DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, out here on the Newton County line, where the highway bridge spans the Sabine River, there's a crossing with a lot of history soaked into its muddy banks. This is the site of Old Burr's Ferry — and that name alone is worth the story.
It's named for a Dr. Timothy Burr, born in 1790, died in 1852, and here's the detail that tends to make people pause: he was second cousin to U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr.
Second cousin. You can imagine that name carried a certain weight in conversation. Dr.
Burr is said to have come to the Sabine area as early as 1809 — alone at first — before moving his family down from Ohio in the 1820's. He practiced medicine right out of his home plantation on the Sabine River, and by the 1840's, his family was running the ferry that would carry his name into history. A whole town called Burr's Ferry grew up on the east side of the river, just from the life that crossing generated.
Now before it was Burr's Ferry, this same crossing was known as Hickman's Ferry. One of those details a place sheds like a coat when someone new takes hold. And this wasn't just any river crossing — it was one of four main points of entry along the entire Texas-Louisiana border.
Think about that. Four doors into Texas, and this was one of them. You had the famous El Camino Real, the King's Highway, coming up from Natchitoches.
There was the Upper route, out of present-day Shreveport. The Lower route came in from Opelousas. And then there was this one — and they called it something memorable.
The Old Beef Trail. That name came from what moved along it: thousands of cattle, driven from Texas all the way to Alexandria for shipment to cities like New Orleans, as early as the 1820's and 30's. Thousands of cattle.
Across this river. Over this ground. So when the 1860's arrived and the Civil War pulled everything into question, it's no surprise someone looked at this crossing and said — we need to hold this.
It was considered strategic. Breastworks were built on the east bank. Timber was cleared on the west bank.
All of it in an effort to guard against Federal invasions. That river, which had for decades carried settlers and their stock and their household goods and their hopes into Texas, was now a line someone intended to defend. The Sabine just kept on flowing.
It still does.
What the marker says
An important communications point between Texas and the United States, especially during settlement era of early 1800's. Named for Dr. Timothy Burr (1790-1852), second cousin of U. S. Vice President Aaron Burr. Dr. Burr is said to have come to the Sabine area in 1809, but moved his family down from Ohio in 1820's. He practiced medicine from home plantation on the Sabine. Family operated the ferry in the 1840's. Town of Burr's Ferry grew up on east side of the river. This crossing (earlier called Hickman's Ferry) gave pioneers the means to enter Texas with their stock, household goods,and other property. It was one of four main points of entry on Texas-Louisiana border. Besides the famous El Camino Real (King's Highway) from Natchitoches, other entry roads were the "Upper" route, from present-day Shreveport; "Lower" route, from Opelousas; and this one, called "The Old Beef Trail" because it was used to drive thousands of cattle from Texas to Alexandria for shipment to such cities as New Orleans, as early as the 1820's and 30's. This crossing was considered strategic in 1860's, during the Civil War. Breastworks were built on east bank, and timber cleared here on west bank, in effort to guard against Federal invasions.