Burlington dates to 1857, and 31% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 72% of U.S. towns · #42 of 151 in Kansas. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Burlington Carnegie Free Library, the US Post Office-Burlington and the Plaza Theater. Below: maps from 1884 on and the census since 1860.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Burlington is more historic than 72% of U.S. towns, #42 of 151 in Kansas. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Burlington’s overall grade.
Kansas towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Kansas town has 5.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Burlington’s 11.5 sits above most of its state (66% of Kansas towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.2 points). Two sources give 1857.
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Burlington’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Burlington was founded in 1857. It was named after Burlington, Vermont, the native home of one of its founders.
The first post office in Burlington was established in 1858, when it was removed from the now extinct town of Hampden.
The population increased significantly as Wolf Creek Generating Station was constructed from 1977 to 1985. During those years, Burlington was ‘the place to go’ drawing large crowds from nearby towns.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
In 1857, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Burlington’s post office opened in 1857, and the census of 1860 counted 118 people here.
How does Burlington rank for history?
Burlington is more historic than 72% of U.S. towns, #42 of 151 in Kansas. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Burlington?
Three places: the Burlington Carnegie Free Library (listed 1987), the US Post Office-Burlington (1989) and the Plaza Theater (2005).
How old are the homes in Burlington?
31% of Burlington’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.2 points), against a typical 10% for a Kansas town; the median home was built in 1963.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (3), Wikidata (3), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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