An early mention of Bure is Emperor
Susenyos's visit in 1608, after he had celebrated Easter at Wancha near the Melka Saytant ford over the
Abay River.
Ras Mikael Sehul and his puppet Emperor
Tekle Haymanot camped at Bure in 1770 for three days. The
Enderase (Regent) of the
Emperor of Ethiopia,
Ras Ali II, was born in Bure while his father
Dejazmach Alula was governor of
Damot. Bure is located at a group of
hot springs that were popular during the 19th century for their therapeutic properties. When
Charles Beke visited Bure in 1842, he reports he found the market "to be very small. It is occasionally visited by a few
Gallas from Shinasha and A'muru." Beke continues, "The
Baso market is, however, now-a-days so generally frequented by the merchants, that it has drawn away from Burie the trade which I apprehend formerly existed here." In the late 1930s, during the
Italian occupation, Bure was described as a large village with a market located on a ridge between the upper valleys of Fettam/Sarki and Selala. It had two churches, one dedicated to
Saint John and the other to Kidane Mihret. It also reportedly had a radio telegraph station, a clinic, and the residence of the local Italian official. Due to ethnic unrest in the
East Welega Zone (located in the
Oromia Region) during 2001, over 10,900
Amhara sought refuge in Bure. == Demographics ==