Burlington History

Vermont’s Queen City was one of the country’s main lumber ports from the mid-1800s until the mid-1900s when Lake Champlain was used primarily by commercial vessels to haul cargo. Ships could take advantage of uninterrupted water transportation from the Hudson River to the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway, thanks to the completion of the Champlain Canal (1823), the Erie Canal (1825) and the Chambly Canal (1843). In the second half of the 19th century, railroad development began to figure significantly in Burlington’s thriving commercial environment, offering easier transportation to and from the region and a cheaper means of shipping cargo by land.

During this time, Burlington’s presence in higher education began to take shape with the development of several colleges and the University of Vermont within the metropolitan area. Lumber barons and prominent merchants, bankers and lawyers settled in the city’s Hill Section, a sloping neighborhood that overlooks Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains beyond. Many of Champlain College’s Victorian-era mansions date to this time and stand as testament to the prosperity and architectural history of the day.

After World War II, Burlington’s thriving industries began to decline and most of the waterfront properties lay dormant. In the 1980s the commercial properties left standing on the waterfront were gradually redeveloped into museums, galleries, art studios, and office and retail spaces. The railway line was converted into a stunning 12-mile bike path along the shore. Lake Champlain’s waters were—and still are—used mainly for recreational and research purposes.

Today, commerce, entrepreneurship and the arts play a prominent role in the economic landscape of the state’s largest city. Ben & Jerry’s Homemade started out here and several other national companies such as Breugger’s Bagels, Lake Champlain Chocolates, Burton Snowboards and JDK Design are now based in the downtown area. The three-block, outdoor Church Street Marketplace pedestrian mall and the adjacent two-level, 54-store indoor Burlington Town Center provide a multitude of places to shop, eat and hear live music in the thriving, homegrown music scene that gave rise to Phish. The Flynn Center for the Performing Arts and annual outdoor activities like the South End Art Hop, Burlington Jazz Festival and the Mozart Festival offer cultural experiences throughout the year.