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History
in a Pecan Shell
Once named Hamilton after landowner John Hamilton, settlement
began around 1849. Fort Croghan's presence provided security to the
settlers. With the establishment of the county in 1852 Hamilton was
made county seat, but that name was refused when the post office was
applied for. Hamilton
in Hamilton County had had the name for some time so the town settled
instead for the name Burnet Courthouse.
A petition filed in 1857 sought a name shortening to just plain Burnet
and the legislature made it law in 1858. In 1882 the Austin and Northwestern
Railroad arrived and Burnet thrived as settlers in counties west of
Burnet shipped their goods through the Burnet depot.
A narrow-gauge spur was set up in 1885 to bring granite to Burnet
for finishing before being installed in Austin
for the new Capitol. 31,000 tons of granite were excavated, moved,
finished and shipped to Austin.
The railroad built on to Llano
in 1892, and Burnet declined as Llano's
star rose.
In April 1931 work began 10 miles west on what was originally to be
called Hamilton Dam. The contracting corporation failed financially
and work stopped until 1934 when the establishment of the Lower Colorado
River Authority allowed completion of the renamed Buchanan
Dam. |
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The 1874 Burnet
County Courthouse
Photo courtesy of THC |
Burnet, Texas
Landmarks / Attractions
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The Badger Building
Former Burnet National Bank
Former Burnet Post Office
229 S. Pierce
Photo courtesy William
Beauchamp, July 2009 |
Historical Marker:
229 S. Pierce (Courthouse square)
The Badger Building
Completed about 1883, this two-story limestone structure
is representative of other commercial buildings located on the Courthouse
Square in the 1880s. It was built for local financier Dr. W. H. Westfall
and Captain Brandt Badger (b. 1839), a native of Georgia who had served
in the Confederate Army from Texas during the Civil War. Badger and
his son Walter operated a wholesale and retail drugstore on the ground
floor. The second floor area, divided into five rooms, was leased
for use as office space. Badger sold the business in 1885 and later,
in partnership with Adam R. Johnson, helped establish the nearby town
of Marble Falls (14 mi. S).
For the latter part of the nineteenth century the structure housed
a hardware store. In 1903 the newly formed Burnet National Bank was
located here and remained at this site until it closed as a result
of the economic depression of the 1930s.
The Badger Building has also been used by the State Parks Board, the
Burnet Rural Telephone Company, the Farm Loan Association, doctors,
lawyers, and various businesses. From 1948 to 1959 it served as the
Burnet Post Office. In 1966 the structure was occupied by the Youth
and Community Center.
1980 |
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The Burnet Bulletin
Building
101 E. Jackson
Photo courtesy William
Beauchamp, July 2009 |
Historical Marker:
101 E. Jackson
The Burnet Bulletin
Established in the early 1870s, this weekly newspaper
has been in continuous operation for more than one hundred years.
The first editor on record was George Whitaker, who served in that
position until 1874. In 1898, the paper was sold to L. C. and J. H.
Chamberlain, members of a pioneer Burnet County family. The "Bulletin"
remained in the ownership of the Chamberlain family until 1960. The
newspaper operation has survived numerous hardships over the years,
including the destruction of its offices in a 1920 fire. The "Bulletin"
has been housed here since 1979.
Completed in 1872, this structure was used continuously as a general
retail merchandising store until about 1900. Since that time it has
served as a combination furniture store and mortuary and as telephone
company offices. The second floor was used as a courtroom during the
1930s, while a new county courthouse was constructed.
With historic ties to the early days of Burnet, both the "Bulletin"
and this building are important reminders of the area's heritage.
(1985) |
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The Galloway
House
108 E. League
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Photo courtesy William
Beauchamp, July 2009 |
Historical Marker:
108 E. League
The Galloway House
The original part of this house was built in 1856.
The adobe and rock residence, owned by Maj. Hugh H. Calvert, also
served as an inn. Local landowner Enoch Brooks bought the home in
1885 and made major additions to the structure. Significant changes
were also made by W. C. Galloway (1856-1936), who became the owner
in 1899. A prominent businessman and an organizer of the First State
Bank of Burnet, he served as county tax collector and mayor of the
city.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1981 |
Masonic Lodge
Oldest commercial building in Burnet
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1966
Photo
courtesy William
Beauchamp, July 2009 |
Historical Marker:
313 S. Main St., Burnet
Oldest Commercial Building in Burnet
Logan Vandeveer (1815-55), a hero of the 1836 Battle
of San Jacinto, came here about 1849 as a Fort Croghan beef supplier.
He became first United States Postmaster in Burnet and in 1854 built
this native stone structure. With a partner named Taylor, he had a
store on the ground floor. Vandeveer was a charter member of Valley
Lodge No. 175, A. F. & A. M., which occupied the top floor from 1855
to 1969. The Lodge still owns the building.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1966 |
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Historical Marker:
Burnet Municipal Airport
Magill Family Cemetery
Surrounded by a rock wall, the small pioneer family cemetery just
west of this site is located on land that was once part of the William
H. Magill homestead. Magill, a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto,
moved his family to Burnet County in 1850. He established this graveyard
with the burial of his 15-year-old son, John, in 1863. The remaining
four marked graves include William H. Magill (1813-1878); his second
wife, Elizabeth (1831-1914); and his parents, Nancy (1792-1865) and
Samuel (1783-1865) Magill. At least one unmarked grave is known to
exist.
(1985) |
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Burnet, Texas
Attractions
Burnet
County Courthouse
Burnet
County Jail
Black Rock
Park - 18 miles west on Lake Buchanan
Burnet County
Park - Fishing camp. Hwy 29 West, RM2341 North.
Fort Croghan
Museum
Highland Lakes
CAF Air Museum
Highland Lakes
Golf Course
Hill Country
Flyer -Two-hour steam train ride through scenic Hill Country to
and from Cedar Park City Hall and Burnet.
Saturdays and Sundays. Fare. 512-477-8468.
Inks Lake National
Fish Hatchery
Inks Lake State
Park - 12 miles west
3630 Park Road 4 West Burnet TX 78611 512/793-2223
Longhorn Cavern
State Park -
11 miles SW, US 281 and Park Road 4.
P.O. Box 732 Burnet, Texas 78611 1-877-441-CAVE 830/598-CAVE
Scenic Drive
Take Hwy 29 W to RM 2341 northwest, a scenic route to Spider
Mountain overlooking Lake
Buchanan
Annual Event
Annual Bluebonnet Festival - Second weekend in April
Burnet Tourist Information
Burnet Chamber of Commerce - 512-756-4297
www.burnetchamber.org
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Wildflowers in
Burnet County
Photo courtesy Ernie
Wymer, May 2007 |
Burnet, Texas
Chronicles
Peaches
by Mike Cox
Most peach trees seldom make it past their first decade of existence.
That’s what made the peach tree outside the old stone structure
in Burnet at the site of Fort Croghan so unusual...more
The
Mysteries of Buffalo Cave by Michael Barr
Buffalo Cave, near Johnson City in Blanco County, has been a place
of mystery since cattlemen first discovered its dark entrance while
grazing their herds along the Pedernales River in the 1800s.
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Burnet, Texas
Forum
Subject:
Waldine Tauch
I read with interest your article on Waldine
Tauch and her father. Thank you for this. However, I would point
out that seven Tauch pieces are part of our collection, including
the original plasters from which the bronzes were cast for the Texas
Ranger, Pippa Passes, Higher Education, and Buckner Group. Tauch
had a special relationship with Panhandle-Plains as she also left
twelve Pompeo Coppini pieces to PPHM as well. You might add Canyon
and Burnet (Buckner Children's Home) to the places one can see her
work. Keep up the good work about Texas. - Respectfully, Michael
R. Grauer, Curator of Art Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, Canyon,
Texas, September 23, 2005
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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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