Burlington Ia Welcome Center
This riverfront building was dedicated in October 1928. In the beginning, it was a warehouse, a floating dock that connected riverboat traffic with a place to offload cargo in Burlington Iowa. Currently, this building is being utilized as IOWA’s official Welcome Center for visitors coming by highway from the East.
Snake Alley and 6th street
Built in 1894 as a shortcut to the downtown area from North Hill. It consists of 5 half curves, 2 quarter turns, stretches 275 feet over a rise of 58 feet. Bricks are laid sideways for better mobility of horses and wagon loads moving up and down the alley. The curbs are limestone which was quarried on north Hill. The Bricks and curbing are original. The street was relaid in 1972.
303 South 6th Street Palmer House
The Palmer House is currently the Candle Light Manor Bed & Breakfast. The Candlelight Manor, with its superb river views, recaptures the antebellum charm of a more gracious time. The house's first occupant was the Palmer family. Luke Palmer Senior in 1839 made his way to Burlington. He was a carpenter that turned his attentions to merchandising from 1839 to 1850. He established a business initially on Main street and later partnered with Hedge and Randy on a building at Jefferson and 3rd.Luke Palmer and his whole family are buried at Aspen Grove.
Burlington Depot
Next to the locomotive on South Main is the Burlington's Railroad Depot constructed in 1944. Gold leaf letters 30 inches high spelling out “Burlington” once filled the eastern exterior wall of the building. The Depot waiting room ceiling is 24 feet high with windows measuring 20 1/2 feet x 17 feet. At one time 9 different railroad companies loaded and unloaded passengers here. The famous ZEPHYR was built in West Burlington and ran here North and South - East and West. Currently, daily service by Amtrak stops here for passengers going from Chicago to Emeryville, California.
Hawk Eye Newspaper
The newspaper traces its roots to the Wisconsin Territorial Gazette and Burlington Advertiser, which was established on July 10, 1837, by James Clarke and Cyrus Jacobs.[1] Clarke and Jacobs moved to Burlington from Belmont, Wisconsin when the capital of the Wisconsin Territory was moved to Burlington. The pair did printing work for the territorial government and were aligned with the Democratic Party. In 1838, a separate Iowa territory was created, and Burlington was named its first capital. The paper located on the main street from 1839 until 1958. In 1959, the newspaper relocated to a renovated City Bus Barn at 800 S. Main St., where it continues to publish. At one time this property was a Pontiac car dealership. At the time of the move, the paper added a Sunday edition. The newspaper plant overlooks the BNSF rail yards and is in close proximity to the Mississippi River.
Railroad River Bridge
In October 1865, the C B and Q Board of Directors committed the railroad to build the Burlington Railroad Bridge. Federal authorization was granted on July 25, 1866. Work did not actually commence until January 30, 1867. An excursion train with 10 cars came from Galesburg just to cross the bridge. During the day the bridge was photographed by Mr. Monfort Hill on August 20, 1867. On August 23, 1867, the bridge was officially opened. Construction of the bridge cost $1,227,892. The length of the bridge as originally constructed was six spans 250 feet Long. The total length is 2,394 1/2 feet. The bridge is supported on limestone piers of solid masonry, 7 feet wide and 23 feet long at the top and 18 feet wide, 55 feet long on the bottom. (from Burlington Bulletin-No. 23)
100 Polk Prospect Point
This house was built for George B. P. Carpenter in 1878. Mr. Carpenter owned a jewelry business with his brother A. W. Carpenter at 3rd and Jefferson. The House is a High Victorian Gothic style and was designed by a Burlington architect Dunham. Another house designed by Mr. Dunham is similar in style and is located in Albia, Iowa.
100 Clay General Gilbert / Starker House
Starker–Leopold Historic District is composed of three houses and the surrounding grounds overlooking the Mississippi River in Burlington, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The houses were built by General James Gilbert a successful Civil war Brigadier General. He retired to Burlington in 1865 a silver and lumber baron. It was estimated he was worth over $2 million dollars in 1881 after his death. Charles Starker bought this house from the Generals estate. the Starker-Leopold family lived here most of their existence. Charles Starker was a successful Burlington businessman who contributed to public building and park development projects. He worked as an architect, engineer, and merchant before becoming an influential banker. Carl Leopold was Clara's husband and a local wood-working businessman and outdoor enthusiast. The grounds on which the houses were built is divided into three distinct properties, but the lawn areas are open to each other and feature interior sidewalks that serve a centrally located garage. The Charles Starker House (101 Clay) is a large, Italianate frame house that was built sometime between 1868 and 1874. An extensive Georgian Revival porch was added around 1907. It is built on a limestone block foundation.
111 Clay Leopold House
Carl A. Leopold built the house at (111 Clay). His son Aldo Leopold grew up there. It is a 2½-story, rustic Queen Anne-style residence built around 1893. It features a multiple gable roof and a central chimney. The foundation and first floor of the house are composed of rough-faced, cut limestone that was laid in a random manner. By the 1930s, Leopold was the country’s top expert on wildlife management. Leopold saw ‘wilderness’ as more than game or recreational hunting ground, but as an arena for the flourishing of a healthy biotic community. He fought for efforts to expand and protect the nation’s wilderness areas while changing society’s attitude towards nature.
1618 River Road Churchill House
This is a beautiful modern home nestled on banks of the Mississippi with a commanding view north and south of the Mississippi. As you can see from the pictures, it has an English Tudor study. Much of the structure for this room was imported from England. The family that built this house was significant to the growth of Burlington in early 1900. F. S. Churchill built Churchill Drugs as a wholesale distributor. In 1915 they had over 32 salesmen that covered the Midwest. In 1921 they had branches in Cedar Rapids and Peoria. In 1928 they merged with McKesson & Robins to form the McKesson-Churchill Drug Company. In 1940 they became McKesson and Robbins Drug Company.
26365 Main P..J. Paule House
P. J. Paule's house was the first house built to tend vineyards that covered his land at 26365 Main Street. Mr. Paule came here from Germany where he was a Vine-Grower. Vineyards like Federal Bond Winery, Concorde Vineyards used this land from the mid-1800s to the 1930s to grow grapes for wine. Mr. Paule had a wine cellar under his house. Many of the homes in Burlington in the late 1800s had wine cellars. Cascade Terrace in the 1920s became a high-end housing development.
13 Cascade Terrace - Pettigrew House
In 1911 Ed Pettigrew came to Burlington as an assistant to the President of the Burlington Hotel. On April 1, 1918, Mr. Pettigrew purchased the Burlington Hotel at the age of 29 and became the manager of this well-known and prospering establishment. Before long Mr. Pettigrew had increased his holdings. He added the Union Hotel in Burlington to his holdings in 1937. In the 1940s he bought the Hawkeye Hotel in the same city. Pettigrew also made his mark in automobile retailing. In 1943 he opened an agency selling Oldsmobiles with Mr. Buhmeyer and was instrumental in erecting the building on south 3rd that housed this agency. In 1946 he bought a Lincoln / Mercury dealership. On February 16, 1911, Robert E. Pettigrew married Ruth E. Fredrick, the daughter of Henry and Emily Frederick. hey built a large home on the banks of the Mississippi at 13 Cascade Terrace. The house is 5,102 square feet, not counting the finished basement, screened-in porch and outdoor patios. So there is plenty of living space to spread out and relax in.
2131 South Main- Lagomarcino House
Born in Genoa, Italy in 1848, Andy Lagomarcino - as his Burlington friends called him “Andy”, traveled to the new world in 1866 to seek his future. This handsome young Italian lingered a while in New York City where he married Maria Tassina. The couple and their offspring drifted west to Wheeling and eventually settled in Burlington. Between his arrival in Burlington in 1875 and his death in 1907 Lagomachino built ever-expanding retail and wholesale fruit business. By the first decade of the 20th Century, the Lagomarcino-Grupe company-operated branch offices in Cedar Rapids, Creston, Davenport, Dubuque, Ottumwa and other towns like Estherville and St. Louis. He is also credited as being the man who introduced “bananas” to Burlington. The house has five marble fireplaces, that were imported from the old country. At one time the house had gas lights that were manufactured by Steuben.
Dankwardt Park
Dankwardt Park is a 72 acre municipal park in the Southeast section of Burlington, Iowa. It is located adjacent to Crapo Park and bordered by Shoquouoquon Drive and Madison Avenue. The park was established in 1937 on land donated to the city by Lydia Dankwardt as a memorial to her family. Dankwardt Park hosts numerous recreational opportunities, including a disc golf course, swimming pool, tennis courts, shelter houses, a skate park and more.
Crapo Park Lookout Gun emplacement
The history of the two 3-inch, 50-caliber guns dates to 1958 when former Iowa congressman Fred Schwengel dedicated the cannons at the park. Details about how the retired naval guns were used before becoming park decorations are sketchy, but they weren’t the first guns stationed in the park. Burlington businessman and philanthropist Philip Crapo donated two 100-pound Parrott guns to the park in 1896 -- the same kind of cannons used in the Civil War. Crapo helped establish the park the previous year and bought the guns for Iowa’s semi-centennial, which was celebrated in the park. Those cannons, rumor has it, were turned into scrap metal in 1943 to help fight World War II, and Crapo Park was without military hardware for 15 years -- until the current 50-caliber guns were installed.
Hawkeye Native Cabin Crapo Park
This old pioneer log cabin, was erected by the Hawkeye Native Society in 1910. On the rear porch, overlooking the river is an old Indian dugout canoe. Within the cabin are relics of pioneer days. The rafters are made from lumber cut on the John Latty farm north of Burlington. They are over 100 years old. ( 1939 A Guide to Burlington)
Fountain Crapo Park
The fountain was commissioned by WPA in 1937. It was In-service September 1937. The fountain was dedicated to Charles Foehlinger in July of 1952. Charles Foehlinger was the park's superintendent from 1938 until his death in 1949. The fountain was originally controlled by vacuum tubes created by GE Electrics. It was refurbished in 2003 with a computerized controller. The fountain displays red, green, blue and yellow lights.
Shakespeare Garden Crapo Park
Shakespeare Garden, contains many flowers named in Shakespeare's works. An Ivy sprig was taken from Shakespeare's grave in England and replanted here in this park. Mrs. George Swiler bought for the club and antique bronze sundial in Stratford with the inscription “Domine Direge Nos Londini 1700”. Which is on the London coat of arms and translates “Lord Direct Us”. This was to be mounted on a Bedford stone pedestal in the garden on Shakespeare's 364th birthday anniversary. Dedicated in 1928, the garden was created and designed by the ladies of the Shakespeare Club. Many readings and Shakespeare plays have been presented here overtime. It is the favorite location for a wedding.
Lake Starker Crapo Park
The members of the park board in 1906 were - Messr. Ernst Bock, Theodore Ron Dorf, WP Foster, and William Pilger. Lake Starker at this time was a deep mud hole, a false bottom was put in early that spring and water was turned on. Lake Starker is 600 feet long and 300 feet wide. A large island was constructed in the center of the lake. At this time pleasure boats were allowed on the lake. By 1924 ice skating on Lake Starker was allowed and in later years ice carnivals were held as Kiwanis project. These ice carnivals attracted a lot of talent. Races were held around the island, while fancy skating events were held in a special marked off areas. The lake was named in honor of Charles Starker, one of the first park commissioners planners and designers of the park.
Corse Statute Crapo Park
A bronze statue was erected for the 1896 sesquicentennial, in Crapo Park, to honor a Burlington civil war hero, Gen. John Corse. His distinguished war record included command of the 6th Iowa infantry and the second division of the 16th Corps. He participated in the battle of Shiloh and Corinth in the Tennessee and Atlanta campaigns. After the fall of Atlanta in 1864, he was ordered to defend a supply depot at Allatoona Pass, Georgia. When Gen. Sherman heard Corse was there he replied: “Hold the fort for I am coming”. Corse was wounded during the battle but his success became the subject of a general order from Gen. Sherman which emphasize the necessity to defend fortified posts “to the last”. The phrase “Hold the Fort” inspired a hymn and was placed on the base of his statue, which was the 1st equestrian statue erected in Iowa.
BURL Southeastern Iowa Airport
In 1929 when the Burlington City Council adopted a resolution to establish a Municipal Airport on an “L”-shaped 55-acre sod field on Summer Street in Burlington, Iowa. Regularly scheduled commercial passenger service started two years later in 1931 when the National Air Transport company added Burlington to its Chicago to Kansas City route. National’s two Ford Trimotor planes made two daily flights to Burlington carrying ten passengers each and lumbering across the sky with a top speed of 152 miles per hour. In 1943, a contract was signed with the U.S. Government to pave the runways and expand the site to 500 acres. Braniff Airlines began offering two daily departures to Kansas City to carry passengers and cargo in 1944. Three years later in 1947, a long-range Airport development plan was created for building a Quonset-hut administrative building, a U-shaped entrance road with parking, a gasoline service station for aircraft, a tourist court with recreational facilities, a maintenance building and hangers for aircraft. The Airport’s hours of operation were extended in 1959 when runway lights were installed, enabling flights to take off and land at night. In 1967 an aviation easement was established, and the North-South runway was widened and extended 1,351 feet to a total length of 6,700 feet. The terminal building was remodeled for the comfort of Burlington’s passengers in 1989. In 1996, The Burlington Regional Airport’s name was changed to the Southeast Iowa Regional Airport to reflect the entire area that we serve. Currently, the airport employs about 20 people who provide personal service to our customers. Passengers tell us that the laid back, inviting atmosphere at our Airport reminds them of the “Wings” TV show.
Edward Stone School
This school was named for famed physicist Edward Stone who was on hand to help dedicate the new middle school named in his honor. Stone, who has ties to Burlington, said having a middle school named after him is an extraordinary honor. “This is truly an honor because it comes from the community where my exploration journey began,” Stone said. Stone is a Burlington High School graduate, and graduate of Burlington Junior College. He is a former director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, chief of the Voyager 1 and 2 projects and namesake of Edward Stone Middle School. As project scientist for the Voyager Mission at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., Stone coordinated scientific studies of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune along with Voyager’s continuing exploration of the outer heliosphere and the search of interstellar space. The $18 million school opened its doors to students Aug. 20.
Notre Dame High School
Notre Dame High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Burlington, Iowa. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. Notre Dame opened in 1957 in its current location. St Pauls school its predecessor was at Court and High and was built in 1877 for $20,000.
Perkins Park
An 18-acre park of the Perkins Estate was given to the City of Burlington in 1927 to be used as a public park. The land, which was purchased by Mr. Charles Elliott Perkins (Past President of Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad) in 1867, was the site of his home "The Apple Trees". This home was enlarged to a 32 room mansion over time. This park includes a shelter house, gazebo, playground, tennis courts, and several attractive footbridges.
815 Garfield Coulter House
Built in 1897 by John Coulter (President and treasurer of Burlington School Furniture Company). This home boasts high ceilings, stunning woodwork, parquet floors, pocket doors, beautiful stained glass, 3 wood-burning fireplaces, a wrap-around deck for outdoor entertainment, an updated kitchen, all updated electrical & plumbing and more! Original brass chandeliers have all been converted from gas to electric.
809 Garfield Milton Blaul
Milton Blaul was President of John Blaul’s Sons Company. They were major wholesale distributors of food in the early and mid-1900s. In the mid 1900s, their company became one of the Mid-Wests largest distributors of home-roasted coffee. They could produce 400 lbs of roasted coffee in 20 minutes.
625 south Garfield Charles Taeger house
The Taeger came here in the 1900s. He became a well known wholesale liquor distributor. He was a quiet man but a great supporter of the Burlington community. A single-family home that contains 3,198 square feet and was built in 1868. It contains 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
615 south Garfield - Kassel house
This house had three different house numbers (613,625,617) on two different streets (Warren and Garfield). It is a Four Square house with a side portico, 4 bedrooms 1.5 baths, 2,198 sq. ft. We think it was built in 1910. The original family is still a mystery.
523 Garfield Morehouse
William Henry Morehouse house. Born Jan. 10 1832 in Saratoga County New York. Married Miss Minerva A. MacArthur 1859. Established Bank of Brookings, Brookings, South Dakota. He was a Mason. Died June 17, 1907, at the Homeopathic Hospital.
701 Division W. F. Hayden
Mr Hayden and Mr. Stewart partnered in a Plumbers and Steam Fitters business. They had a wholesale/retail business at 312 North Main and 701 Division St, This is a single-family home that contains 3,411 sq. ft and was built in 1860. It contains 4 bedrooms and 1 bathroom.
Memorial Auditorium
A rich history of live entertainment. Burlington Memorial Auditorium, located on Front Street along Mississippi River, was opened to the public in May of 1939. Built by the Works Progress Administration and first used as a U.S. Naval Reserve Training Center, and by the supply company of the 136th Medical Regiment of the Iowa National Guard. This building was the home to a naval training unit for Corsairs. There were six navy planes allocated to this unit for 205 flight officers. This was also home for a Navy Training Electronics Unit. $ 6,000,000 was invested to train 200 enlisted reserves. They were trained in radio, radar and electronic repair. It is a unique, historic venue for live concerts, musicals, and sporting events, with a 6,000-square-foot flat-floor arena, a theatrical stage with full-grid professional lighting and sound and 1,200 permanent seats in the upper and lower balconies. The lower level has a complete kitchen and three banquet rooms for weddings, parties, meetings, etc.The Burlington Memorial Auditorium is owned by The City of Burlington, IA and currently managed by American Music Festival (AMF). As an entertainment spot over the last 80 years, it has featured entertainers like Al Hirt, Bradford Marsalis, Doc Severinsen (Band Leader for Tonight Show with Jonny Carson), the Russian Ballet, Texas Tenors, Pentatonix and many others.
South Hill Park
South Hill Park is between 6th, 7th, Aetna and Elm streets. South Hill was the second public square marked on the original survey. Near the corner of Elm and 7th, is a Boulder Monument marking a solar eclipse event viewed here on August 7, 1869. Many well-known scientists from all over the globe gathered in Burlington for this event. The Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, in conjunction with Professor J.H.C. Coffin of the U.S. Navy set up headquarters here to photograph the eclipse. Southeast Iowa was determined to be the ideal picture-taking point. Small scientific parties were sent to Mount Pleasant, Ottumwa and Oskaloosa. A carload of apparatus shipped from Philadelphia included two Munich equatorial telescopes with six-inch apertures that were geared to move with the sun, plus other telescopes and cameras. The “distinguished astronomers” were officially welcomed here by the City Council.
