Burke was founded in 1881 when construction of the Houston, East and West Texas Railway reached the western edge of Bradley Prairie. Burke is the birthplace of I. D. Fairchild, politician.
- CountyAngelina County
- Population691 (2020 U.S. Census)
Burke, Texas gifts and souvenirs: 16 designs made from Burke's own map, landmarks and history, from $16 to $95. Printed to order and shipped free in the USA.
| Popular | Price |
|---|---|
| Burke Hometown Ornament | $23 |
| Burke Varsity Crewneck | from $57 |
| Burke Est. Tee | from $33 |
| Burke Town Line Mug | from $26 |
| Burke Market Tote | $37 |
Ceramic keepsake, gold ribbon
The town's story in dates, from its own records, for home or classroom
Heavy-blend fleece, street map printed on the back
Soft Bella+Canvas jersey
Kids' Bella+Canvas jersey, youth sizes
Bella+Canvas toddler jersey
Bella+Canvas baby bodysuit
Glossy ceramic, dishwasher safe
Weatherproof, for the front walk
24″×16″, printed coir-look fibers, rubber back
12″×12″ printed wood, ready to hang
Soft-touch, zip cover
Sturdy all-over-print tote
Glossy top, cork back
Soft fleece, 50″×60″
20 oz, double-wall stainless
Burke was founded in 1881 when construction of the Houston, East and West Texas Railway reached the western edge of Bradley Prairie. Burke is the birthplace of I. D. Fairchild, politician.
Burke was founded in 1881 when construction of the Houston, East and West Texas Railway reached the western edge of Bradley Prairie. The town was originally named Rhodes, for general store owner W. R. Rhodes and postmaster H. R. Rhodes, but circa 1885 it was renamed for Edmund L. Burke, a railroad employee who directed the railroad survey.
By 1885 Burke had three sawmills, three cotton gins, a church, and a school. In 1886, it received a post office, which remained there until 1955. By 1888, it had a larger school, three general stores, a drugstore, a sawmill, a dentist and watchmaker, and a Farmers' Alliance store. In 1897, Burke had an estimated population of 650. By 1904, Burke's population had declined to 161, due to the rise of Lufkin, eight miles north, as an industrial center for the county. However, by 1915 the population had risen to 200, and by 1925 it reached 300. The Burke Methodist Church was organized in 1899–1900, and the First Baptist Church of Burke in 1905.
Education was a priority at Burke. The first school, a one-room structure, was enlarged to three rooms within a few years. Voters approved a bond in 1910 to erect a brick schoolhouse for grades one through seven. The brick building was torn down in 1935 and replaced with a larger schoolhouse built with WPA funds. The Burke Independent School District consolidated with the Diboll schools in 1964.
Burke was incorporated as a city in 1966, and a municipal water system was constructed. Burke had a population of 322 in 1980 and 314 in 1990.
Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Burke, Texas, revision 1377130433 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Burke's population was 691 in the 2020 U.S. Census, down from 737 in 2010.