Burnet, Texas

Everything Burnet is known for

3 songs mention this city 0 artists from here

Music in Burnet

Songs About Burnet

Headed Back To Austin
Dylan Gossett
95%
"on to Rae Ann Dr"
Nobody’s Ever Down in Texas
Dale Watson
52%
"Oh you could be up in Burnet"
Texas Bluebonnets
Laurie Lewis
40%
"When I got to Texas not far from Burnet / those Texas bluebonnets wouldn't let me forget"

Artists From Burnet

No artists from Burnet in the database yet.

Rivers & Roads in Song near Burnet

Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Burnet.

Texas Colorado River 6 songs Texas State Highway 71 2 songs Pedernales River 6 songs Interstate 35 43 songs San Saba River 2 songs

History of Burnet

The President, The General, And A Grudge RoadyGoat

The town of Burnet is named for a president who spent much of his career at war with the most famous name in Texas history. In the spring of eighteen thirty-six, David Burnet was chosen interim president of the brand-new Republic of Texas, and almost immediately he clashed with General Sam Houston. As the Mexican army advanced, Houston kept retreating eastward, drilling his troops and refusing to fight before he was ready. Burnet was furious. He considered the retreat close to cowardice and fired off sharp letters demanding that Houston turn and fight. Houston, for his part, thought Burnet's own decision to flee the capital at Washington-on-the-Brazos had sparked needless panic, part of the great scramble east that Texans later called the Runaway Scrape. Even after Houston's stunning victory at San Jacinto ended the war, the two men never really buried the hatchet. Their feud simmered on for years. So the next time you pass the Burnet county line, remember it carries the name of a president who won a country and a lifelong rival in the very same season.

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The Cave A River Carved RoadyGoat

Just outside Burnet lies one of the strangest caves in Texas, and it was made in a way most caves are not. When you picture a cavern, you probably imagine water dripping from the ceiling for ages, slowly building icicle-shaped stone. Longhorn Cavern is different. It was not dripped into being. It was carved out by a rushing underground river that dissolved and scoured the rock over millions of years, leaving behind smooth, sculpted walls and long, flowing passages instead of jagged spikes. The stone it cut through is Ellenburger limestone, laid down roughly five hundred million years ago, some of the older exposed rock in the state. Here is the how of it: rainwater soaks up carbon dioxide from the air and soil and turns mildly acidic, and that weak acid slowly eats away at limestone along cracks. Speed that process up with a full underground stream, and instead of a slow drip cave you get a river tunnel in stone. Walk through Longhorn Cavern today and you are literally walking the dry bed of an ancient river.

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Gunpowder From The Dark RoadyGoat

That same cave outside Burnet once helped make gunpowder, and the key ingredient came from bats. During the Civil War, a Union blockade choked off the South's supply of munitions, so Confederate crews went hunting for saltpeter, the nitrate that makes gunpowder work. They found it in an unlikely place: the deep floors of caves like Longhorn Cavern, where generations of bats had left thick layers of guano rich in nitrates. Here is the chemistry, spelled out plain. Gunpowder needs three things mixed together: saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. Workers would shovel out the bat guano, soak and leach it with water to pull out the nitrate crystals, then combine those crystals with sulfur and with charcoal burned from cedar. The numbers were brutal. By one account it took about one hundred pounds of guano to yield just four pounds of saltpeter, meaning crews shoveled a couple thousand pounds of the stuff a day to hit their quota. So a quiet Hill Country cavern near Burnet, carved by an ancient river and floored by bats, briefly became a wartime chemistry lab in the dark.

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Ringo, John Peters

1874

John Peters (Johnny) Ringo, cattleman, feudist, and outlaw, son of Martin and Mary (Peters) Ringo, was born on May 3, 1850, at Green's Fork, Indiana. The family moved to Missouri in 1856. In 1864, due to Martin Ringo's tubercular condition, the Ringos resolved to resettle in California. They joined a wagon train at Liberty, but during the voyage west Martin Ringo accidentally killed himself with his rifle. The family continued to San Jose, where they lived for some time with Coleman Younger, the husband of Mary Ringo's sister Augusta. John Ringo remained in California until late 1869, when he left for Texas. By Christmas day 1874 he was in Burnet, Texas, where he fired a pistol across the town square, an act for which he was fined seventy-five dollars. After the beginning of the Mason County War and the killing of Moses Beard in September 1875, Ringo and a man identified as Bill Williams rode to Jim Cheyney's home and killed him in revenge for luring Beard to his death. During the following months Ringo was prominently featured in Texas newspapers and was considered to be a leading member of the Cooley faction. On December 27, 1875, he and Scott Cooley were arrested in Burnet. During the next few months the two were transferred variously between Austin and Burnet and were finally sent to Lampasas, where a mob of their friends broke them out of jail. Ringo and feudist George Gladden were recaptured in Llano County in November. Ringo spent the duration of 1876 and most of 1877 in jail during his trial for the Cheyney killing and was freed in May 1878, when the case was dismissed. He then settled in Loyal Valley, where on November 5 he was elected constable of Precinct Four. It appears that he did not serve long. By December 1879 he was in Arizona, where he shot and wounded Louis Hancock at Safford during a saloon quarrel on December 14. Except for a visit to his family in California, Ringo appears to have remained in Arizona during most of 1880. On March 8, 1881, he was present at Camp Thomas, Arizona, when cattle rustler Dick Lloyd was killed. Contrary to folklore, he took no part in the shooting. After the so-called OK Corral gunfight in Tombstone, in which William Clanton and the McLaury brothers were killed on October 26, 1881, Ringo was a leader of the anti-Earp forces. On January 17, 1882, he challenged Wyatt Earp, gunman John H. (Doc) Holliday, and other members of the Earp gang to a street fight. He was also a member of the posse that pursued the gang during its flight from Arizona. On July 13, 1882, Ringo apparently committed suicide after a long spell of drinking, although some observers think he may have been murdered by some of his numerous enemies. Ringo remains a controversial figure of the Tombstone years because of the popularity of Wyatt Earp and Earp's accusations that Ringo was involved in cattle theft there. No contemporary evidence has been located indicating that Ringo was ever charged for this in Arizona.

Tsha Handbook →

Vandeveer, Logan

1833

(1815-55) Came from Kentucky in 1833. He was badly wounded fighting for Texas at San Jacinto, 1836. Moving here to sell beef to Fort Croghan, 1849, he was one of organizers of the county and original postmaster of the town. In the early 1850s he built this house near Hamilton Creek for a daughter. It stood at 502 South Water Street. Burnet County Historical Society moved it here for preservation in 1973. Porch was floored with stones from an early Burnet County Courthouse. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1974

Historical Marker →

Oldest Commercial Building in Burnet

1854

Logan Vandeveer (1815-55), a hero of the 1836 Battle of San Jacinto, came here about 1849 as a Fort Croghan beef supplier. He became first United States Postmaster in Burnet and in 1854 built this native stone structure. With a partner named Taylor, he had a store on the ground floor. Vandeveer was a charter member of Valley Lodge No. 175, A. F. & A. M., which occupied the top floor from 1855 to 1969. The Lodge still owns the building. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1966

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Johnson, General Adam R.

1861

Home County of Texas Confederate Joined C. S. Army 1861. Cavalry scout with Gen. Nathan B. Forest 1861-62. Commanded Partisan Rangers 1862-64 executing daring exploits behind enemy lines in Kentucky area. Took Newburgh, Indiana with 12 men and stovepipe "cannon". Promoted brigadier general June 1864. Escaped from Federal trap on Buffington's Island by swimming Ohio River with some of command. Blinded by gunshot wound and captured August 1864. Exchanged spring 1865. A memorial to Texas who served the Confederacy; erected by the State of Texas 1963. (1834-1922) Born Kentucky. Came to Burnet County, Texas, 1854. Overland Mail stage driver, surveyor, noted frontier Indian fighter. Although totally blind for life as result of war wounds he became prominent postwar Texas citizen. Founded Texas Mining Improvement Company, contracted for Overland Mail service, promoted development of water power on Colorado River. Founded the town of Marble Falls. During the bloodless Coke-Davis Controversy of 1874 marking the end of Davis' radical reconstruction rule Johnson went to the Capitol and posted himself atop the stairs with his old army six-shooter to fire down into the basement at the Davis forces if necessary, but Coke gained the governor's office without armed conflict.

Historical Marker →

Longhorn Cavern

Longhorn Cavern is in Longhorn Cavern State Park nine miles southwest of Burnet on State Park Road 4 in southwestern Burnet County. The area was once part of D. G. Sherrard's pasture, and the cavern was called Sherrard's Cave. When Backbone Ridge was formed several million years ago, water seepage formed holes in the underground limestone. By about a million years ago, these holes had become wide enough to form connecting rooms. The seepage became an underground river, and erosion and stalactite formation continued. The cave had several natural entrances. The number and kinds of bones found in it suggest that it was used as a refuge by predatory animals. In more recent history the cavern was used by Comanche Indians-hence the name "Indian Council Room" given to one of the chambers. The constant 65° F temperature and the layer of flint, useful for making tools, doubtless made the shelter very attractive. The Indians were driven out in the 1860s by the Confederate Army, which then used the cavern as a place to manufacture gunpowder. After the Civil War Indians again made use of the cave. Several outlaws, including Sam Bass , are thought to have sought shelter there as well. In the 1920s and early 1930s part of the cavern was used as a dance hall, night club, and restaurant. One of the rooms was used for theater presentations and religious services. In 1931 the state of Texas purchased the cavern and the surrounding ranchland for a state park. The Civilian Conservation Corps worked from 1934 to 1938 to clear the passages in the cave, to build levees for flood control, to dig drainage holes, and to install a lighting system. In 1932 the cavern and park were opened and operated as a concession by the Longhorn Cavern Company. Several private groups have had the concession during the years; in the 1990s the cavern and park were overseen by Longhorn Cavern, Incorporated. Eleven miles of the cavern has been explored, although the guided tour (offered several times daily, except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) is only a 1¼-mile round trip.

Tsha Handbook → · 3.5 mi away

Slaughter, John Horton

1864

John Horton Slaughter, sheriff and rancher, was born in what would become Sabine Parish, Louisiana, on October 2, 1841, the son of Benjamin and Minerva (Mabry) Slaughter. He attended school in Sabine and Caldwell counties, but his formal education was limited. He learned Spanish and the art of cowboying from Mexican vaqueros. He also learned many lessons from the Indians that roamed the frontier of Texas. As a young man John ranched with his father and brothers. Just before the Civil War he enlisted as a Texas Ranger with Capt. John Files Tom 's company to fight the Comanches. On March 9, 1862, he joined the Confederate Army, but by 1864 he was sent home because of illness. After recovering, he returned to service with the Third Frontier Division, Texas State Troops, in Burnet County. There he earned the reputation of a fearless fighter, skilled with firearms. After the Civil War he formed the San Antonio Ranch Company with his brothers and settled in Atascosa County. During this time he became one of the first people to drive cattle up the Chisholm Trail . He married Eliza Adeline Harris on August 4, 1871. They had four children, but only two survived to adulthood. By the late 1870s, Texas was becoming too crowded for Slaughter, so he left his wife and children in Texas while he went to look for a place to settle in New Mexico. After two years of buying cattle to start a new ranch, he began to look to southern Arizona instead of New Mexico. He had his wife and children join him in Tucson, but she died of smallpox soon thereafter. Slaughter left his children in Arizona and returned to New Mexico to get his cattle. While he was camping on the banks of the Pecos River awaiting the arrival of his herd, he met a family named Howell, whom he persuaded to combine their stock with his and move to Arizona with him. On the trip, on April 16, 1878, Slaughter married sixteen-year-old Viola Howell at Tularosa, New Mexico. The Slaughters settled south of Tombstone near Charleston, Arizona. Slaughter bought the San Bernardino Ranch near Douglas and in 1886 was elected sheriff of Cochise County. He served two terms, then helped the United States Cavalry against Geronimo's Apaches. Slaughter worked on his ranch until a few years before his death. He died on February 15, 1922, in Douglas, Arizona. In addition to his considerable fame as a lawman throughout Arizona and South Texas, he was the inspiration for Walt Disney's series of the late 1950s, "Texas John Slaughter."

Tsha Handbook → · 3.5 mi away

Things to Do in Burnet

nature 8.1 mi away
Longhorn Cavern State Park

A cave system carved out of Hill Country limestone by an underground river that vanished thousands of years ago. The walls are polished smooth where the water…
quirky 24.2 mi away
Willie Nelson's Luck Ranch

Willie built his own ghost town on his Spicewood ranch for the 1986 movie Red Headed Stranger -- a whole frontier village with a saloon chapel livery and…
food 12.6 mi away
Blue Bonnet Cafe

Marble Falls institution since 1929. Famed for chocolate icebox pie and the daily 3-to-5 p.m. Pie Happy Hour — slice plus coffee for a couple bucks.
historical 15.4 mi away
Dead Man's Hole

A 155-foot limestone sinkhole south of Marble Falls in Burnet County -- discovered in 1821 by entomologist Ferdinand Lueders who was chasing bugs and found a…
historical 12.1 mi away
Marble Falls, Texas (c. 1908)
food 15.0 mi away
Bay View Restaurant

Bluff-top dining over Lake LBJ near Marble Falls. Hill Country sunsets, hand-crafted cocktails, and one of the best lake views in the state.
food 22.2 mi away
Storm's Drive-In

IraDell and J.B. Storm started flipping burgers in Lampasas in 1950 under the name Dairy Cue. Now an open-air, place-your-order-at-the-window Hill Country…
day trip
Day Trip to Burnet 🏊🏻‍♂️ (FULL EPISODE) S1 E3

Featured on The Daytripper — a full-episode local travel guide.

Sports in Burnet

⭐ HOMETOWN LEGENDS Class 4A · Football

Burnet Bulldogs — Burnet — a college & pro athletic pipeline

3 alumni who reached major-college or pro sports

Burnet High School, a Class 4A institution, has a history of student-athletes who have continued their careers at higher levels. The athletic programs in Burnet have helped prepare individuals for the demands of major college and professional sports. This dedication from both students and coaches has contributed to a tradition of athletic achievement within the community.

Among those who have represented Burnet High School are several former NFL players. Floyd Iglehart, Dudley Meredith, and Jordan Shipley all went on to play professionally. Their paths from the local fields to the national stage highlight the reach of athletic development originating in Burnet, Texas.

Pro/D1 alumni
3
Class
4A
Key Players
  • Floyd Iglehart — , former NFL player
  • Dudley Meredith — , former NFL player
  • Jordan Shipley — , former NFL player
The moment

Jordan Shipley was a former NFL player.

Sources: Wikipedia · SI High School (ScoreBook Live)

Everything Near Burnet

219 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the nearest 200 are listed here — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.

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