Burneyville is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP) in Love County,

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

, United States. The post office was established May 5, 1879. It was named for David C. Burney, father of Benjamin Crooks Burney, who had been Governor of the

Chickasaw Nation The Chickasaw Nation () is a federally recognized Indigenous nation with headquarters in Ada, Oklahoma, in the United States. The Chickasaw Nation descends from an Indigenous population historically located in the southeastern United States, in ...

from 1878 through 1880. Burneyville is located on State Highway 96 and reaches south to the north bank of the Red River. The Census Bureau defined the Burneyville census-designated place in 2015; as of 2018 the estimated population was 627, with 489 housing units.

History

Burneyville and Love County were named for prominent

Chickasaw The Chickasaw ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, United States. Their traditional territory was in northern Mississippi, northwestern and northern Alabama, western Tennessee and southwestern Kentucky. Their language is ...

people who settled in the area in the early 1840s as part of the Federal removal of the tribe from northern

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

Indian Territory Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United States, ...

.Ladner, Laquitta. Love County Heritage Commission: ''History of Love County, Vol. I,'' (Dallas, TX: NationalShareGraphics, Inc., 1983). David C. Burney and his wife, Lucy James Burney, were Chickasaw who relocated to what was then Pickens County, Indian Territory, from northern Mississippi and established a farm on the site of the future town.Meserve, John Bartlett. "Governor Benjamin Franklin Overton and Governor Benjamin Crooks Burney." ''Chronicles of Oklahoma''. Vol. 16, No. 2, June 1938. http://digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles The émigrés traveled to Indian Territory by steamboat up the Red River. They paused at

Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...

, on January 15, 1844, for the birth of a son. The family named him for the boat's captain, Benjamin Crooks. Though the parents did not live to see it happen, both that son, Benjamin Burney, and a future son-in-law, Benjamin F. Overton, would be elected governors of the

in the late 1870s and early 1880s. The mother, Lucy, died in 1845, and the father, David, died shortly after the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, 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.J ...

. Prior to his death, the Chickasaw Nation honored David C. Burney in the naming of a girls' school. The Burney Academy opened in 1859. A post office was located there from July 3, 1860, to June 22, 1866, although it was probably not in continuous operation because of the Civil War. The site of the academy was southeast of

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

in what is now Marshall County. Burney was honored posthumously when the Burneyville post office opened on the site of the family farm on May 5, 1879.Shirk, George H. ''Oklahoma Place Names, 2nd Edition'' (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1965). . The post office is the oldest in Love County that is still in use. The first postmaster was James C. Nall. The location of the town of Burneyville has never changed. It is situated west-southwest of Marietta, the county seat. It is approximately north of the Red River. Walnut Creek Bayou passes to the north. The Burney Ferry, south of the Burney farm, was the main business and travel route before the

Santa Fe Railroad The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at variou ...

completed its north–south link between Indian Territory and

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

in 1887. With the merger of Indian Territory and

Oklahoma Territory The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as ...

at statehood in 1907, the county of Love was carved from part of the former Pickens County. The county was named for Overton Love, an esteemed judge of the Chickasaw Nation court who had arrived in Indian Territory in 1843, one year prior to the Burney family. For many years, Burneyville proper has consisted only of the post office, a Baptist church, two cemeteries, and 12 houses. But in its heyday through the first half of the 20th century, the townsite included a hotel, grocery, general merchandise store, blacksmith, druggist, and two doctors.

Geography

The 73430 ZIP Code covers of mostly farms and ranches in the lush bottomlands of the Red River.“73430,” www.brainyzip.com. Growers specialize in peanuts, pecans, watermelons, grains, hay, and cattle. Oil leases dot the area, and horse trainers also have operations. Love County has been called "the shopping mall of the world for

quarter horse The American Quarter Horse, or Quarter Horse, is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name is derived from its ability to outrun other horse breeds in races of or less; some have been clocked at speeds up to . ...

s" in reference to its abundance of top equine stock and training specialists in reining, cutting, roping, pleasure, and barrel racing events. Burneyville is west of

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 bo ...

, which leads north to

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

and south to

Fort Worth Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...

, the sites of the major quarter horse competitions in the United States.Sessions, Barbara W. “In Love County, Quarter Horses Make Great Neeiiggh-bors,” ''Oklahoma Living'', March 1998, p. 17. The small rural communities of Jimtown, Batson, and Turner are located within the 73430 ZIP Code, along with Burneyville.

Demographics

Features

Falconhead Resort & Country Club

More than fifty percent of Burneyville residents live west of the post office, at Falconhead Resort & Country Club.Burneyville postmaster records, May 16, 2008 Originally known as Turner's Lodge, it made golf history in the 1950s and 1960s as the smallest site ever to host both of golf's professional tours, the LPGA for women and the PGA for men.Sessions, Barbara W. "Golf's Giveaway Man." ''Oklahoma Living'', September 1998, p. 18. It was founded by southern Oklahoma oil millionaire Waco Turner. Now semi-private, the course today represents the only venue accessible to the average golfer to have been played by the outstanding professionals of their day. Among them were LPGA Hall of Famers

Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg (February 13, 1918 – September 10, 2006) was an American professional golfer. She was a founding member and the first president of the LPGA. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a fem ...

Betty Jameson Elizabeth May Jameson (May 9, 1919 – February 7, 2009) was an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) in 1950. She won three major championships and a total of thi ...

Betsy Rawls Elizabeth Earle Rawls (May 4, 1928 – October 21, 2023) was an American professional golfer who played on LPGA Tour. She won eight women's major golf championships, major championships and 55 LPGA Tour career events. She was a member of the Worl ...

Louise Suggs Mae Louise Suggs (September 7, 1923 – August 7, 2015) was an American professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf. Amateur career Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginnin ...

Kathy Whitworth Kathrynne Ann Whitworth (September 27, 1939 – December 24, 2022) was an American professional golfer. During her playing career she won 88 LPGA Tour tournaments, more than anyone else on the LPGA or PGA Tours. Whitworth was also a runner-up 9 ...

Mickey Wright Mary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright (February 14, 1935 – February 17, 2020) was an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. She became a member of the tour in 1955 and won 82 LPGA Tour career events including 13 major champions ...

, and

Babe Zaharias Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias (; Didrikson; June 26, 1911 – September 27, 1956) was an American athlete who excelled in golf, basketball, baseball, and track and field. She won two gold medals and a silver in track and field at the ...

; and men's majors winners

Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus (; born January 21, 1940), nicknamed "the Golden Bear", is an American retired professional golfer and List of golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, golf course designer. He is widely considered to be one of the greate ...

Raymond Floyd Raymond Loran Floyd (born September 4, 1942) is an American retired professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments on both the PGA Tour and Senior PGA Tour, including four majors and four senior majors. He was inducted into the World ...

Tommy Aaron Thomas Dean Aaron (born February 22, 1937) is an American former professional golfer. He was a member of the PGA Tour during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Aaron is best known for winning the 1973 Masters Tournament. He is also known for an er ...

Charles Coody Billy Charles Coody ( ; born July 13, 1937) is an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1971 Masters Tournament. Early life and amateur career Coody was born in Stamford, Texas and raised in Abilene, Texas. He attended Abi ...

Bob Goalby Robert George Goalby (March 14, 1929 – January 19, 2022) was an American professional golfer. He won the Masters Tournament in 1968, after Roberto De Vicenzo notably made an error on his scorecard. It was Goalby's lone major championship am ...

Gay Brewer Gay Robert Brewer Jr. (March 19, 1932 – August 31, 2007) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and won the 1967 Masters Tournament. Career Brewer turned professional in 1956 and made his first cut, at the Agua Calie ...

Don January Donald Ray January (November 20, 1929 – May 7, 2023) was an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1967 PGA Championship. Early life Born in Plainview, Texas, January graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas. He was a ...

, Peter Thomson,

Tony Lema Anthony David Lema (February 25, 1934 – July 24, 1966) was an American professional golfer who rose to fame in the mid-1960s and won a major title, the 1964 Open Championship at the Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland. He died two years later ...

Kel Nagle Kelvin David George Nagle AM (21 December 1920 – 29 January 2015) was an Australian professional golfer best known for winning The Open Championship in 1960. He won at least one tournament each year from 1949 to 1975. Early life Nagle was ...

Jack Fleck Jackson Donald Fleck (November 8, 1921 – March 21, 2014) was an American professional golfer, best known for winning the U.S. Open in 1955 in a playoff over Ben Hogan. Early years Born in 1921 and raised in Bettendorf, Iowa, Fleck's parents ...

Al Geiberger Allen Lee Geiberger Sr. (born September 1, 1937) is an American former professional golfer. Professional career Geiberger turned pro in 1959 and joined the PGA Tour in 1960. Geiberger won 11 tournaments on the PGA Tour, the first being the 1962 ...

Byron Nelson John Byron Nelson Jr. (February 4, 1912 – September 26, 2006) was an American professional golfer between 1935 and 1946, widely considered one of the greatest golfers of all time. Nelson and two other legendary champions of the time, Ben Hog ...

, and

Bobby Nichols Robert Herman Nichols (born April 14, 1936) is an American professional golfer, best known for winning the PGA Championship in 1964. Early years Born in April 1936 and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Nichols attended St. Xavier High School. W ...

.Sessions, Barbara W. "Falconhead Course Makes List of Oklahoma's Greatest Sporting Events." ''Marietta Monitor'', September 14, 2007, p. 18. Oklahoma's great U.S. Amateur champions Susie Maxwell Berning,

Charles Coe Charles Robert Coe (October 26, 1923 – May 16, 2001) was an American amateur golfer who is considered by many to be one of the greatest American amateurs in history. Early life Born in Ardmore, Oklahoma, Coe served as a pilot during World ...

, and Labron Harris Jr., were frequent playing guests of the Turners at what was their private hunting, fishing, and golfing retreat.Lemon, Del. "Burneyville," Chapter 5, ''Story of Golf in Oklahoma'' (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2001). Some years, the Opie Turner Open and the Waco Turner Open paid more in prize money than any other tour stops. A total of 13 professional events were contested at Turner's Lodge from 1958 to 1965. The layout underwent a redesign by golf course architect Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and a name-change to Falconhead Resort & Country Club, in 1970. Public access to the course may be made by calling the golf shop. Lots, homes, condominiums, and townhouses may be toured by calling the administrative office.

Red River Research and Demonstration Farm

Three miles southeast of the Burneyville post office, agricultural research takes place at a demonstration farm of the renowned Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, one of the top 50 grantmaking philanthropies in the United States.“Top 100 U.S. Foundations by Asset Size,” www.foundationcenter.org, March 31, 2008. The foundation was established by

Lloyd Noble Samuel Lloyd Noble, known as Lloyd Noble (30 November 1896 in Ardmore, Oklahoma – 14 February 1950 in Houston, Texas), was an oilman and philanthropist, founder of the Noble Corporation and the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. He attended ...

, oil millionaire and lifelong friend of Waco Turner. The Red River Research and Demonstration Farm is part of a distinguished operations division of the foundation, which brings scientists from around the world to southern Oklahoma to engage in plant biology, forage improvement, and agriculture research. Currently, the Noble Foundation is collaborating with the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University in studying

switchgrass ''Panicum virgatum'', commonly known as switchgrass, is a perennial warm season bunchgrass native to North America, where it occurs naturally from 55th parallel north, 55°N latitude in Canada southwards into the United States and Mexico. Switch ...

as an alternative to carbon fuels. Their initiative, known as the Oklahoma Bioenergy Center, was established by the Oklahoma Legislature in 2008."Oklahoma Bioenergy Center", www.noble.org.

Education

Turner School, the pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public school one-half mile west of Falconhead Resort & Country Club, is named in honor of Waco Turner. The gymnasium was named for his wife, Opie James Turner. Before striking it rich in the oil fields of southern Oklahoma and east Texas in the 1920s, the couple had taught school at Burneyville. They donated the land for the consolidated Turner School, which combined the students of the former Burneyville, Courtney, Meadowbrook, and Dunbar schools. Turner School and Falconhead Resort & Country Club (formerly the private Turner's Lodge) celebrate their 50th anniversaries in August 2008.

Transportation

Airport

Falconhead Airport (37K) is located two

nautical mile A nautical mile is a unit of length used in air, marine, and space navigation, and for the definition of territorial waters. Historically, it was defined as the meridian arc length corresponding to one minute ( of a degree) of latitude at t ...

s northwest of the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...

of Burneyville. Ardmore Downtown Executive Airport (1F0), with a 5014x75 ft runway in better condition, is 16 miles northeast.

References

External links

Information about Burneyville
{{authority control Census-designated places in Love County, Oklahoma Census-designated places in Oklahoma Ardmore, Oklahoma micropolitan area Populated places established in 1879