The Burnet Bulletin

The paper's early years were unsettled. By some accounts T. A. Stone founded it as the Burnet County Exponent and sold it to George Whitaker, who renamed it. A string of publishers followed in the 1870s, and C. W. Macune, later a leader of the Farmers' Alliance, was one of its editors. Swift Ogle became owner and editor in 1878 but disappeared in 1879 with some of the paper's money. Capt. T. E. Hammond then edited it with help from Gen. Adam R. Johnson, and James A. Stevens ran it from 1880 until the Chamberlains bought it.

What the plaque says

The Burnet Bulletin Established in the early 1870s, this weekly newspaper has been in continuous operation for more than one hundred years. The first editor on record was George Whitaker, who served in that position until 1874. In 1898, the paper was sold to L. C. and J. H. Chamberlain, members of a pioneer Burnet County family. The "Bulletin" remained in the ownership of the Chamberlain family until 1960. The newspaper operation has survived numerous hardships over the years, including the destruction of its offices in a 1920 fire. The "Bulletin" has been housed here since 1979. Completed in 1872, this structure was used continuously as a general retail merchandising store until about 1900. Since that time it has served as a combination furniture store and mortuary and as telephone company offices. The second floor was used as a courtroom during the 1930s, while a new county courthouse was constructed. With historic ties to the early days of Burnet, both the "Bulletin" and this building are important reminders of the area's heritage. (1985)

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Inks Lake State Park — 8.5 mi
  A state park on a constant-level lake of the Colorado, between Buchanan and Inks dams, with pink granite and gneiss at the water and CCC work along Park Road 4.
• Longhorn Cavern State Park — 8.8 mi
  A cave carved by an underground river in the Hill Country, cleared of mud by hand in the 1930s and reached down 52 stone steps on a guided tour.
• Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery — 9.6 mi
  A free federal hatchery below Inks Dam on the Colorado, with thirty production ponds that draw birds and a look at how fish are raised from egg to harvest.
• Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge: Doeskin Ranch — 13 mi
  A free federal refuge north of Lake Travis kept for two songbirds that need old juniper and oak, with trails at the Doeskin Ranch unit near Bertram.

More markers nearby

• General Adam R. Johnson — steps away
• Burnet County — steps away
• The Badger Building — steps away
• Red Brick School — 0.3 mi