Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 9% of U.S. towns · #354 of 362 in Wisconsin. What drives it
Most of Burke was built recently: 0.9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1986. Below: maps from 1890 on and the census since 2000.
More historic than 9% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Burke is more historic than 9% of U.S. towns, #354 of 362 in Wisconsin. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
Wisconsin towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Wisconsin town has 3.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Burke’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (28% of Wisconsin towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: our sources. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Burke’s history is told.
Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Burke. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Burke.
From Wikipedia’s history of Burke.
Burke was named for Irish statesman Edmund Burke, as most of its original residents were Irish. The town is set to be annexed by the City of Madison, the Village of DeForest, and the City of Sun Prairie by 2036.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Burke, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Spalding was that of Mr. Toffelmire. He built a house on the town line at Token Creek; made a dam across the creek, and just below it put up a saw mill in the town of Burke, In 1844-'5, N* N. Pike and James West, Sr., squatted on section 5; Thomas Kewin, Thomas Cumraings and John Kershaw, on section 6; James West, Jr., and Major Kinnison on section 8; Samuel Stephenson
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
4, Township 8, Range 11 east (Sun Prairie), 369 feet; Sun Prairie depot, 356 feet; west line Section 8, Township 8, Range 11 east (Sun Prairie), 349 feet; west line Section 18, Township 8, Range 11 east (Sun Prairie), 341 feet; south line Section 13, Township 8, Range 10 east (Burke), 353 feet ; west line Section 24, Township 8, Range 10 east (Burke), 355 feet; south line Section 23, -Township 8, Range 10 east (Burke), 322 feet ; west line Section 26, Township 8, Range 10 east (Burke), 321 feet ; west line Section 34, Township 8, Range 10 east (Burke), 277 feet ; south line Section 33, Township 8, Range 10 east (Burke), 270 feet ; west line Section 5, Township 7, Range 10 east (Burke), 286 feet; East Madison depot, 268 feet; West
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
After meeting with considerable difficulties (passing over the newly-formed causeway in the town of Deerfield, knee-deep in water), he came near the town of Burke, where he met a young man on horseback, who inquired of him if he was going to Madison, and if he was acquainted there. Answering in the affirmative, that he had a brother there, the young man looking at him a moment, and at the same time
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
When Dane County, by the act of the Territorial Legislature of February 2, 1846, was divided into towns, the territory now constituting the town of Windsor was a portion of the town of Madison ; it so remained until February 11, 1847, when, by an act approved on that day, what is now the towns of Vienna, Westport, Windsor and Burke, was erected into a single town, and called Wmdsor, from a town of the same name in Vermont. The first town meeting was held at the house of Horace Lawrence, February 11, 1847, when the following officers among others were elected : 1847 — Charles M. Nichols, Chairman ; Alexander Botkin, Charles Carnelison, Super-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereJohn M. Nelson is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
2015Fire Damage House - panoramio (1)
2015Farm in the Burke Township
2015Farm West of Sun Prairie
2015Cabela's
2015ATC Token Creek Electrical Substation
2015ATC Portage Road Electrical Substation
2014Shell and Pine Cone Restaurant
2014Pine Cone Restaurant
2014McDonald's® - panoramio (27)
2013Wisconsin Laborers District Council
2013Southside Tire ^ Automotive Repair
2013Radio Tower - panoramio (2)
2013Paddle Inn
2013North American Mechanical Inc
2013McDonald's® - panoramio (15)
2013Burrachos Fresh Mexican Grill
2013Burke Township Farm
2013ATC High Voltage Power Line - panoramio (1)Between 2,990 and 3,284 people in every census since 2000.
3 censuses, 2000–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Burke’s Wikipedia page.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
Burke is more historic than 9% of U.S. towns, #354 of 362 in Wisconsin. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
0.9% of Burke’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.3 points), against a typical 12% for a Wisconsin town; the median home was built in 1986.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (18), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
