one finds rare material about developments in Murree after creation of Pakistan. The events about Murree after creation of Pakistan are not recorded as methodically as per-partition history.

Murree has developed and matured into a reasonably modern hill station. The key areas of development in Murree after creation of Pakistan include Chair lifts at Ayubia, Pindi point and Patriata. Establishment of a five start hotel, Pearl Continental (PC) at Bhurban is another main areas of post partition development of Murree.

ChairLift – Ayubia : Ayubia, which was made a tourists point in 1967 by the then president Ayub Khan, got the first chair-lift fixed at Khan spur which is 8,500 feet high from sea level. The Ayubia chairlift was imported from Switzerland and installed in 1962, became the first chairlift of its kind in Pakistan and was the main source of attraction for tourists, who visit Galyat (Nathiagali, Donga Gali, Changala Gali) in summer every year.

PC Bhurban:

The Pearl continental chain in Pakistan is owned by the Hashwani group under the holding company Pakistan Services Ltd (PSL) and Hashwani Hotels ltd respectively. The Pearl chain was acquired by the group in 1985 while at the same time the name of the hotel was changed from Hotel Intercontinental to pearl continental.

PC Bhurban is almost 13 Km from Murree. PC Bhurban consist of 190 rooms including Deluxe, Presidential, Royal, Duplex and executive Suites with top story and fine furnished Deluxe rooms. With these well furnished rooms there is beautiful private terrace and modern bathrooms. PC Bhurban gives you a very beautiful view of the Hill station and is very best place for new couples on their honeymoon, for private meetings of corporate level. There are also different recreational activities, musical concert are arranged in the evening to entertain the visitors. .

Post Pakistan Institutes: The weather of Murree is suitable and its beauty continues to attract wealthier to send their children to Murree, however, this aspect has not been exploited as much by Businessmen as by Army. Cadet College Lower Topa, Cadet College Murree Pindi Point, Chinar Army Public School & College are the main schools established by Army in Murree apart from School of Military Intelligence, Kuldana, The Army School of Logistics and School and Edcuation.

Roads:

Large number of roads were in the Murree subdivision after independence. At present the area has a wide network connecting almost each village with main roads. A new four lane dual carriage Highway [N-75] has been constructed. It separates from the old Rawalpindi-Murree-Muzaffarabad-Srinagar road at Satra Mile near Islamabad and joins it again at Lower Topa near Murree. The road called Rawalpindi-Murree Expressway was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on August 30 2011.  It is part of Rawalpindi-Murzaffarabad Expressway.

There are four routes to Murree from Islamabad. It takes 1.30 hour to reach Murree from Islamabad via the old Islamabad-Murree Road, it takes 1 hour to reach Murree from Islamabad via the 4-lane Islamabad-Murree Expressway. The third longer route to Murree from Islamabad via Nilore and Simli Dam – this joins at Lower Topa. The fourth is even more adventurous and starts from the Monal restuarant in Islamabad