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BURKE, TEXAS
Angelina County,
East Texas
Highway 59 and FM 2108
8 Miles S of Lufkin
3 Miles N of Diboll
Population: 315 (2000)
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History in
a Pecan Shell
Born on the railhead of the Houston, East and West Texas Railroad
- when it built through Angelina County in 1881, the region was known
as Bradley Prairie but the town was first named Rhodes, Texas after
local storekeeper W. R. Rhodes. Another Rhodes (H. R.) served as postmaster
when a post office was granted in 1886. In 1885 Rhodes was renamed
for Ed Burke, a railroad (civil) engineer who helped conduct the survey
for the railroad.
By 1885, Burke was a three-sawmill town and had most essential businesses.
Three years later the town had to build a larger school and businesses
included a dentist and even a watchmaker. The 1897 population of Burke
was a respectable 650 - it's high-water mark. The town's proximity
to Lufkin drained off
population and by 1904 it was down to a mere 161. It rebounded to
200 for 1915 and by the mid 20s it was around 300. Burke's post office
closed in the 1950s and in the mid 1960s the school merged with the
Diboll ISD. In the mid 1960s Burke incorporated and installed a municipal
water system. Burke's population has remained between 300 and 325
from 1980 to the present. |
Burke Texas
Forum
Subject:
Burke, Texas
Dear TE, Most of my family is from Burke. I live in the house that
my great grandmother was born in. It has played a part in my grandparents
lives - on both sides of the family. Our mayor has gathered a lot
of information on Burke. So has my cousin and a man who went to
school here in the 40's-50's. The only original building still standing
is the schoolhouse, but there are still a few original homestead
houses. My great aunt lives in the 2nd house ever built in Burke
and the house I am in was the 3rd house built. My grandmother is
now 89 and her memory is just now starting to slip, but she has
told us a lot of stories of Burke and the locations of where stores,
gins and other places used to be. She also has some photos as do
the aforementioned people. If I am not mistaken, my grandmother's
family was one of the first few who started out in Burke. Arrington/Rush
families.. Lee is my grandfather's name .. which is how this house
I'm in came to be. Tellie Arrington (my grandmother's mother) was
born here and it passed through various hands until my paternal
great grandfather Jake Lee bought the property. Thank You for including
Burke in your town listings. - Lori Lee~Ray, Burke, Texas, January
07, 2007
Burke's inclusion was suggested by Lori Lee~Ray whose letter appears
above. Anyone wishing to share history, stories or photos of Burke,
Texas, please contact
us.
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