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Burnet County, Texas facts for kids

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Burnet County
U.S. county
The Burnet County Courthouse in Burnet
Map of Texas highlighting Burnet County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Texas
Founded 1854
Named for David Gouverneur Burnet
Seat Burnet
Largest city Marble Falls
Area
 • Total 1,021 sq mi (2,640 km2)
 • Land 994 sq mi (2,570 km2)
 • Water 27 sq mi (70 km2)  2.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 49,130
 • Density 48.119/sq mi (18.579/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 31st
Veterans Monument, Burnet, TX IMG 1982
Veterans Memorial at Burnet County courthouse
Rolling highway west of Burnet County, TX IMG 2010
Rolling highway in Burnet County in Texas Hill Country toward Longhorn Cavern State Park

Burnet County (pronounced BUR-nit) is a county in the state of Texas, USA. It is located on the Edwards Plateau. In 2020, about 49,130 people lived here.

The main town, or county seat, is Burnet. The county was started in 1852 and officially organized in 1854. It is named after David Gouverneur Burnet. He was the first president of the Republic of Texas.

History of Burnet County

Early People and Settlers

Long ago, Native American groups lived in this area. They were here as early as 4500 BC. Later, tribes like the Tonkawa, Lipan Apache, and Comanche lived here.

In the 1820s and 1830s, explorers like Stephen F. Austin came to survey the land. The first settlers arrived in 1848. In 1849, the United States built Fort Croghan to help protect the settlers.

In 1851, about 20 Mormon families started a colony. They settled at Hamilton Creek. This place later became known as Morman Mill.

Forming the County

In 1852, the Texas government created Burnet County. It was formed from parts of Bell, Travis, and Williamson Counties. The first post office opened in Hamilton in 1853.

Changes Over Time

By 1860, some people in Burnet County were enslaved. After the Civil War, many former slaves stayed in the county. They found work on farms and ranches. Some moved to the Marble Falls area for jobs in town.

Between 1882 and 1903, railroad tracks were built. They connected Burnet, Granite Mountain, Marble Falls, and Lampasas. This helped towns like Lake Victor and Bertram grow as shipping centers.

During the Great Depression, many farmers faced hard times. But government projects helped create jobs. The Lower Colorado River Authority hired many people. They worked on building the Hamilton (Buchanan) Dam and Roy B. Inks Dam.

Geography of Burnet County

Land and Water

Burnet County covers about 1,021 square miles. About 27 square miles of this area is covered by water. This means about 2.6% of the county is water.

Main Roads

  • US 183.svg U.S. Highway 183
  • US 281.svg U.S. Highway 281
  • Texas 29.svg State Highway 29

Neighboring Counties

Burnet County shares borders with several other counties:

Protected Areas

Part of the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge is located in Burnet County. This area helps protect wildlife.

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1860 2,487 —
1870 3,688 48.3%
1880 6,855 85.9%
1890 10,747 56.8%
1900 10,528 −2.0%
1910 10,755 2.2%
1920 9,499 −11.7%
1930 10,355 9.0%
1940 10,771 4.0%
1950 10,356 −3.9%
1960 9,265 −10.5%
1970 11,420 23.3%
1980 17,803 55.9%
1990 22,677 27.4%
2000 34,147 50.6%
2010 42,750 25.2%
2020 49,130 14.9%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850–2010 2010 2020

In 2020, the population of Burnet County was 49,130 people. There were 16,743 households.

Burnet County, Texas – racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000 Pop. 2010 Pop. 2020 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 28,017 32,530 34,810 82.05% 76.09% 70.85%
Black or African American alone (NH) 500 700 579 1.46% 1.64% 1.18%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 155 169 183 0.45% 0.40% 0.37%
Asian alone (NH) 89 198 424 0.26% 0.46% 0.86%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 13 13 14 0.04% 0.03% 0.03%
Other race alone (NH) 15 44 147 0.04% 0.10% 0.30%
Mixed race or multiracial (NH) 314 444 1,774 0.92% 1.04% 3.61%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5,044 8,652 11,199 14.77% 20.24% 22.79%
Total 34,147 42,750 49,130 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Communities in Burnet County

Cities

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller towns and areas not officially part of a city.

Notable People from Burnet County

  • Adam R. "Stovepipe" Johnson: A Confederate general. He founded Marble Falls in 1887, even though he was blinded during the war.
  • Gerald Lyda (1923–2005): A general contractor and cattle rancher. He was born and grew up in Burnet County.
  • Stephen McGee (born 1985): A former American football quarterback. He played college football for Texas A&M and later for the Dallas Cowboys.
  • James Oakley: A former County Commissioner and current County Judge.
  • Logan Vandeveer: An early Texas soldier and leader. He helped get Burnet County established and the town of Burnet named the county seat.
  • Al Witcher (born 1936): An American football player.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Burnet para niños

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