Burlington

History

Burlington began as a logging camp, established by John P. Millett and William McKay, in 1882. It was officially incorporated on June 16, 1902. Originally, Burlington's businesses were centered on Fairhaven Avenue. Today, Fairhaven Avenue is the center of Burlington's old downtown, which has since been revitalized. In 2007, the city opened a new library and city hall. In December 2013, U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik determined that Burlington had systematically violated its duty to offer effective legal representation to defendants who couldn't afford an attorney. The ruling required Burlington and Mount Vernon to hire a public defense supervisor to ensure their defense system complies with constitutional standards. On September 24, 2016, five people were shot and killed at Cascade Mall in Burlington.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The highest point in the city is Burlington Hill, which rises above sea level to the north of downtown. The city fire department placed a Christian cross atop the hill in the 1940s that would be lit for holidays; it was replaced by a permanently-lit and larger version in 1965 that was renovated in 2016. The Skagit River has a long history of flooding, which has affected Burlington as well as other communities in the Skagit Valley. A 1909 newspaper article describes how a dike broke upriver "and a mountain of water came rushing down the Skagit valley and quickly inundated [Burlington]". Burlington is protected by a system of dikes under the jurisdiction of Skagit County Dike District #12, which was originally incorporated in 1895.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Mount Vernon High School
  High · Mount Vernon · 1,977 students · 19.4:1 ratio
• Sedro Woolley Senior High School
  High · Sedro-Woolley · 1,276 students · 21.6:1 ratio
• Burlington Edison High School
  High · BURLINGTON · 1,139 students · 19.3:1 ratio
• La Venture Middle School
  Middle · Mount Vernon · 726 students · 17.3:1 ratio
• Cascade Middle School
  Middle · Sedro-Woolley · 697 students · 21.1:1 ratio
• Mount Baker Middle School
  Middle · Mount Vernon · 628 students · 16.1:1 ratio
• Lucille Umbarger Elementary
  Elementary · BURLINGTON · 568 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• Evergreen Elementary School
  Elementary · Sedro-Woolley · 553 students · 15.8:1 ratio