Burlington is a city in

Racine Jean-Baptiste Racine ( , ) (; 22 December 163921 April 1699) was a French dramatist, one of the three great playwrights of 17th-century France, along with Molière and Corneille as well as an important literary figure in the Western traditi ...

and

Walworth Walworth () is a district of south London, England, within the London Borough of Southwark. It adjoins Camberwell to the south and Elephant and Castle to the north, and is south-east of Charing Cross. Major streets in Walworth include the Old ...

counties in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, with the majority of the city located in Racine County. The population of the city was 11,047 as of the 2020 census.

History

Prior to the arrival of Europeans in the area, Native American

mound A mound is a heaped pile of earth, gravel, sand, rocks, or debris. Most commonly, mounds are earthen formations such as hills and mountains, particularly if they appear artificial. A mound may be any rounded area of topographically higher ...

s were constructed near the present location of Burlington. For example, around 1830, a small Potawatomi village stood in what is now the Town of Burlington, though it wasn't larger than the present-day city. The earliest certain European presence in what is now Burlington was in the fall of 1799, when a group of French

explorer Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians. Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...

s and missionaries led by Francis Morgan de Vereceones made a portage from the Root River to the Fox River, reaching the Fox at approximately Burlington's present location. The first European settlers in Burlington were Moses Smith (the son of a Revolutionary War veteran) and William Whiting. Smith and Whiting had been in the area previously, making a so-called "jackknife claim" to the land (carving their names and the date on trees in the vicinity) on December 15, 1835. The men then left the encampment and returned with Lemuel Smith (Moses' brother) as well as Benjamin Perce, another member of the group. The four men searched for arable land and built a cabin on the east side of the Fox River (on what is now Wehmhoff-Jucker Park.) Other settlers arrived in the spring and summer of 1836, mostly from

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the Can ...

; they named their settlement Foxville. That year, the residents of Foxville unanimously decided to change their settlement's name to "Burlington" after the city Burlington, Vermont; the Foxville name continued to be used, however, until that name was officially changed on July 15, 1839. Since its establishment, Foxville had been in Michigan Territory. On July 3, 1836, however, an act of

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

organizing the

Wisconsin Territory The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin. Belmont was ...

went into effect, and Foxville fell within the borders of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Territory, which at that time included the present-day county of

. The two counties separated on December 7, 1836, and Foxville ended up in Racine County. The first

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional ser ...

in Foxville was created on March 21, 1837, with Moses Smith, one of the four founders of the city, as the first postmaster. In May 1837, a

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...

(the first

frame A frame is often a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction and/or steel frame that limits the construction's extent. Frame and FRAME may also refer to: Physical objects In building construction *Framing (con ...

building in the settlement) and a

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

on the Fox River were completed. On January 2, 1838, Rochester township, which included Foxville as well as all of Racine County west of Mount Pleasant, was established. On March 9, 1839, Burlington township (including at the time what is now the Town of Dover) and much of Brighton were separated from Rochester. Burlington was a major

settlement. The original founders of Burlington consisted entirely of settlers from New England, and inherited "

Yankee The term ''Yankee'' and its contracted form ''Yank'' have several interrelated meanings, all referring to people from the United States. Its various senses depend on the context, and may refer to New Englanders, residents of the Northern United S ...

" culture, that is, they were descended from the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

Puritans The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. ...

who settled New England in the 1600s. They were part of a wave of New England farmers who headed west into what was then the wilds of the Northwest Territory during the early 1800s. Most of them arrived as a result of the completion of the

Erie Canal The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, vastly reducing t ...

. When they originally arrived in the area, there was nothing but dense virgin forest and wild prairie. The settlers laid out farms, constructed roads, erected government buildings and established post routes. They brought with them many of their "Yankee" New England values, such as staunch support for abolitionism as well as a passion for education and the subsequent construction of many schools. They were mostly members of the

Congregationalist Church Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

, though some were Episcopalian. Due to the

second Great Awakening The Second Great Awakening was a Protestant religious revival during the early 19th century in the United States. The Second Great Awakening, which spread religion through revivals and emotional preaching, sparked a number of reform movements. R ...

some of them had converted to

Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's br ...

before moving to what is now Burlington. Burlington, like much of

, would be culturally similar to early New England for most of its early history. From 1844 to 1850, the town of Voree, just to the west of Burlington, was the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite), one of many sects founded during the LDS succession crisis following the

death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...

Latter Day Saint movement The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by J ...

founder

Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon. By the time of his death, 14 years later, ...

. Although

James Strang James Jesse Strang (March 21, 1813 – July 9, 1856) was an American religious leader, politician and self-proclaimed monarch. In 1844 he claimed to have been appointed to be the successor of Joseph Smith as leader of the Church of Jesus Christ o ...

's group relocated to Beaver Island,

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

in 1850, his parents remained in Voree. After Strang was shot by two disgruntled members in 1856, he was taken to Voree where he died. He is buried in a cemetery in Burlington. Strang's church still maintains a congregation in Voree to this day, and the local historical society has erected a monument to the Mormon settlement there. Burlington was incorporated as a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...

in 1886; in 1900 it became a city.

Geography and climate

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. Burlington is located at (42.677945, −88.278279).

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 10,464 people, 4,240 households, and 2,702 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was . There were 4,529 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.8%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 0.9%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.4% Native American, 1.1%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 3.4% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.5% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 8.6% of the population. There were 4,240 households, of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.3% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.03. The median age in the city was 38.6 years. 25.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 26.2% were from 45 to 64; and 15% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 9,936 people, 3,838 households, and 2,590 families residing in the city. The

was 1,667.9 people per square mile (643.7/km²). There were 3,976 housing units at an average density of 667.4 per square mile (257.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.89%

, 0.37%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

, 0.12% Native American, 0.55%

, 2.21% from

, and 0.85% from two or more races.

of any race were 4.65% of the population. There were 1,838 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.10. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $43,365, and the median income for a family was $54,045. Males had a median income of $38,471 versus $25,082 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $21,789. About 3.7% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Breweries

* Burlington Brewing Company * Van Merritt Brewing Company *

Wisconsin Brewing Company Wisconsin () is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 25th-largest state by total area and the List of U.S. states and territories by populatio ...

* Finke and Uhen Brewery

Government

Burlington has a mayor-council form of government, with a

city administrator A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

. The

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

is the city's

chief executive A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

, responsible for seeing that state law and

city ordinance A local ordinance is a law issued by a local government. such as a municipality, county, parish, prefecture, or the like. China In Hong Kong, all laws enacted by the territory's Legislative Council remain to be known as ''Ordinances'' () af ...

s are enforced. Mayors are elected to two-year terms; the current mayor is Jeannie Hefty. The Common Council is composed of eight

aldermen An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members the ...

, two in each of Burlington's four districts. In every year's spring election, one alderman is elected from each district. Aldermen serve two-year terms. The city administrator is appointed by the Common Council to oversee the routine operations of the city. , the Burlington Police Department employed 17 full-time officers; Starting 2020, the Fire Department employs EMT/Firefighters to staff the station full-time, and also has over 30 volunteer Firefighter/EMT's.

Education

The first school classes in Burlington were taught in 1838. One of the first teachers was William P. Lyon, later a Justice of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin. The settlement's first

school A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes comp ...

house was built in 1839, and classes were taught there irregularly for the next 15 years. An act of the

Wisconsin Legislature The Wisconsin Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Legislature is a bicameral body composed of the upper house, Wisconsin State Senate, and the lower Wisconsin State Assembly, both of which have had Republica ...

in 1857 incorporated the Burlington Union School District of Racine County. In 1858 and 1859, a schoolhouse was built for the district's use. Now called Lincoln School (Burlington, Wisconsin), the building is now used as the headquarters for the Burlington Area School District. Early quarrels about the management and costs of the school led to the creation of two rival

school board A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution. The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional are ...

s, each claiming to be legal; a new board gained control in 1861, and lasting stability came to the system in 1872. Burlington is now served by the Burlington Area School District. The district has eight schools, six in Burlington. Elementary schools include: Cooper Elementary, Waller Elementary, Winkler Elementary and Lyons Center. Middle schools include: Karcher Middle School and Dyer Intermediate. A campus of the

Gateway Technical College Gateway Technical College is a public technical college in southeastern Wisconsin. It is one of the largest members of the state-run Wisconsin Technical College System, serving Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties. With over 20,000 students, ...

is also in Burlington.

Private and parochial schools

Burlington's first

private school Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

, the Burlington Academy, was founded in 1844 as a result of dissatisfaction with the other schools operating at the time. One of its early teachers was John F. Potter, later a Congressman from Wisconsin. The Burlington Academy no longer operates. Private and parochial schools in Burlington include: * St. Charles Elementary School * St. John's Lutheran School * St. Mary's Elementary School * Catholic Central High School Burlington is the home of the U.S.

Order of Friars Minor The Order of Friars Minor (also called the Franciscans, the Franciscan Order, or the Seraphic Order; postnominal abbreviation OFM) is a mendicant Catholic religious order, founded in 1209 by Francis of Assisi. The order adheres to the teachi ...

Novitiate for Friars in Formation for religious life.

Culture

Burlington is nicknamed "Chocolate City, U.S.A.", because of the

Nestlé Nestlé S.A. (; ; ) is a Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate corporation headquartered in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland. It is the largest publicly held food company in the world, measured by revenue and other metrics, since ...

chocolate Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cacao seed kernels that is available as a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring agent in other foods. Cacao has been consumed in some form since at least the Olmec civ ...

factory built there in 1966. It is also home to an annual Chocolate Fest on

Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...

weekend.Since 1929, Burlington has also been the home of the

Burlington Liars' Club The Burlington Liars' Club is an American organization that awards the title "World Champion Liar" annually. The club, located in Burlington, Wisconsin, has been bestowing the award since 1929.Fox River.

Sports

Burlington Little League was named District 6 champions and state champions at the Majors level in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015.In 2006, the semi-pro football team, the Burlington Blue Devils, was established. The city is the home of the Burlington Barons, a semi-pro baseball team that is part of the Land O'Lakes League Southwest Division. They play at Beaumont Field.

Points of Interest

The community of Voree, home to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite), is located just outside the city. The Malt House Theater, the building being the former home of the Finke-Uhen Brewery, is located along the Fox River within the city of Burlington, and the theater is home to the community theater company Haylofters, Inc. Haylofters has been in continuous operation since 1932.

Media

Burlington Standard Press Building Wisconsin

Newspapers

The first

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as p ...

in the Burlington area was the ''Voree Herald'', published in Voree in January 1846 by

, the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite). Its primary purpose was to inform his congregation about events in the wider

. The paper was renamed the ''Gospel Herald'' in September 1847, and continued to be published until 1850, when most of the church relocated to Beaver Island in Lake Michigan. The first newspaper published in Burlington intended for a general audience was the ''Weekly Burlington Gazette'', first published on April 8, 1858. The newspaper was strongly

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

and continued until December 11, 1860, when its owner moved to Houston, Texas. From 1860 until 1863, no newspaper was published in Burlington. On October 14, 1863, the ''Burlington Standard'', another Republican newspaper, was founded. In 1881, the paper became largely nonpartisan, but in April 1886, with a new owner, the paper was renamed the ''Standard Democrat'' and became strongly pro-

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

. From 1896 to 1911, the ''Standard Democrat'' was also published in

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

under the name ''Der Standard Demokrat''. The ''Burlington Democrat'', a newspaper with Democratic leanings, was first published in 1880 as a counter to the Republican ''Burlington Standard''. Its name was soon changed to the ''Burlington Free Press'', and its leanings changed to Republican at about the same time the ''Standard'' became the ''Standard Democrat''. The weekly '' Burlington Standard Press'' is currently published in Burlington; the

daily Daily or The Daily may refer to: Journalism * Daily newspaper, newspaper issued on five to seven day of most weeks * ''The Daily'' (podcast), a podcast by ''The New York Times'' * ''The Daily'' (News Corporation), a defunct US-based iPad new ...

Racine Journal Times The ''Racine Journal Times'' (since 1972 officially styled ''The Journal Times'') is an American daily newspaper published in Racine, Wisconsin. The paper serves the entire Racine County area. History The ''Journal Times'' traces its roots to t ...

'', ''

Kenosha News The ''Kenosha News'' is a daily newspaper published in Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States. With a circulation of 18,000 daily and 22,000 Sunday, the morning paper serves southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois. It was the original and fla ...

'', and '' Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' are also available in the area.

Radio

WBSD (89.1 FM – http://www.wbsdfm.com/) is a high school radio station owned by the Burlington Area School District and operated by the staff and students of Burlington High School. Other radio stations serving Burlington include WLKG (96.1 FM, Lake Geneva), WLBC (101.5 FM, Slades Corners), WIIL (95.1 FM, Union Grove) and many Milwaukee-area stations.

Television

Around 1989 Win-TV (now WIN Media, Inc. - http://www.winmediainc.com/) was created by current owner and President Shad Branen. According to their web site they began as a producer of local news and sports programming televised throughout Southeastern Wisconsin on CNN Headline News. Since then their services have expanded to include an array of multimedia services for their clients.

Transportation

Major highways

The following highways pass through or near Burlington:

Interstate highways

I-43 is eleven miles west of the city. * I-94

I-94 is twenty miles east of the city.

Federal highways

US 12 U.S. Route 12 (US 12) is an east–west United States highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan, for almost . The highway has mostly been superseded by Interstate 90 (I-90) and I-94, but unlike most U.S. routes that ...

is ten miles southwest of the city. * US 45

US 45 U.S. Route 45 (US 45) is a major north-south United States highway and a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as . US 45 is notable for incorporatin ...

is thirteen miles east of the city.

Wisconsin highways

WIS 11 State Trunk Highway 11 (often called Highway 11, STH-11 or WIS 11) is a state highway running east–west across southern Wisconsin. The highway connects Dubuque, Iowa with the cities of Janesville, Racine and Elkhorn. Most of the route i ...

WIS 36 State Trunk Highway 36 (often called Highway 36, STH-36 or WIS 36) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It runs in a diagonal southwest–northeast direction across southeastern Wisconsin from Springfield which is north of Lake ...

WIS 50 State Trunk Highway 50 (often called Highway 50, STH-50 or WIS 50) is a state highway in Walworth and Kenosha counties in Wisconsin, United States, that runs from Wisconsin Highway 11 (WIS 11) in Delavan east to Wisconsin Highway 32 (WIS& ...

is nine miles south of the city. * WIS 75

WIS 75 State Trunk Highway 75 (often called Highway 75, STH-75 or WIS 75) is a state highway in the southeastern part of U.S. state of Wisconsin. The highway runs from Wisconsin Highway 50 and Wisconsin Highway 83 in Paddock Lake north to Wisconsin Hi ...

is nine miles east of the city. * WIS 83

WIS 83 State Trunk Highway 83 (often called Highway 83, STH-83 or WIS 83) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It runs north–south in southeast Wisconsin from Hartford to the Illinois border in the village of Salem Lakes. Most of th ...

WIS 120 is eight miles west of the city. * WIS 142

WIS 142 *

WIS 164 State Trunk Highway 164 (often called Highway 164, STH-164 or WIS 164) is a Wisconsin state highway running from Slinger, around the city of Waukesha, to Waterford. Route description The southern terminus of Highway 164 is at the intersection ...

is eight miles northeast of the city.

County highways

Racine County Highway A * WIS County E

Racine County Highway E * WIS County FF

Racine County Highway FF * WIS County J

Racine County Highway J * WIS County P

Racine County Highway P * Racine County Highway R * WIS County W

Racine County Highway W * WIS County D

Walworth County Highway D * WIS County DD

Walworth County Highway DD

Railroads

The first

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

to pass through Burlington was built in 1855 by the Racine, Janesville and Mississippi Railroad Company. Its construction nearly bankrupted

. The line was later reorganized as the Western Union Railroad and eventually incorporated into the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Company, . (better known as the Milwaukee Road) On the Milwaukee Road, this line was referred to as the "Racine & Southwestern" Division and is often referred to as the "Southwestern" Line. In 1856, Burlington invested in the Fox River Valley Railroad of Wisconsin, a planned railroad that would have started in

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee ...

, connected to the railroad already in Burlington, and continued on to the Fox River Valley Railroad of Illinois. The roadbed was built, but because of the failure of the company, rails were never laid. The railroad currently operating through Burlington was constructed in 1885–1886 by the Wisconsin Central Railroad. The Wisconsin Central was acquired by the Minneapolis St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway in 1908, and later merged with the

Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway The Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway (DSS&A) was an American railroad serving the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Lake Superior shoreline of Wisconsin. It provided service from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and St. Ignace, Michigan, we ...

in 1961 to create the Soo Line Railroad. The Milwaukee Road operated its last train west of Burlington in 1982. In 1985 the Soo Line purchased what remained of the Milwaukee Road, and reorganized their existing line through Burlington as a part of a new subsidiary known as Lakes States Transportation Division in 1986. Lakes States did not achieve the cost savings that the Soo Line had envisioned and was sold to the new

Wisconsin Central Transportation Wisconsin Central Ltd. is a railroad subsidiary of Canadian National. At one time, its parent Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation owned or operated railroads in the United States, Canada (Algoma Central Railway), the United Kingdom ( En ...

, which commenced operations on October 11, 1987. The Wisconsin Central Limited was acquired by the Canadian National Railway in 2001. The Canadian National Railway remains the operator of the rail line through Burlington.

Airport

Burlington Municipal Airport (KBUU) serves Burlington and surrounding communities.

Notable people

* Alma M. Aldrich, Wisconsin State Representative * Maurice L. Ayers, politician * Caleb P. Barns, lawyer * Charles Edward Barns, writer *

Ginger Beaumont Clarence Howeth "Ginger" Beaumont (July 23, 1876 – April 10, 1956) was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1899–1906) and Boston Braves (1907–1909). He was born in Roc ...

, professional baseball player * Frank Cannella, sometimes referred to as the "father of the infomercial" industry * William Everett Chipman, state senator * Henry Allen Cooper, Congressman from

Wisconsin's 1st congressional district Wisconsin's 1st congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in southeastern Wisconsin, covering Kenosha County, Racine County, and most of Walworth County, as well as portions of Rock Count ...

* Leander F. Frisby, lawyer *

Ed Garvey Edward R. Garvey (April 18, 1940 – February 22, 2017) was an American lawyer, politician and activist. Background Garvey graduated from the University of Wisconsin (now the University of Wisconsin–Madison) and spent two years in the U.S. ...

, lawyer, politician, executive director of the

National Football League Players Association The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is a labor union representing National Football League (NFL) players. The NFLPA, which has headquarters in Washington, D.C., is led by president J. C. Tretter and executive director DeM ...

* Jared Hornbeek, bassist/musician of alternative rock band,

The Unlikely Candidates The Unlikely Candidates are an American indie rock band from Keller, Texas, formed in 2008. The band consists of lead vocalist Kyle Morris, lead guitarist Brenton Carney, guitarist Cole Male, drummer Kevin Goddard, and bassist Jared Hornbeek. Thei ...

Gregory Itzin Gregory Martin Itzin (April 20, 1948 – July 8, 2022) was an American character actor of film and television best known for his role as U.S. President Charles Logan in the action thriller series '' 24''. Early life Itzin was born in Washin ...

, the actor who portrays fictional president Charles Logan of TV's '' 24'', was a former resident *

Kelly Kahl Kelly Kahl (born October 20, 1966) is an American television executive and film producer. He currently serves as the President of CBS Entertainment. Early life and education Kelly Kahl was born in Burlington, Wisconsin to Ronald and Barbara ...

, television executive *

Bill Kazmaier William Kazmaier (born December 30, 1953) is an American former world champion powerlifter, world champion strongman and professional wrestler. During the 1970s and 1980s, he set numerous powerlifti ...

, three-time

World's Strongest Man The World's Strongest Man is an international Strongman competition held every year. Organized by American event management company IMG, a subsidiary of Endeavor, it is broadcast in the US during summers and in the UK around the end of Decem ...

winner;

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...

commentator on ''World's Strongest Man'' broadcasts * John Longstreth, drummer of the technical death metal band

Origin (band) Origin is an American technical death metal band from Topeka, Kansas, founded in 1990 under the monikers Necrotomy and Thee Abomination. They have been recognized by music critics and metal fans alike for combining a harsh sound with a high le ...

* William P. Lyon, Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court * Paul Miller,

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

player * George C. Mathews, member of first Securities and Exchange Commission * Ernst Merton, Wisconsin State Senator and lawyer * Cloyd A. Porter, Wisconsin State Representative * Edward F. Rakow, Wisconsin State Representative * Anthony B. Rewald, legislator * Davis C. Rohr, U.S. Air Force Major General *

Tony Romo Antonio Ramiro Romo (born April 21, 1980) is an American sportscaster and former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Eastern Illino ...

, quarterback of the

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...

, attended Burlington High School * Braggo Roth,

player *

Frank Roth Francis Charles Roth (October 11, 1878 – March 27, 1955) was an American professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1903 to 1910 for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Browns, Chicago White Sox, and Cincinnat ...

player * Francis Reuschlein, Wisconsin State Representative * Henry Schadeberg, U.S. Representative * James T. Schuerman, Roman Catholic bishop * Bob Steele,

player *

, founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) from Voree; lawyer and member of the Michigan House of Representatives * Chris Vos, singer/musician of Grammy-nominated alternative rock band,

The Record Company The Record Company is a Grammy-nominated American rock band from Los Angeles. The members are Chris Vos (guitar, lead vocals), Alex Stiff (bass, backing vocals), and Marc Cazorla (drums, backing vocals). Their music is influenced by blues musicia ...

Robin Vos Robin J. Vos (born July 5, 1968) is an American businessman and Republican politician and the 79th speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, serving in that role since 2013. He has been a member of the Assembly since 2005, representing most of ...

, Wisconsin State Representative and 75th Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly *

Mary Wagner Mary Kay Wagner (born January 14, 1949) is an American lawyer and retired judge. She served 30 years as a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Kenosha County (1991–2021) and was chief judge of Wisconsin's 2nd judicial administrative district ...

, legislator and jurist'Wisconsin Blue Book 1981-1982, Biographical Sketch of Mary K. Wagner, pg. 65

Images

File:Burlington Wisconsin Library.jpg, Library File:Burlington Wisconsin Post Office.jpg, Post office File:Burlington Wisconsin History Museum.jpg, Burlington History Museum File:Burlington, Wisconsin Masonic Lodge Number 28.jpg, Masonic Lodge

References

* *

External links

City of Burlington

Burlington Chamber of Commerce

Burlington Library
{{authority control Cities in Wisconsin Cities in Racine County, Wisconsin Cities in Walworth County, Wisconsin Populated places established in 1835 1835 establishments in Michigan Territory