Burkeville is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in northern Newton County,

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. It sits at the intersection of State Highways 63 and 87 10 miles west of the Sabine River. The Burkeville Independent School District serves the resident students.

Historical development

The town was named for John R. Burke, a well-educated and wealthy man from New York who took up residence there.Burkeville History - Newton County Texas
He donated the land tract that would be used for the county courthouse. The plots for the town were laid out in 1844, and within three years the residents there petitioned to become the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

. Over several years, the county seat would switch between Burkeville and Newton until the state legislature ordered that Newton should remain the permanent county seat in 1856.Handbook of Texas Online - BURKEVILLE, TX
/ref> The town also served as an arsenal of the Confederacy during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. Agriculture and trade would keep the economy prospering until the

lumber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...

industry would add to the local market. In 1906, a catastrophic fire consumed all of the town's businesses excluding one.

Recreation

The nearby

Toledo Bend Reservoir Toledo Bend Reservoir is a reservoir on the Sabine River between Texas and Louisiana. The lake has an area of 185,000 acres (749 km2), the largest man-made body of water partially in both Louisiana and Texas, the largest in the South, and ...

is used for recreation by the locals as well as tourists and freshwater fishing enthusiasts. Burkeville has a long-standing tradition of football excellence in the state of Texas. The Burkeville Mustangs won state in football in 1986 and 2001 in class 1A.

Notable people

* Ernie Holmes- Former NFL defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1971-1977) and New England Patriots (1978) and 2x Super Bowl champion. He was part of the legendary

Steel Curtain The Steel Curtain was the defensive line of the 1970s American football team Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). The line was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won four Super Bowls ( IX, X, XIII, and XIV) in s ...

Pittsburgh Steelers' defense along with fellow linemen

Joe Greene Charles Edward Greene (born September 24, 1946), better known as "Mean" Joe Greene, is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1969 to 1 ...

, Dwight White, and

L. C. Greenwood L. C. Henderson Greenwood (September 8, 1946September 29, 2013) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). College career Born and raised in Canton, Mi ...

. * Robert Hunt- NFL Offensive Lineman for the

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...

References

External links

*
Sam Forse Collins Recreation Area
- Sabine River Authority of Texas {{authority control Unincorporated communities in Newton County, Texas Unincorporated communities in Texas