First Burkett Pecan Tree
Putnam, Texas

In the fall of 1890, two young sons of J.H. Burkett
were squirrel hunting in the bottomlands along Battle Creek, in Callahan County.

Neither realized that a handful of pecans they gathered from a squirrel's nest that day would later be a factor in placing their name in the history of pecan culture.

Their father saw the nuts and, recognizing their excellence, urged the boys to find the parent tree.

After some searching along the south bluff of the river, they found the tree.

Early spring Burkett undertook to graft buds from the tree, but he had no success until 1903.

Someone destroyed the parent tree in 1910.
But today, thanks to Burkett's work, the variety is firmly established.

The Burkett pecan is one of the first papershell pecans.