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Wichita County TX
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BURKBURNETT, TEXAS

Wichita County, Texas Panhandle | Central Texas North

34° 4' 58" N, 98° 34' 6" W (34.082778, -98.568333)

Intersection of Interstate 44 and Hwy 240
15 miles N of Wichita Falls the county seat
ZIP code 76354
Area code 940
Population: 11,270 Est. (2019)
10,811 (2010) 10,927 (2000) 10,145 (1990)

Book Hotel Here › Wichita Falls Hotels

Burkburnett Tx - Texas Welcome Marker
Texas Welcome Marker
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015

Burk Burnett was named after Samuel Burk Burnett who owned the 6666 Ranch.

Teddy Roosevelt was a guest of Burnett on a 1904 wolf hunt and pulled some strings with the P.O. Department in naming the town.

The discovery of oil in 1918 changed the town into one of the more famous oil boomtowns in Texas. 20 Trains a day ran between Burkburnett and Wichita Falls.



Historical Marker:

Burkburnett ("Boomtown USA")

One of the most famous Texas towns. Name was given to post office at request of President T. R. Roosevelt after his 1905 wolf hunt with rancher Burk Burnett in this area. Townsite was laid out in 1907 by Joseph A. Kemp and Frank Kell, surveyors and promoters of Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railroad. First oil discovery was Chris Schmoker No. 1, in 1912.

A 2200-barrel gusher was brought in on S. L. Fowler farm about a mile from this site, July 29, 1918, by a company formed by Fowler, his brother, W. D. Cline and J. I. Staley. In 3 months 200 wells had been completed in Burkburnett townsite -- a forest of derricks. Money and oil flowed freely. A bank capitalized at $25,000, got monthly revenue of $10,000 from a well drilled at its back door. The town's population jumped from 1500 to 15,000 in a year. Boom area was extended by finds on properties of Burk-Waggoner Company and by Kemp-Munger-Allen operations to the southwest.

Town was made world famous in 1941 by the movie "Boomtown", filmed from a popular story entitled "Lady comes to Burkburnett".

Economy is dependent on agriculture and oil. An important neighbor is Sheppard Air Force Base.
(1966)

Burkburnett Historical Marker
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015



Burkburnett, Texas
Landmarks & Attractions


Burkburnett Tx Depot
The restored Katy Depot
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015
More Texas Depots

Today's attractions include tours from the restored Katy Depot downtown and The Felty Outdoor Oil Museum on FM 240 featuring early equipment used in the area.

Locals refer to the town simply as "Burk". This was explained to us by Clara, a young woman who was wheeling her dog "Bandit" back from the veterinarian in a baby carriage. Besides having the prettiest name we've heard in ages, Clara also has "Burk's" most mellow dog. Bandit was supposed to be a guard dog, but he prefers barking at other dogs.

Burkburnett's Welcome mural
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015
More Texas Murals

Photographer's Note:
"Another photographer's dream town. Wish I could have roamed the streets more." - Barclay Gibson

Burkburnett TX Historical Society & Chamber of Commerce
Burkburnett Historical Society & Chamber of Commerce
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015

Burkburnett
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015

Burkburnett TX - Gas Station
Burkburnett gas station
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015

Burkburnett TX - Gas Station
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015
More Texas Gas Stations

Burkburnett TX - park with gazebo
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015

Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015

Burkburnett TX - 7 up  sign
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015

Burkburnett Tx Silos
Burkburnett silos
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015
See Texas Grain Elevators

Burkburnett Tx - Road Sign
Burkburnett City Limit
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015
More Texas Signs

Burkburnett TX - Charley Lee Coe historical marker
Charley Lee Coe historical marker
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2015

Wichita County TX - Norlthwest Extension Oilfield Hist Marker
Northwest Extension Oilfield historical marker
on Hwy 240 to FM 368 (Fairview Rd) in Thrift,
W of Burkburnett

Photo courtesy Dustin Martin, September 2017



Burkburnett, Texas Old Photos

Burkburnett, Texas - Street old photo
"Every Day a Busy Day in Burkburnett"
Old photo courtesy Dan Whatley Collection

Burkburnett, Texas main street, old photo
Main Street, Burkburnett, 1920s
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

R.H. Henry &b Co General Merchandise, Burkburnett, Texas, 1919
R.H. Henry & Co. General Merchandise, Burkburnett, 1919
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

Two 1910 Baseball Players Shelby Edwin Cropper & Elzie Wheat
Two 1910 Baseball Players Shelby Edwin Cropper & Elzie Wheat
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/



TX Wichita County 1920s Map
Wichita County 1920s Map showing Burkburnett
Courtesy Texas General Land Office


Burkburnett Tidbits:

From Myths, Truths about Tidbits by Delbert Trew

"Many times history has written how the Burnett family, owners of the famous 6666 ranches, took the brand and name from an incident where property was won with a poker hand holding four sixes. According to sources close to the earliest Burnett owners and employees who worked for them on the original ranch in Denton County, this story is not true.

Jeremiah Burnett sent his first trail herd to Kansas and with his profit bought a another ranch adjoining his home ranch. He realized the 6666 brand would be hard for cattle rustlers to change so he bought the brand along with the land, and it's been used to this day."



Worth a drive:
A ghost town named Clara



Take a road trip

Texas Panhandle | Central Texas North

Burkburnett, Texas Nearby Towns:
Wichita Falls the county seat
Clara
See Wichita County

Book Hotel Here:
Wichita Falls Hotels | More Hotels
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