Texas Cotton Gin Museum, Burton, Texas. (original) (raw)

The Restored 1914 Burton Farmers Cotton Gin

307 N. Main St.
979-289-3378
Burton, Texas

11 miles W of Brenham

The Burton Farmers Cotton Gin
A National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, September 2010

Texas Cotton Gin Museum

An evolution of 20th Century Cotton Production where it happened

Today the main attraction of Burton is the restored Burton Farmer's Gin (c. 1914). It has received nation-wide attention and the Burton Cotton Gin Festival brings thousands of visitors to the small town every year.

The gin itself is an evolutionary cross-section of the cotton industry since it has been powered first by steam, later by diesel and finally by electricity. Every piece of machinery was left in place - more room for new equipment was just added (which partially explains the multi-roofed structure).

The gin is a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark and besides the equipment, it also has the company records dating back to the incorporation in 1913. The Smithsonian Institution has also recognized the Gin for its frozen-in-time historical value. It is still capable of ginning and baling cotton - a bale that is authentic down to the banding process. It has supplied vintage bales to cotton museums in other places.

	A 1951 International Harvester Cotton Picker mounted on a Farmall H tractor TE photo

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