Burnet, Texas
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Burnet ( ) is a city in and 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 ...
of
Burnet County, Texas Burnet County ( ) is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,130. Its county seat is Burnet. The county was founded in 1852 and later organized in 1854. It is named ...
, United States. The population was 6,436 at the 2020 census. Both the city and the county were named for David Gouverneur Burnet, the first (provisional) president of the
Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from Mex ...
. He also served as vice president during the administration of
Mirabeau B. Lamar Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar (August 16, 1798 – December 25, 1859) was an Lawyer, attorney born in Georgia, who became a Texas politician, poet, diplomat, and soldier. He was a leading Texas political figure during the Republic of Texas, Texas ...
.


Geography

Burnet is located one mile west of the divide between the Brazos and
Colorado River The Colorado River ( es, Río Colorado) is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The river drains an expansive, arid drainage basin, watershed that encompasses parts of ...
watersheds near the center of Burnet County. It is northwest of the state capital,
Austin Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
—roughly a 1- to 1-hour drive via
U.S. Highway 183 U.S. Route 183 (US 183) is a north–south United States highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Presho, South Dakota, at an intersection with Interstate 90. Its southern terminus is in Refugio, Texas, at the southern intersection ...
and State Highway 29. It is west of Georgetown and
Interstate Highway 35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican border ...
via State Highway 29, and north of
San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...
on U.S. Highway 281. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, Burnet has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.32%, is water.


History

In December 1847, a company of the
Texas Ranger Division The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers and also known as ''Los Diablos Tejanos'' (), is an State bureau of investigation, investigative law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in the US state of Texas. It is ba ...
commanded by
Henry E. McCulloch Henry Eustace McCulloch (December 6, 1816 – March 12, 1895) was a soldier in the Texas Revolution, a Texas Ranger, and a brigadier general in the army of the Confederate States during the American Civil War. Early life McCulloch was born in ...
established a station at the site of present-day Burnet for the protection of frontier settlers from Indian raids. In March 1849, the station was chosen as a federal fort and named
Fort Croghan Fort Croghan was the third of the first four forts established by the United States government to protect settlers from hostile Indians along the Texas frontier. From its establishment on March 18, 1849, by Lt. C.H. Taylor (Company A, Second Dra ...
. A town was founded next to Fort Croghan in 1852, when Burnet County was established. The town was originally named Hamilton after John Hamilton, who owned a
league League or The League may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band * ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football Sports * Sports league * Rugby league, full contact footba ...
and
labor Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
of land nearby. In August 1852 a post office was established in Hamilton and named Burnet Courthouse. In 1857 thirty-five residents of the town petitioned the state legislature to change the name of the town to Burnet since there was another town in Texas named
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...
. The name was changed in 1858. Major growth occurred with the arrival of the Austin and Northwestern Railroad in April 1882, when Burnet became the railhead for the area to the west. After the railroad was extended to Llano in 1892, Burnet declined as a supply point and became a farming and livestock center. The City of Burnet was incorporated in 1933. The Burnet Bulletin newspaper has served the community since 1873 and is the official paper of record for the city and Burnet County.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the
2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 6,436 people, 2,142 households, and 1,363 families residing in the city. The population density was 693.1 people per square mile (267.7/km2). There were 1,813 housing units at an average density of 265.4 per square mile (102.5/km2). (The remaining data that follows in this section is outdated and not reflective of 2020 census results.) There were 1,661 households, out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 23.9% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. The median income for a household in the city was $27,093, and the median income for a family was $37,604. Males had a median income of $25,663 versus $17,163 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the city was $13,749. About 11.8% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 15.2% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

Major employers in Burnet include the
Burnet Consolidated Independent School District Burnet Consolidated Independent School District is a public school district based in Burnet, Texas, United States. Located in Burnet County, small portions of the district extend into Llano and Williamson counties. In 2009, the school distric ...
(285 employees), Entegris anufacturer of materials for semiconductor and flat panel industry(180), Burnet County government (140), Seton Highland Lakes Hospital (120), Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice substance abuse facility (120), City of Burnet government (120), H.E.B. grocery store (100), Sure Cast (92), Hoover Companies (90), Southwestern Graphite Co. (45), Whataburger (40), Bilbrough Marble Co. (25), Lone Star Industries (25), and Dash Covers, Inc. (25).


Education

Burnet is served by
Burnet Consolidated Independent School District Burnet Consolidated Independent School District is a public school district based in Burnet, Texas, United States. Located in Burnet County, small portions of the district extend into Llano and Williamson counties. In 2009, the school distric ...
and home to the
Burnet High School Burnet High School is a public high school located in Burnet, Texas, USA, and classified as a 4A school by the UIL. It is part of the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District located in central Burnet County. In 2015, the school was rated ...
Bulldogs. Located outside of Burnet is a
summer camp A summer camp or sleepaway camp is a supervised program for children conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as ''campers''. Summer school is usually a part of the academ ...
called Camp Longhorn that has three branches (Inks Lake, Indian Springs, and C3).


Transportation

Burnet is served by two primary highways: * U.S. Highway 281 – a north–south route connecting Burnet with the towns of
Lampasas Lampasas ( ) is a city in Lampasas County, Texas, United States. Its population was 7,291 at the 2020 census. It is the seat of Lampasas County. Lampasas is part of the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood metropolitan statistical area. History ...
(22 mi north) and Marble Falls (13 mi south).
San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...
is 100 miles south. * State Highway 29 – an east–west route connecting Burnet with Llano (30 mi west) and Georgetown (36 mi east). State Highway 29 intersects with
Interstate 35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican border ...
in Georgetown. Rail service is provided by the ''Hill Country Flyer'' steam train from Cedar Park. The ''Hill Country Flyer'' is operated every Saturday in January and February, most Saturdays and Sundays March–May, and most Saturdays in October and November. Burnet Municipal Airport, also known as Kate Craddock Field (ICAO Code KBMQ), is a general aviation airport located approximately one mile south of State Highway 29 on U.S. Highway 281. It has a lighted runway with a full-length taxiway, which can accommodate aircraft with up to per wheel. The airport is home to the Highland Lakes Squadron of the
Commemorative Air Force The Commemorative Air Force (CAF), formerly known as the Confederate Air Force, is an American non-profit organization based in Dallas, Texas, that preserves and shows historical aircraft at airshows, primarily in the U.S. and Canada. The CAF h ...
.


Tourist attractions

Attractions in the Burnet area include the Highland Lakes, Longhorn Cavern,
Inks Lake State Park Inks Lake State Park is a state park located in Burnet County, Texas, United States, next to Inks Lake on the Colorado River. The landscape of the park is hilly, with many cedar, live oak, prickly pear cacti, and yuccas. The ground is rocky ...
, the Historic Burnet Square, the Highland Lakes Air Museum
Fort Croghan Museum and Grounds
the Vanishing Texas River Cruise, Hamilton Creek Park, Spider Mountain Bike Park, Galloway Hammond Recreation Center, Delaware Springs Golf Course, and the Austin Steam Train Association's Hill Country Flyer. The Historic Square features buildings from as early as the 1880s offer a variety of unique shops and eateries.


Notable people

* Doak Field, a professional American football player. As a linebacker at
Baylor University Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the fir ...
, Field was selected in the 1981 draft by the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
. He appeared in seven games in the 1981 season for the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
of the NFL *
Stephen McGee Stephen Richard McGee (born September 27, 1985) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was ...
, football player for
Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
and the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
* Andrew Moses, a native of Burnet, was a career officer in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
and attained the rank of
major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
*
Jordan Shipley Jordan Shipley (born December 23, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver. Shipley played college football for the University of Texas, and received consensus All-American recognition. He was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the t ...
, wide receiver of
The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...
and the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
* Logan Vandeveer was a Texas soldier, ranger, cattleman and civic leader. Vandeveer was a leader in presenting the petition to the legislature in 1852 to establish Burnet County and was instrumental in having the town of Burnet named the county seat


Gallery

File:Clock at Burnet County, TX, Courthouse IMG_1986.JPG, Clock at Burnet County Courthouse Image:First State Bank of Burnet, TX IMG 1996.JPG, First State Bank of Burnet Image:Downtown Burnet, TX IMG 1997.JPG, Businesses in downtown Burnet. Image:Burnet Chamber of Commerce office, Burnet, TX IMG 1988.JPG, Burnet Chamber of Commerce office is located downtown across from the courthouse. Image:First Baptist Church, Burnet, TX IMG 1994.JPG, First
Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
Church in Burnet Image:Hamilton Creek Park in Burnet, TX IMG 2001.JPG, Hamilton Creek Park off
U.S. Route 281 U.S. Route 281 (US 281) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway. At it is the longest continuous three-digit U.S. Route. The highway's northern terminus is at the International Peace Garden, north of Dunseith, North Dakota, at t ...
in Burnet


Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Burnet has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps, characterized by hot summers and generally mild winters. Some temperatures have been observed in every month of the year.


References


External links

*
City of Burnet official website

Burnet Chamber of Commerce

Official Burnet Visitor's Guide

''Burnet Bulletin'' newspaper
{{authority control Cities in Texas Cities in Burnet County, Texas County seats in Texas Populated places established in 1852 1852 establishments in Texas