Burlington

History

Burlington and its former settlements were founded by James Johnson and James Colton (the men who also settled Larimore, North Dakota) in Dakota Territory in the late 1870s. Earlier settlements were The Forks, and later Colton (named after James Colton), which are considered forerunners of the city. Its current name was given to it by Johnson during the creation of the post office, and was the name of his hometown of Burlington, Iowa. "The Forks" was used as a name for Burlington, alluding to its geographic location at the confluence of the Des Lacs and Mouse Rivers. In the early 1890s, the Burlington Reporter became the first newspaper in western North Dakota. It would in the future be renamed to the Minot Daily News. In 1997, Raymond Kuntz from Burlington testified before the United States Senate that he believed his son, Richard, committed suicide due to the influence of the band Marilyn Manson. On January 18, 2002, a severe train derailment east of the city sent a gigantic cloud of anhydrous ammonia toward Minot and Burlington. Power to Burlington, Des Lacs, and Berthold was knocked out due to damage to poles near the derailment site. The power company serving these towns built a temporary connection to a neighboring electric cooperative's system to provide limited power until the site was sufficiently cleaned up to permit permanent repairs to be completed. Residents were unable to access radios or televisions due to this, although messages went out advising people to stay inside. One man died and many of the area's citizens were sickened by the noxious gas. The incident was one of the more major chemical spills in the country. In early 2006, court cases were heard in Minneapolis, Minnesota, against Canadian Pacific Railway, the owner and operator of the…

Geography

Burlington is located on the Drift Prairie of north central North Dakota directly next to the confluence of the Des Lacs and the Mouse Rivers, in Burlington Township, North Dakota, and Kirkelie Township, North Dakota. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Burlington has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• CENTRAL CAMPUS SCHOOL
  Other · Minot · 1,085 students · 14.3:1 ratio
• MAGIC CITY CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL
  High · Minot · 933 students · 15.8:1 ratio
• JIM HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · Minot · 840 students · 14.2:1 ratio
• ERIK RAMSTAD MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · Minot · 689 students · 14.7:1 ratio
• LEWIS AND CLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Elementary · Minot · 528 students · 14.3:1 ratio
• EDISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Elementary · Minot · 461 students · 18.4:1 ratio
• JOHN HOEVEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Elementary · Minot · 433 students · 16:1 ratio
• LONGFELLOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Elementary · Minot · 412 students · 13.3:1 ratio