BURLESON, TEXAS

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History in a Pecan Shell

Named in honor of Dr. Rufus C. Burleson, president of Baylor University, the town dates to 1881 with the arrival of the Missouri Kansas and Texas railroad. An earlier community called Brushy Mound, was bypassed by the railroad. The area's first school had opened at Brushy Mound in 1879, and in 1885, even as Burleson was building, Alta Vista College was under construction. In 1900 the building was moved to Burleson.

In 1882, Burleson was granted a post office. It broke the mold of most Texas post offices since it didn't share space with a store - located not in a store - but a saloon. As soon as residents started getting their mail - they set about setting up a proper town.

The population was 200 in 1890 and cotton fueled the local economy. With an artesian well that supplied water to homes and businesses, Burleson's future seemed bright. But from a population of 368 in 1904, it declined to 241 by the mid 1920s. During the 30s it increased and by 1940, 573 people called Burleson home.

It was made a stop on the Cleburne - Fort Worth Interurban line in 1912. Using the electricity brought in for the Interurban, Burleson was wired for electricity in 1913.

In 1924 Highway 21 passed through Burleson and the town annexed land to contain the anticipated growth. The population increased by nearly 30% in the 1940s but real growth came in the 1950s when it swelled from 795 to 2,345 in the ten years from 1950-1960. Burleson became a bedroom community of Fort Worth and agricultural employment was replaced by white collar jobs downtown.

The population went from 11,734 in 1980 to over 16,000 by 1990 and 36,690 by 2010.

Burleson, Texas Forum

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