An early mention of Bure is Emperor Susenyos's visit in 1608, after had 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 after their victory at theBattle of Faggeta. The Enderase (Regent) of the Emperor of Ethiopia, Ras Ali II, was born in Bure while his fatherDejazmach 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." By 1880, its market was mentioned as having some trade in gold.
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 Kidus Yohannes and the other to Kidane Mihret. It also reportedly had a radio telegraph station, a clinic, and the residence of the local Italian official.Because the town was an important strong point on the Bahir Dar-Debre Marqos road, its capture by Gideon Force and the followers of Dejazmach Negash Bezibeh 4 March 1941 was a significant contribution to the defeat of the Italians in Ethiopia.
Due to ethnic unrest in the Misraq (East) Welega Zone during 2001, over 10,900 Amhara sought refuge in Bure
