New Burlington is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

Delaware County, Indiana Delaware County is a County (United States), county in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 111,903. The county seat is Muncie, Indiana, Muncie. Delaware County is part of the Muncie metropolita ...

, in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

History

New Burlington, Indiana, was platted in August 1837 by George Ribble, making it the oldest of the three communities in Perry Township. It was soon followed by Mount Pleasant in September 1837 and much later by Medford in 1901. A post office was established at New Burlington in 1838, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1901. The town developed along the New Burlington Pike, a major early road connecting Muncie and

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

. The area was a significant stop for travelers, with numerous

tavern A tavern is a type of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that ...

s and

inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway. Before the advent of motorized transportation, they also provided accomm ...

s along the route. Additionally, John Newcomb opened the first

general store A general merchant store (also known as general merchandise store, general dealer, village shop, or country store) is a rural or small-town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, someti ...

in the community. However, after a

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

was built through Perry Township, the village's economic and transportation activity shifted, contributing to its decline. Settlers arrived in New Burlington during the 1820s, with the first

school A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the Educational architecture, building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most co ...

in Delaware County built nearby in 1827. Local tradition holds that Isaac Van Arsdall, a native of the area, was the first

pioneer Pioneer commonly refers to a person who is among the first at something that is new to a community. A pioneer as a settler is among the first settling at a place that is new to the settler community. A historic example are American pioneers, perso ...

child born in the county. The village, which began as a small settlement, grew to serve travelers and farmers, with wagon and

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

shops, two general stores, and two taverns. However, the arrival of the railroad in the 1850s bypassed New Burlington, leading to a decline in its commercial prominence. New Burlington reached its peak activity between 1840 and 1880. The first school, a log structure with greased paper-covered windows, had a troubled history, including an incident where students threw the

schoolmaster A schoolmaster, or simply master, is a male school teacher. The usage first occurred in England in the Late Middle Ages and early modern period. At that time, most schools were one-room or two-room schools and had only one or two such teacher ...

into Prairie Creek, leading to his death. During this period, the town had two taverns, blacksmiths, a

shoemaker Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand, often by groups of shoemakers, or '' cordwainers'' (sometimes misidentified as cobblers, who repair shoes rather than make them). In the 18th cen ...

, a wagonmaker, and even a photographer’s

studio A studio is a space set aside for creative work of any kind, including art, dance, music and theater. The word ''studio'' is derived from the , from , from ''studere'', meaning to study or zeal. Types Art The studio of any artist, esp ...

. The

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

Church, the first in New Burlington, was constructed during this time, as well as the New Burlington

Cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite, graveyard, or a green space called a memorial park or memorial garden, is a place where the remains of many death, dead people are burial, buried or otherwise entombed. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek ...

(which was active from 1840-1910). The

Masonic Hall A Masonic Temple or Masonic Hall is, within Freemasonry, the room or edifice where a Masonic Lodge meets. Masonic Temple may also refer to an abstract spiritual goal and the conceptual ritualistic space of a meeting. Development and history I ...

, completed in 1859, served as a community space for various local events. However, as transportation methods improved and businesses shifted to other regions, New Burlington experienced a steady decline. A significant turning point for the town came in the late 1950s with the development of the Prairie Creek Reservoir, placing New Burlington near one of the largest bodies of water in Delaware County. The community today consists mainly of private homes, with the New Burlington

United Methodist The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelical ...

Church, built in 1872, and the Whitney Masonic Lodge, built in 1956, serving as notable landmarks. In 1994, former resident Clifford Williams left a $350,000 donation that funded the Clifford Williams Community Center, which opened in the early 2000s. This center hosts adult education classes and wedding receptions, with plans for future child-care or preschool facilities. Throughout the 20th century, New Burlington saw little change. The Masonic Lodge moved to a new building in 1956, while the church remained in its original location. The general store, which had been a staple of the community, closed in the 1960s due to population decline following the construction of the Prairie Creek Reservoir. The home of Dr. Samuel V. Jump, a prominent

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

and

Freemason Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

in New Burlington, Indiana, is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. Built in the mid-19th century, the house reflects the architectural style and historical significance of the era. Dr. Jump was instrumental in founding Whitney Lodge No. 229 and played a vital role in the local community. The home’s preservation recognizes its importance as both a historical residence and a testament to Dr. Jump’s contributions to

medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

and Freemasonry in Delaware County. Whitney Lodge No. 229, one of the earliest Masonic lodges in Delaware County, was established in New Burlington in 1857 by Dr. Samuel V. Jump, Thomas Whitney, and John S. Hutchings. The lodge initially met in a rented space before constructing a two-story hall in 1861, which remained in use for 90 years. Over the years, the lodge played a central role in the community, hosting events such as

St. John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...

Day observances and social gatherings. In 1956, the lodge moved to a new building, which remains a local landmark. Despite New Burlington’s small size, the Masonic membership often exceeded the town’s population.

References

{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Delaware County, Indiana Unincorporated communities in Indiana