Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and
the seat of Chittenden County. Founded in 1785. Located on a
hillside between the shores of Lake Champlain and the Green
Mountains, 72 kilometers south of the US-Canadian border
(Vermont-Quebec) and 151 kilometers south of Montreal.
Burlington was named after the Burling family, who were the
first to develop the surrounding lands. The year of foundation
of the settlement is considered to be 1763, however, its active
settlement began only ten years later, when a shipyard and a
sawmill started operating here. In case of an attack by the
British, the city had a garrison. When the Anglo-American War of
1812-1814 broke out, the British fleet was fired from
Burlington.
Burlington is the largest cultural center in
the state of Vermont. The University of Vermont was founded here
in 1791, and Champlain College in 1878. The old university
building ("Old Mill") was laid by General Lafayette. 11 km south
of the city, on an area of 18 hectares, the Shelburne Museum is
located, highlighting the life of American pioneers. Tourists
are also attracted by the house and grave of one of the leaders
of the North American rebels, Ethan Allen.
From
2006-2012, the mayor of the city was Bob Kiss, who represents
the left-wing Vermont Progressive Party, which is strong here.
Since March 6, 2012, the mayor of the city has been a
representative of the US Democratic Party - Miro Weinberger.
Burlington is located on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain.
Burlington has a humid continental climate (Dfb according to the
Köppen climate classification) with cold winters and warm, humid
summers. The average monthly temperature varies from -7.4 C° in January
to 21.4 C° in July. The average annual rainfall is 937 mm and the
wettest are the summer months. Under the influence of Lake Champlain,
snow squalls are possible in the city, when in some cases up to 33 cm of
snow can fall in 12 hours. Total snowfall in Burlington averages 206 cm,
but this value can vary markedly from year to year.
The average
annual temperature is +7.7 C°
The average annual wind speed is 3.6
m/s
Average annual air humidity - 70%
Burlington was founded in 1763, but settlers didn't settle here until
the 1770s, when a military fort was built on the Winooski River. After
the War of Independence (1775–1783), colonists cleared the land and
cleared it for agriculture. In 1787 the first city assembly was held.
The University of Vermont was founded in Burlington in 1791 as the
Agricultural College of Vermont. The land required for this had been
donated by Ira Allen, the brother of the American freedom fighter Ethan
Allen.
By 1812, Burlington had achieved the status of one of the
nation's premier seaports. It was the main import point for Canadian
timber. As a result, the population quickly grew to 2000 inhabitants.
During the British-American War (1812), Burlington housed an army post
and a military hospital. The city's role in the war, however, was
comparatively minor, despite its geographical proximity to the Canadian
border.
In 1823, the Lake Champlain Canal was opened, allowing a
continuous ship connection from New York City to Montreal. This further
increased the importance of the Port of Burlington, shipping lumber and
produce south to New York City and Albany, New York, and shipping goods
to northeast New York State. Burlington grew rapidly from 1823 and soon
became the largest city in the country. The ideal location on Lake
Champlain made the city a magnet for industry and commerce and the
center of trade with Canada.
The railway line to Rutland was
completed in 1849. Burlington's logging industry continued to grow. When
Winooski was connected to the Central Vermont Railroad in 1862, the
dairy industry also flourished, which was now able to sell its products
in other parts of New England as well as in Quebec.
In 1864, the
north-western part of the town became the City of Burlington and the
more rural southern part became today's Town South Burlington.
Traffic
Interstate 89 runs north-south past the city of
Burlington, the city is accessed by the feeder, Interstate 189, which
runs west to the south of the town. Coming from the east and also
leaving the town, the U.S. Highway 2 from your branches south of the
U.S. Hwy 7 off. There is a ferry service across Lake Champlain from
Burlington to Port Kent in upstate New York.
The Rutland Railway
went to Burlington and on to Alburgh (Vermont). Today the headquarters
of the successor company Vermont Railway is located here. At the moment
only tourist trips and freight traffic take place. The reactivation of
passenger service to Albany (New York) is planned for 2021 or 2022.
Business
Burlington is the headquarters of Burton Snowboards, one
of the world's leading manufacturers of snowboards and equipment.
Public facilities
The University of Vermont Medical Center at
Burlington is the hospital for Burlington and the surrounding towns.
Education
There are several schools in Burlington City, four
elementary schools, Champlain Elementary, C.P. Smith Elementary, Edmunds
Elementary and the J.J. Flynn Elementary, two middle schools, Edmunds
Middle School and Hunt Middle School, and Burlington High School.
The Fletcher Free Library is located on College Street in Burlington
City.