The area has been populated since the stone age and due to the location of traditional Viking-land has rich archaeological remains from the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Viking age. There are many rune stones and older ruins of stone castles and walls in the M�rsta area.
The area of today's modern M�rsta consisted of big farms and small communities, that were (and still are) typical for the landscape of the province Uppland. M�rsta was just one of these farms but due to the location and importance of travelling between Stockholm and Uppsala, the farm had to turn into an inn. The important travelling road can be traced back to the Viking age and even older ages.
During the days of the Swedish Empire many of the old nobles became land owners in the area and built palaces like Steninge, Sk�nelaholm, Rosersberg and Venngarn. Even Sweden's oldest public school is located in Husby-�rlinghundra, the parish of M�rsta. It was built in 1697 and is today a museum.
Sculpture in a roundabout at Steningeh�jden.
The first telegraph pole in Sweden was placed in M�rsta 1853 and the train station got built in the 1860s. It is currently the northern termini of the commuter railways in Stockholm, and a minor interchange to SJ. The name M�rsta got along only because it was common for travellers even though they were placed on neighbouring farms.
The M�rsta municipality was formed in 1952 due to a fusion of the parishes of Husby-�rlinghundra, Norrsunda, Odensalaand Sk�nela. In 1967 the parishes of Vidbo, Lunda and Skepptuna also merged into the municipality. In 1971 the cities of Sigtuna and M�rsta were forged together and formed Sigtuna Municipality with M�rsta as the seat of the ruling council.
In 1957 the Swedish government decided to build Stockholms new international airport, Stockholm Arlanda, at Halmsj�n east of M�rsta. In its decision the government mentioned the building of a town where the employees at the new airport could live. The
