First Courthouse of Newton County
Burkeville, Newton County, Texas
Marker Inscription
County organized in 1846; Seat of Justice not established until two years later by public subscription. A building was erected here in 1848 on land donated by John R. Burke for whom the town received its name. Newton became the county seat in 1853.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Newton County was organized in 1846, but its seat of justice took two more years to settle. In 1848 residents raised a courthouse here by public subscription on land donated by John R. Burke, whose name the surrounding town of Burkeville adopted. Burkeville served as county seat until Newton claimed the honor in 1853.
Why it matters
The site records the grassroots, subscription-funded way early East Texans built the county institutions that organized their new frontier communities.
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Related people
- · John R. Burke
Themes & tags
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