Burlington, Washington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Burlington, Washington
City
Fairhaven Avenue in downtown Burlington
Nickname(s):  The Hub City
Location of Burlington in Washington
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Skagit
Incorporated	June 16, 1902
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
Area
• Total	4.44 sq mi (11.49 km2)
• Land	4.28 sq mi (11.08 km2)
• Water	0.16 sq mi (0.41 km2)  3.62%
Elevation	30 ft (9.1 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	9,152
• Estimate  (2021)	9,224
• Density	2,137.8/sq mi (825.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	98233
Area code	360
FIPS code	53-08920
GNIS feature ID	1512052

Burlington is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. Its population was recorded as 9,152 in the 2020 census. Burlington is located approximately halfway between Seattle and Vancouver, Canada. The city is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.

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.

Indigent defense ruling

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.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.42 square miles (11.45 km²), of which 4.26 square miles (11.03 km²) is land and 0.16 square miles (0.41 km²) is water. The highest point in the city is Burlington Hill, which rises 450 feet (140 m) 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.

Flooding

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.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 8,388 people, 3,166 households, and 1,935 families living in the city. The population density was 1,969.0 inhabitants per square mile (760.2/km²). There were 3,419 housing units at an average density of 802.6 per square mile (309.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.1% White, 1.2% African American, 1.8% Native American, 3.0% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 17.9% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 31.4% of the population.

There were 3,166 households, of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.9% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.26.

The median age in the city was 32.1 years. 27.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.8% were from 25 to 44; 20.4% were from 45 to 64; and 13.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

Economy

Burlington is home to Cascade Mall, a former shopping mall located in the heart of the Skagit Valley. It is an enclosed, single-level 585,362 sq ft (54,382 m²). regional shopping center in Burlington, 60 miles (97 km) north of Seattle. Cascade Mall opened in the fall of 1989, at a time when the city of Burlington was credited by The Wall Street Journal as one of the fastest-growing and best investment opportunities among small towns in the United States. The mall is situated near the interchange of Interstate 5 and State Route 20. The mall is owned and managed by Merlone Geier and local management is headed by property manager Taylor Long. The mall permanently closed on June 30, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though some stores on the outer perimeter were allowed to stay open.

Events

The city hosts the annual "Berry Dairy Days" festival in June, which celebrates Burlington's agricultural history. The festival began in 1937 as the Strawberry Festival and originally served as a fundraiser for the town's fire department. It now features performances, carnival booths, and fair food. The centerpiece of Berry Dairy Days is a parade on Fairhaven Avenue, the center of downtown Burlington.

Notable people

• Lynn D. "Buck" Compton, soldier from the Easy Company (portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers), police officer, and lawyer
• Mel Hein, American football player and coach inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Mary Mapes, journalist and television producer for 60 Minutes
• Fred Schacht, medical doctor and American football player and coach
• Charles F. Stafford, lawyer and Washington Supreme Court Justice

See also

In Spanish: Burlington (Washington) para niños