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Burk Burnett
was named after Samuel Burk Burnett who owned the 6666 Ranch.
Teddy Roosevelt was a guest of Burnett on a 1904 wolf hunt and pulled
some strings with the P.O. Department in naming the town.
The discovery of oil in 1918 changed the town into one of the more
famous oil boomtowns in Texas. 20 Trains a day ran between Burkburnett
and Wichita
Falls. |
Historical
Marker:
Burkburnett
("Boomtown USA")
One of the most
famous Texas towns. Name was given to post office at request of President
T. R. Roosevelt after his 1905 wolf hunt with rancher Burk Burnett
in this area. Townsite was laid out in 1907 by Joseph A. Kemp and
Frank Kell, surveyors and promoters of Wichita Falls and Northwestern
Railroad. First oil discovery was Chris Schmoker No. 1, in 1912.
A 2200-barrel gusher was brought in on S. L. Fowler farm about a mile
from this site, July 29, 1918, by a company formed by Fowler, his
brother, W. D. Cline and J. I. Staley. In 3 months 200 wells had been
completed in Burkburnett townsite -- a forest of derricks. Money and
oil flowed freely. A bank capitalized at $25,000, got monthly revenue
of $10,000 from a well drilled at its back door. The town's population
jumped from 1500 to 15,000 in a year. Boom area was extended by finds
on properties of Burk-Waggoner Company and by Kemp-Munger-Allen operations
to the southwest.
Town was made world famous in 1941 by the movie "Boomtown", filmed
from a popular story entitled "Lady comes to Burkburnett".
Economy is dependent on agriculture and oil. An important neighbor
is Sheppard Air Force Base.
(1966) |
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Burkburnett Historical
Marker
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2015 |
Burkburnett,
Texas
Landmarks & Attractions
|
Today's
attractions include tours from the restored Katy Depot downtown
and The Felty Outdoor Oil Museum on FM 240 featuring early
equipment used in the area.
Locals refer to the town simply as "Burk". This was explained
to us by Clara, a young woman who was wheeling her dog "Bandit" back
from the veterinarian in a baby carriage. Besides having the prettiest
name we've heard in ages, Clara also has "Burk's" most mellow dog.
Bandit was supposed to be a guard dog, but he prefers barking
at other dogs. |
Photographer's
Note:
"Another photographer's dream town. Wish I could have roamed
the streets more." - Barclay
Gibson |
Burkburnett Historical
Society & Chamber of Commerce
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2015 |
Charley Lee Coe
historical marker
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2015 |
Northwest
Extension Oilfield historical marker
on Hwy 240 to FM 368 (Fairview Rd) in Thrift,
W of Burkburnett
Photo courtesy Dustin
Martin, September 2017 |
Burkburnett,
Texas Old Photos
|
Main Street,
Burkburnett, 1920s
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
R.H. Henry &
Co. General Merchandise, Burkburnett, 1919
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
Two 1910 Baseball
Players Shelby Edwin Cropper & Elzie Wheat
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
Wichita
County 1920s Map showing Burkburnett
Courtesy Texas General Land Office |
Burkburnett
Tidbits:
From Myths,
Truths about Tidbits by Delbert Trew
"Many times history has written how the Burnett family, owners
of the famous 6666 ranches, took the brand and name from an incident
where property was won with a poker hand holding four sixes. According
to sources close to the earliest Burnett owners and employees who
worked for them on the original ranch in Denton County, this story
is not true.
Jeremiah Burnett sent his first trail herd to Kansas and with his
profit bought a another ranch adjoining his home ranch. He realized
the 6666 brand would be hard for cattle rustlers to change so he bought
the brand along with the land, and it's been used to this day."
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Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history and contemporary/vintage/historic
photos, please contact
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