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History in
Pecan Shell
Settled sometime
before 1850, Birch has been a farming community since its founding.
Although it most certainly dates to the 1830s, the first official
mention is in Burleson
County records from 1846 - a year after Texas statehood.
The great Czech migration in the mid-1880s reached Caldwell
and Czech immigrants spread out, buying local farmland from original
Anglo settlers and also German immigrants who had preceded them. Birch
received its post office in 1891 although it closed in 1908.
Before its consolidation with the Sommerville School District, Birch
had its own school. Nothing disastrous occurred in Birch and the denizens
lived happily. When WWII
broke out, the population was around 25 residents and remained at
that level through 1948 when post-war employment lured millions to
bigger cities. Birch was no longer counting residents by the early
1960s, the former community was nothing but a small group of residences.
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1907 postal map
showing Birch in SW Burleson
County
From Texas state map #2090
Courtesy Texas General Land Office |
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Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
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