By Glenn Barnett
Born on November 22, 1918 and graduating from Alhambra High School in 1935, Talmage Burke enrolled at USC where he eventually earned his law degree. Burke became involved in Alhambra politics when his father, Montivel Burke, was elected to Alhambra’s City Council in 1942. After serving as the Mayor, Burke’s father was later elected to the California State Assembly in 1944.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Talmage was elected to the Alhambra City Council in 1952, becoming the inaugural second-generation mayor in Alhambra’s history. For an astounding 52 years, Burke was reelected to that office, until his eventual death in 2004. All while living in the house his father built in 1927, Burke held the office of mayor a record 15 times.
When the move to term limits gained momentum, Burke had the entire council at that time grandfathered in. Because all future Council members are subject to term limits, no one will ever again serve as long as he did.
On Burke’s watch, the train tracks along Mission Rd. were reset underground. Dirt removed from the project was used to cover the old Alhambra City Dump, creating space for an additional nine holes at the Almansor Golf Course and completing the full 18-hole course.
Other Council members stepped gently around him. In retirement, Mary Louise Bunker noted that to get anything on the City Council that she wanted accomplished, she had to make Talmage think it was his idea. She pointed to the creation of Almansor Court as one such project.
It is said that Talmage was also the biggest property owner in town. When the Auto Row was established on Main Street (to benefit the city government from the tax revenue of car sales), as many as 14 of his properties were involved.
I can report on my own experience with Mr. Burke. I was approached about running for city council in 1986 to fill the vacant seat when Council Member Michael Messina resigned, because his employer transferred him out of state for work. His wife Barbara opted to stand for election to replace him, making her my opponent. I was flattered to be asked to run for Council, and I said that I would take some time to think about it.
I was trotted out to an event to meet and greet people, where I gave a short speech and noted that Talmage was in the room. I went over to him and told him that I had been asked to run for the vacant council position. He asked me which district I was in; I told him it was the 2nd District. He then said to me in no uncertain terms, “That’s Barbara’s seat.” That was all I needed to hear to decide not to run for office.
Among the Talmage legacy, there remain several buildings and a street named in Burke’s honor.
