Burlington, Iowa Shoquoquon Flint Hills | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Downtown Burlington from Mississippi River | |
 Location in the state ofIowa | |
| Coordinates:40°48′29″N91°6′57″W / 40.80806°N 91.11583°W /40.80806; -91.11583 | |
| Country | United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Des Moines |
| Founded | 1833 |
| Named after | Burlington, Vermont |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council government |
| • Mayor | Jon D. Billups |
| • City Council | Linda Murrey (Mayor Pro Tem) Matthew Rinker Bill Maupin Robert Critser |
| Area | |
• Total | 15.17 sq mi (39.29 km2) |
| • Land | 14.41 sq mi (37.32 km2) |
| • Water | 0.76 sq mi (1.98 km2) |
| Elevation | 696 ft (185 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 23,982 |
| • Density | 1,664.49/sq mi (642.68/km2) |
| • Demonym | Burlingtonian |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 52601 |
| Area code | 319 |
| FIPS code | 19-09550 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0454995 |
| Website | burlingtoniowa.org |
Burlington is a city in, and thecounty seat of,Des Moines County, Iowa, United States.[2] The population was 23,982 in the2020 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in2000.[3] Burlington is the center of amicropolitan area, which includesWest Burlington andMiddletown, Iowa, andGulfport, Illinois. Burlington is the home ofSnake Alley, the most crooked street in the world.
Prior to European settlement, the area was neutral territory for theSauk andMeskwaki peoples, who called it Shoquoquon (Shok-ko-kon), meaning Flint Hills.[4]
In 1803, PresidentThomas Jefferson organized two parties of explorers to map theLouisiana Purchase. TheLewis and Clark Expedition followed theMissouri River, whileLt. Zebulon Pike followed theMississippi River. In 1805, Pike landed at the bluffs below Burlington and raised theUnited States Flag for the first time on what would become Iowa soil and recommended construction of a fort. The recommendation went unheeded.
TheAmerican Fur Company ofJohn Jacob Astor established a post in the area in 1829. Settlement began in 1833, shortly after theBlack Hawk Purchase, when Samuel (aka Simpson) White, Amzi Doolitle, andMorton M. McCarver crossed theMississippi River from Big Island and staked claims there.[5][6][7] According to an account A.T. Andreas wrote in 1875,[citation needed] White erected a cabin in the area, later platted to be Front Street between Court and High streets. Andreas called White and Doolittle theRomulus and Remus of their settlement, referring to the mythic heroes who founded Rome, a city surrounded by hills. A few weeks later, William R. Ross joined them and established a general store. In November and December, he surveyed the settlement for White and Doolittle.[8]: 145
In the spring of 1834 they allowed John Gray, who purchased the first lot with his wife Eliza Jane, to rename the town for $50. Gray chose to name it Burlington in honor of hishometown in Vermont.[9] The Grays' daughter Abigail was born in Burlington that same year, the first European-descended American settler child born on Iowa soil.[a][citation needed]
In 1837, Burlington was designated the second territorial capital of theWisconsin Territory.[10] TheIowa Territory was organized in the following year, and Burlington was named as its first territorial capital.[11] The government used "Old Zion", the first Methodist Church in Iowa (located near what is now Third and Washington streets), to conduct its business. Ahistorical marker commemorates the site of the church and early territorial government.
On May 22, 1849, Maj. William Williams visited Burlington, writing a brief description in his journal:[12]
This town [was] originally called Flint Hill- the Indian name was Shoquokon, Flint or Rock Hill. [It is] beautifully elevated, situated on the west side of the Mississippi River, a place of very considerable business. The town is very well built. Houses are good, generally taste[ful], brick dwellings. A great many handsome residences on the more elevated parts of the bluff. The number of inhabitants between 3,000 and 3,500. ... Was the first seat of government after the formation of the Territory of Iowa. The view of the city is extremely picturesque from the river. The main part of the city is situated like an amphitheater formed by the surrounding hills, beautiful buildings and private residences on the eminences around. From the location of Burlington it must always be a place of considerable trade. The city is well built [in the] modern style, a very intelligent population... The river here is over 3/4 of mile wide and steam ferry boats constantly plying between this and the Illinois shore.
— Maj. William Williams
In April 1885, economistHenry George gave a speech titled "The Crime of Poverty" at the BurlingtonKnights of Laborlocal advocating for acitizen's dividend paid for by aland value tax.[13]
Iowa's nickname, "The Hawkeye State", has its roots in Burlington. At Judge David Rorer's suggestion, publisher James G. Edwards changedThe Iowa Patriot newspaper's name toThe Hawk-Eye and Iowa Patriot in tribute to his friend, ChiefBlack Hawk. Rorer is said to have found the name inJames Fenimore Cooper'sThe Last of the Mohicans, but Edwards proposed the nickname to "...rescue from oblivion [sic] a momento [sic], at least of the name of the old chief."[14]
Burlington was a bustling river port in thesteamboat era and a central city to theChicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. The "Burlington Route" (1848–1970) merged into theBurlington Northern Railroad (1970–1996), which in turn merged into theBNSF Railway (1997–present). The "Burlington" name has been given to one of the United States' largest railroads. One of BNSF's main east-west lines, the Ottumwa subdivision, still crosses the Mississippi at Burlington.
In 1970, the community had its highest ever population.[15]
In the late twentieth century, retail expanded with suburbanization of the population. After purchasing Benner Tea,Aldi opened its first store in the United States at Burlington in 1976.[16][17]Westland Mall opened in nearbyWest Burlington in 1977.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.24 square miles (39.47 km2), of which 14.48 square miles (37.50 km2) is land and 0.76 square miles (1.97 km2) is water.[18]
| Climate data for Burlington, Iowa (Southeast Iowa Regional Airport) 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1897–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 70 (21) | 76 (24) | 88 (31) | 93 (34) | 103 (39) | 105 (41) | 111 (44) | 110 (43) | 103 (39) | 95 (35) | 86 (30) | 73 (23) | 111 (44) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 55.3 (12.9) | 59.9 (15.5) | 74.2 (23.4) | 82.6 (28.1) | 88.7 (31.5) | 93.1 (33.9) | 94.7 (34.8) | 94.6 (34.8) | 91.4 (33.0) | 84.3 (29.1) | 70.6 (21.4) | 59.3 (15.2) | 96.8 (36.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 32.3 (0.2) | 37.2 (2.9) | 50.2 (10.1) | 62.8 (17.1) | 73.1 (22.8) | 82.3 (27.9) | 85.2 (29.6) | 83.5 (28.6) | 77.5 (25.3) | 64.5 (18.1) | 49.8 (9.9) | 37.4 (3.0) | 61.3 (16.3) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 24.3 (−4.3) | 28.8 (−1.8) | 40.7 (4.8) | 52.3 (11.3) | 63.0 (17.2) | 72.5 (22.5) | 75.6 (24.2) | 73.8 (23.2) | 66.7 (19.3) | 54.2 (12.3) | 41.0 (5.0) | 29.9 (−1.2) | 51.9 (11.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 16.4 (−8.7) | 20.5 (−6.4) | 31.1 (−0.5) | 41.9 (5.5) | 52.9 (11.6) | 62.6 (17.0) | 66.0 (18.9) | 64.0 (17.8) | 55.8 (13.2) | 44.0 (6.7) | 32.3 (0.2) | 22.3 (−5.4) | 42.5 (5.8) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −6.6 (−21.4) | 0.4 (−17.6) | 10.8 (−11.8) | 26.8 (−2.9) | 38.0 (3.3) | 50.4 (10.2) | 55.5 (13.1) | 53.6 (12.0) | 40.0 (4.4) | 27.6 (−2.4) | 15.1 (−9.4) | 0.9 (−17.3) | −10.9 (−23.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −24 (−31) | −27 (−33) | −13 (−25) | 11 (−12) | 26 (−3) | 39 (4) | 46 (8) | 41 (5) | 23 (−5) | 10 (−12) | −2 (−19) | −22 (−30) | −27 (−33) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 1.45 (37) | 1.69 (43) | 2.43 (62) | 3.92 (100) | 4.93 (125) | 4.87 (124) | 4.02 (102) | 3.77 (96) | 3.53 (90) | 3.09 (78) | 2.29 (58) | 1.87 (47) | 37.86 (962) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 6.7 (17) | 6.5 (17) | 1.9 (4.8) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.8 (2.0) | 7.5 (19) | 23.5 (60.05) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 8.0 | 8.2 | 9.9 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 11.4 | 9.8 | 9.1 | 7.5 | 9.3 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 113.7 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 4.7 | 5.1 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 4.5 | 17.5 |
| Source:NOAA[19][20][21] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Burlington 2S, Iowa (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1964–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 70 (21) | 74 (23) | 88 (31) | 92 (33) | 98 (37) | 104 (40) | 105 (41) | 105 (41) | 101 (38) | 93 (34) | 79 (26) | 74 (23) | 105 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 56.0 (13.3) | 60.4 (15.8) | 73.0 (22.8) | 81.1 (27.3) | 88.0 (31.1) | 92.6 (33.7) | 95.1 (35.1) | 94.5 (34.7) | 91.4 (33.0) | 83.9 (28.8) | 69.4 (20.8) | 58.7 (14.8) | 97.0 (36.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 32.0 (0.0) | 37.1 (2.8) | 49.9 (9.9) | 62.3 (16.8) | 72.7 (22.6) | 81.8 (27.7) | 85.0 (29.4) | 83.4 (28.6) | 77.1 (25.1) | 64.5 (18.1) | 49.6 (9.8) | 36.9 (2.7) | 61.0 (16.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 23.5 (−4.7) | 28.1 (−2.2) | 39.7 (4.3) | 51.4 (10.8) | 62.3 (16.8) | 71.7 (22.1) | 75.3 (24.1) | 73.4 (23.0) | 66.2 (19.0) | 53.9 (12.2) | 40.3 (4.6) | 28.8 (−1.8) | 51.2 (10.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 15.0 (−9.4) | 19.1 (−7.2) | 29.6 (−1.3) | 40.5 (4.7) | 51.9 (11.1) | 61.7 (16.5) | 65.6 (18.7) | 63.5 (17.5) | 55.2 (12.9) | 43.3 (6.3) | 31.0 (−0.6) | 20.7 (−6.3) | 41.4 (5.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −6.0 (−21.1) | −0.1 (−17.8) | 9.6 (−12.4) | 26.3 (−3.2) | 38.9 (3.8) | 50.3 (10.2) | 56.8 (13.8) | 55.0 (12.8) | 40.8 (4.9) | 28.9 (−1.7) | 14.9 (−9.5) | 1.5 (−16.9) | −9.4 (−23.0) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −23 (−31) | −26 (−32) | −9 (−23) | 11 (−12) | 28 (−2) | 40 (4) | 46 (8) | 42 (6) | 30 (−1) | 18 (−8) | −2 (−19) | −20 (−29) | −26 (−32) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 1.72 (44) | 1.90 (48) | 2.80 (71) | 4.24 (108) | 5.16 (131) | 5.14 (131) | 4.34 (110) | 3.87 (98) | 3.89 (99) | 3.25 (83) | 2.57 (65) | 2.14 (54) | 41.02 (1,042) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 6.3 (16) | 5.8 (15) | 2.1 (5.3) | 0.9 (2.3) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 1.3 (3.3) | 5.3 (13) | 21.8 (55.15) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 9.0 | 8.6 | 9.5 | 11.4 | 12.6 | 11.3 | 9.6 | 8.9 | 7.3 | 9.1 | 8.5 | 7.9 | 113.7 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 4.3 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 13.5 |
| Source:NOAA[19][22] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 4,082 | — | |
| 1860 | 6,706 | 64.3% | |
| 1870 | 14,930 | 122.6% | |
| 1880 | 19,450 | 30.3% | |
| 1890 | 22,565 | 16.0% | |
| 1900 | 23,201 | 2.8% | |
| 1910 | 24,324 | 4.8% | |
| 1920 | 24,057 | −1.1% | |
| 1930 | 26,755 | 11.2% | |
| 1940 | 25,832 | −3.4% | |
| 1950 | 30,613 | 18.5% | |
| 1960 | 32,430 | 5.9% | |
| 1970 | 32,366 | −0.2% | |
| 1980 | 29,529 | −8.8% | |
| 1990 | 27,208 | −7.9% | |
| 2000 | 26,839 | −1.4% | |
| 2010 | 25,663 | −4.4% | |
| 2020 | 23,982 | −6.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[23][3] | |||
As of thecensus of 2020,[24] there were 23,982 people, 10,629 households, and 6,145 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,663.8 inhabitants per square mile (642.4/km2). There were 12,016 housing units at an average density of 833.7 per square mile (321.9/km2). Theracial makeup of the city was 81.1%White, 9.5%Black or African American, 0.3%Native American, 0.9%Asian, 0.0%Pacific Islander, 1.4% from other races and 6.7% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 3.8% of the population.
Of the 10,629 households, 25.6% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.5% weremarried couples living together, 8.7% were cohabitating couples, 32.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 21.3% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 42.2% of all households were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals, 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older.
The median age in the city was 41.6 years. 24.2% of the residents were under the age of 20; 5.5% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 24.0% were from 25 and 44; 25.4% were from 45 and 64; and 20.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.
As of the2010 census,[25] there were 25,663 people, 10,938 households, and 6,693 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,772.3 inhabitants per square mile (684.3/km2). There were 11,899 housing units at an average density of 821.8 per square mile (317.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 81.2%White, 14.2%African American, 0.3%Native American, 0.8%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 0.7% fromother races, and 2.9% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 3.1% of the population.
There were 10,938 households, of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.8% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.89.
The median age in the city was 39.7 years. 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.6% were from 25 to 44; 26.5% were from 45 to 64; and 17.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.
As of the2000 census,[26] there were 26,839 people, 11,102 households, and 7,105 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,910.1 inhabitants per square mile (737.5/km2). There were 11,985 housing units at an average density of 853.0 per square mile (329.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 86.6%White, 10.0%African American, 0.33%Native American, 0.66%Asian, 0.04%Pacific Islander, 0.90% fromother races, and 1.43% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 2.06% of the population.
There were 11,102 households, out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 4.94.
Age spread: 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,770, and the median income for a family was $40,912. Males had a median income of $33,238 versus $23,003 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,450. About 10.0% of families and 12.6% of the population was below the poverty line, including 20.9% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
Burlington's roots are in transportation and manufacturing. Manufacturing plants are among the largest employers in the area, including companies such asAmerican Ordnance LLC,Case Corporation, ABB (formerlyGeneral Electric),Champion Spark Plugs,Shearer's Foods and Winegard Company. The largest employer in the area is the Great River Medical Center. Among the oldest businesses in Burlington, the Murray factory (now Murray Turbomachinery and owned byDresser-Rand) which has been in operation in Burlington since before 1900, the original building on Central St. and Washington St. which was divided by the local train tracks, was recently razed. Another long-lived business isCase Corporation, which has been at its current location on Des Moines Avenue, approximately a quarter-mile from the Mississippi River, since 1937. The first backhoes rolled off the assembly line at the Burlington plant in 1957, which is now the only plant in the United States that produces the CaseLoader/Backhoe, giving Burlington the nickname "Backhoe Capital of the World". Case is now a division of the Italian holding groupCNH Industrial. Employment at Case peaked in the 1980s, according to theDes Moines Register, then declined after "Case initiated a wave of buyouts and early retirements in the 1990s and early 2000s, and ended the contract with the union in 2004"; but in May 2010, theRegister reports, Case announced that "it will open a new line that builds corn-picker heads for combines, as early as [Spring, 2012]" and that by mid-2013 it will add more than 200 positions.[27]
Over the last several years, several businesses have either left the area or relocated elsewhere. These businesses includeExide, makers of vehicle batteries,CAT, Case Corporation's closest competitor in American made construction equipment, and Lehigh-Leopold, makers of office furniture. This has left some former manufacturing plants around the city empty, but other businesses have moved into them;PPG, maker of auto safety glass has moved into the former CAT plant, and a warehouse has moved into the former Leopold building. In March 2012, theDes Moines Register reported that "Unemployment here is 7.6 percent, compared with the 5.4 percent state average".[27]
In 2022 Ben Jacobs ofThe New Republic wrote that the area's economy had more problems related to late 20th centuryglobalization compared to that ofDubuque, Iowa.[28]
The downtown area holds a number of buildings listed on theNational Register of Historic Places, among them the Burlington Apartments (listed as the Hotel Burlington), the Burlington Railroad Depot, the Des Moines County Courthouse, the Burlington Fire Department central station, the Port of Burlington building, Memorial Auditorium, River Park Place (as Burlington Mercy Hospital), the former Burlington Police Department building. It is perhaps best known for Snake Alley, the most crooked street in the US.[29] (as Burlington Paper Company),The Capitol Theater,First Congregational Church,St. Paul's Catholic Church and several others. The downtown skyline is noted for its several church spires.[30]
Burlington is the home of theBurlington Bees baseball team, a member of theProspect League, acollegiate summer baseball league.[31] They were previously members ofMinor League Baseball'sClass AMidwest League untilMajor League Baseball's reorganization of the minor leagues after the 2020 season.[32] The Bees play atCommunity Field, which underwent extensive renovation in 2005. TheBurlington Babies first began minor league play in the city in 1889.
Burlington hosts theSnake AlleyCriterium, one of the most physically challenging races in the Midwest. The annual event is held on a 15-block course, with differences in elevation from 555 feet to 678 feet. The course is entirely on city streets, mostly in the downtown commercial area. A one-block-long climb is on the historic brick street named Snake Alley. The 276-foot-long Snake Alley has five switchbacks in a 60-foot climb. The average grade is 12.5 percent in that one block.
Burlington has been the finishing point forRAGBRAI twice. the annual bicycle ride that starts at theMissouri River in western Iowa and ends in eastern Iowa at theMississippi River.
Burlington is also the home of the Burlington High School and Notre Dame High School sports teams. Also in the Burlington area are the sports teams of Southeastern Community College, which have had a successful history, including three men's basketball national championships.
Many people living in the area support athletic teams fromSaint Louis, Missouri, differing from other parts of Iowa, which support other sports teams.[28]
Burlington is served by theBurlington Community School District, which consists of five elementary schools, one intermediate school, one middle school, onehigh school and onealternative high school. Private education is also available for kindergarten through 12th grade atNotre Dame Catholic School andGreat River Christian School (GRCS).
In 1833 the first school facility for Burlington opened in a log cabin. School District No. 2 of the Township of Burlington was established on March 29, 1849.[33]
The Burlington School District has five elementary schools: North Hill, Sunnyside, Grimes, Corse and Black Hawk. All are new buildings or have been recently completely rehabilitated, the newest, North Hill Elementary, received its first students in 2009, there are no elementary school buildings within the school district that are over 40 years old.[when?] The district has two middle schools: Edward Stone and Aldo Leopold. Beginning with the 2010–11 school year, students who had attended Oak Street Middle School (an aging building that was completed around 1907) began attending Aldo Leopold (named in honor of ecologist, and environmentalist,Aldo Leopold, a former resident of Burlington, and author of "A Sand County Almanac"), the new school building is located near the corner of Sunnyside Avenue, and Roosevelt Avenue. Edward Stone, which opened at the start of the 2012–13 school year, is located near the corner of Lawrence Drive and Mason Road. The middle school was named in honor of former JPL head, and Burlington educatedDr. Edward Stone. This building replaced the James Madison Middle School building, which has only been in the system since the mid-1960s. These two new middle schools were built to accommodate more students after a third building, Horace Mann, was gutted by fire in 2005.
Burlington Community High School was constructed in 1968, and occupied the following year, with the first graduating class in June 1970. Prior to that, the high school students were educated at the former Apollo High School building located near the downtown business district; the building is still standing and for a time served as Burlington Alternative High School, but has been unoccupied since 1996. Notre Dame High School and Elementary schools occupy a building near the Burlington high school. Great River Christian Schools occupies the old Prospect Hill Elementary School building, 426 Harrison St. A third middle school building once existed on the edge of Perkins Park, named Horace Mann, that building was gutted by fire in 2005, and later razed. The school district offices are located near the corner of West Avenue, and White Street, in a large mansion once owned by Railroad tycoonCharles Elliott Perkins, and is nicknamed "The White House", due to the whitewashed facade. The original High School building (which now serves as the School District Maintenance shops) is noted as being the first high school built west of the Mississippi River.
Burlington is also served bySoutheastern Community College.
TheBurlington Public Library serves the community.
Burlington, Iowa is served by the following local media outlets:
Burlington's radio stations includeWQKQ 92.1 FM,KAYP 89.9 FM,KKMI 93.5 FM,KCDM 98.3 FM,KDMG 103.1 FM,KBKB 101.7 FM,KHDK 97.3 FM,KGRS 107.3 FM,KCPS 1150 AM,KBKB 1360 AM, andKBUR 1490 AM. Burlington residents also listen to stations in nearby communities, most notably, theQuad Cities.
Burlington previously had a local TV station, KJMH. It signed on August 2, 1984, from a tower on Winegard Drive. It also had studios in Burlington. Initially an independent station, it became a charter FOX affiliate in 1986, but suffered from duplication fromKLJB in the Quad Cities. In 1996, the station became a full-time satellite of KLJB, marking the end of local broadcast TV in Burlington. Today, those in the Burlington-Oquawka area receive local over-the-air programming from stations in the Quad Cities (the city's main television market),Quincy, andOttumwa, including the stations listed below.
The town is served byU.S. Route 34, which is the freeway that bisects the city, andU.S. Route 61.Iowa Highways 99 and 406 served the town before they were decommissioned in 2003. The two still exist as county roads.
Burlington Urban Service (B.U.S.) is a transportation system owned and operated by the City of Burlington. Routes service nearly all areas of Burlington, and nearly 90% of all residents live within three city blocks of a bus route.Burlington Trailways provides daily intercity bus service from its West Burlington hub.
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service toBurlington, operating itsCalifornia Zephyr[35] daily in both directions betweenChicago, Illinois, andEmeryville, California, across the bay from San Francisco. The olderBurlington and Missouri River Railroad Passenger Station exists nearby and is also listed on the NRHP.
TheSoutheast Iowa Regional Airport (IATA codeBRL), is located about five miles south of downtown.Quad City International Airport, the area's large international airport, is approximately 70 miles north of the city, inMoline, Illinois.
Burlington has onesister city, as designated bySister Cities International:
Barbacena,Minas Gerais, BrazilAs an English friend of mine puts it: No taxes and a pension for everybody; and why should it not be? To take land values for public purposes is not really to impose a tax, but to take for public purposes a value created by the community. And out of the fund which would thus accrue from the common property, we might, without degradation to anybody, provide enough to actually secure from want all who were deprived of their natural protectors or met with accident, or any man who should grow so old that he could not work. All prating that is heard from some quarters about its hurting the common people to give them what they do not work for is humbug. The truth is, that anything that injures self-respect, degrades, does harm; but if you give it as a right, as something to which every citizen is entitled to, it does not degrade. Charity schools do degrade children that are sent to them, but public schools do not.
Municipalities and communities ofDes Moines County, Iowa,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Townships | ||
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