Photographer: Stan A. Williams

This small, historic community, founded in 1870 and named after John Burton, became the terminal for the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. Community is located 12 miles west of Brenham on U.S. 290 halfway between Houston and Austin. Today, visitors can enjoy a walking tour and view many of its historic buildings. Famous Texas Ranger, Capt. Leander McNelly, is buried at Mt. Zion Baptist Church cemetery. Antique seekers enjoy Burton during the spring and fall shows in the area. The annual Cotton Gin Festival is held in April.

Burton Cotton Gin and Museum-Built in 1914, it is the last surviving gin of its vintage that still operates with the same equipment in the original building and on the same site. Today, its mission is to educate and celebrate the rich cotton history and the life and times of small rural communities during the cotton era. Although the gin closed commercially in 1974, it was restored by volunteers in 1992, under the guidance of the Smithsonian Institu-tion and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Powered by the 16-ton 1925 Bessemer oil engine, it demonstrates the removal of the seed from the cotton fiber and the process of ginning cotton from wagon to finished bale. The gin is a recorded Texas Historic Landmark; listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and designated a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. For seasonal hours or more information, call, visit the website or e-mail: burtoncottongin@earthlink.net.