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Situated
in Chittenden County on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain,
Burlington's beauty and quality of life have made it a
desirable community in which to live, work, and play.
Chartered by Benning Wentworth, the colonial governor
of New Hampshire, on June 7, 1763, the original town contained
36 square miles.
English
settlers were not the first to be attracted to the area.
In 1609, Samuel de Champlain and his men were the first
Europeans to view what is now Burlington. Although the
French established several small forts along the lake,
they did not endure, opening the way for British settlement
during the late 18th Century. Township proprietors held
their first meeting in Salisbury, Connecticut in March
of 1774, with Col. Thomas Chittenden as moderator, and
Ira Allen as clerk. Ethan Allen and Remember Baker were
among the proprietors.
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Burlington's
proximity to the lake, combined with the determination
of its founders, quickly attracted inhabitants and commerce
to the area. Ira Allen surveyed Burlington in 1772. The
following year, Ethan, Heman (NOT Herman), Zimri, and
Ira Allen formed the Onion River Land Company, which embraced
300,000 acres, including land owned by Edward Burling
of White Plains, New York, for whom the town may have
been named. Burlington's population declined during the
Revolutionary War, when 40 families were forced to evacuate,
escaping the path of the British Army as it moved down
Lake Champlain toward battlegrounds at Hubbardton, Bennington,
and Saratoga.
After
the war, Stephen Lawrence was the first to return with
his family in 1783. A few logs lashed together as a makeshift
wharf on the bay near the foot of King Street marked the
beginning of commercial activity on the waterfront. The
first store was established in 1789 and in the same year,
Frederick Saxton built the first frame house at the head
of Pearl Street. By 1791, three houses were situated near
the foot of Battery Street. The first census counted 332
residents, allowing the opening of a post office in 1792.
When Prince Edward, Queen Victoria's father, visited during
the winter of 1793, only seven houses existed in the village.
The rise of the lumber industry and the use of ships for
transport established the waterfront area as the early
center of commerce. In 1797, Dr. John Pomeroy built the
first brick house (still standing at 164 Battery Street)
to be close to the people he treated. The structure held
his offices as well as his residence, a practice common
to professional men at that time. It is noteworthy that
in 1797 both Essex and Hinesburg were larger than Burlington,
and Charlotte had twice as many inhabitants.
By
1800, population had steadily increased, wharves were
extended, and residences and businesses spread up the
hillside. The first official survey map of the town was
made in March 1836 by John H. Johnson, and the 1840 census
showed 4,271 residents, a number that surpassed 7,500
by the end of the decade. In 1865, the town was incorporated
as a city, and by 1870, the population had risen to 14,387.
Burlingtonians of the era enjoyed "modern conveniences,"
such as natural gas for heating and lighting, a water
works and sewer system, daily newspapers, and other amenities
of comfortable living. Burlington's beauty, as well as
a determined promotional campaign by Ira Allen, made it
a natural location for the University of Vermont, chartered
in 1791 by the state legislature. In time, other institutions
of higher learning were also attracted to the Queen City
and its environs. The founding and growth of Trinity College,
Champlain College, Burlington College, and Community College
of Vermont in Burlington, and nearby St. Michael's College
profoundly shaped the character of Burlington.
Promotional material distributed by the Burlington Board
of Trade in 1889 sounds similar to accounts recently published
in Ladies' Home Journal and Conde´ Nast Travel, and reported
on the Arts & Entertainment Channel's "Ten Best Cities"
program that named Burlington as the top city in the United
States in which to live. The 1889 account states: Burlington
is the metropolis of Vermont, the capital of Chittenden
County, and the trade center of Lake Champlain. It stands
on the old seigniory of La Manaudiere, the property of
Pierre Ramibault when the French began to settle on Lake
Champlain. . . . No city or village in New England surpasses
Burlington in beauty of location. . . . Burlington is
fortunate not only in natural location and surroundings,
but is kept inviting and healthy. Its streets are well-lined
with shade trees, the water supply is pure and abundant,
the police force prompt and efficient in enforcing the
laws, and the fire department thoroughly organized, and
supplemented by the fire alarm telegraph and telephone,
furnish protection to property.
Besides
businessmen and promoters, educators, doctors, ministers
and statesmen also played their roles in shaping the city's
culture. As a result, libraries, theater, an opera house,
many churches, and social services have all combined to
provide a quality of life Burlingtonians enjoy.
Burlington
is a city formed of distinct neighborhoods, yet each has
a charm that that may emphasize its distinction while
it simultaneously provides a connection throughout the
entire community. Architecture ranges from homes built
by skilled carpenters who followed their own instincts,
to those who used plans from books by A. J. Downing, to
magnificent structures designed by architectural firms
such as McKim, Mead & White. Whatever the source, the
resulting buildings became an integral part of the community
landscape, and many are still in use today.
The Hill Section once encompassed large estates that have
subsequently been subdivided. A number of the original
mansions still exist; some as private homes or apartment
buildings, while others are used by the University of
Vermont or Champlain College as dormitories, classrooms,
or administrative offices. Subdivision occurred during
different periods, styles of the homes reflecting the
era of their construction. In the part of Burlington that
lies between Pearl Street and the South End, and the University
and Waterfront, the majority of streets were laid out
and homes built before the advent of the automobile. On
the east side of South Union Street near Edmunds Middle
School, a relic of that era remains. A lone iron hitching
post stands sentinel along the curb.
Traveling
west on Main Street toward the waterfront, the magnificence
of the Lake and distant Adirondacks enhance the New England
flavor of Burlington. Once the business and commercial
center of Burlington, the waterfront is once more regaining
prominence. Original buildings, including the Pomeroy
House, have been restored, and Union Station has undergone
an extensive revitalization project. A commuter train
from Charlotte and Shelburne now makes regular stops at
the station. Once more an active waterfront, visitors
and residents enjoy the shops, restaurants, cruises, walking
tours, and other activities. Luxury condominiums offer
incredible lake views and easy access to downtown. Additional
housing and recreation opportunities for the waterfront
are currently in the planning and implementation stages.
The automobile influenced street width in the New North
End and South End. Growth in the South End burgeoned during
the late 1920s and early 1930s. Red Rocks Park at the
foot of Flynn and Home Avenues has long been a favorite
destination, as is Queen City Park, just over the boundary
line. Most of the development in the New North End occurred
after World War II, when mortgages with reduced interest
rates were made available to veterans. North Avenue, now
a busy thoroughfare, was still a dirt road during the
early 1930s. Colonials, raised ranches, and ranch-style
homes are prevalent throughout both neighborhoods.
For
more than 150 years, the Old North End has attracted a
steady stream of immigrants. Between 1885 and 1940, the
area surrounding Pomeroy Park was home to Burlington's
Jewish Community; synagogues and Hebrew schools allowing
the sustenance and preservation of a small-town Eastern
European culture. The area has been an important part
of the Burlington economy and is now undergoing revitalization,
with renovation and restoration of homes and businesses.
Long the business center of Burlington, Church Street
Marketplace has been said to be similar to that of Boston's
Faneuil Hall. Excellent restaurants, quaint shops, and
nationally known retailers furnish customers with a unique
year-round dining and shopping experience. Area residents
stroll down Church Street on warm summer evenings, greeting
friends as they enjoy balmy weather. Thousands join the
revelry each New Year's Eve as the city celebrates First
Night.
Culture
and the arts are high priority in Burlington. Both public
and private schools are high quality. Although a small
city, four institutions of higher learning call Burlington
home; the University of Vermont, Champlain College, Community
College of Vermont, and Burlington College. St. Michael's
College is nearby. The Fletcher Free Library has an extensive
collection and is connected to the inter-library loan
system throughout the state. Big-name entertainers, road
troupes of Broadway plays, and local theatrical and musical
groups perform at the Flynn Theater and Memorial Auditorium.
For those who love rock music, Burlington is the home
of "Phish." It is not only Burlington's location that
makes it special, the people, scenery, and events throughout
history have molded this small city into the unique community
it is today.
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