Burlington City Map Poster

About Burlington

The area was first settled in 1786 after a group of settlers, headed by James Dean, built a log cabin on the west bank of the Winooski River. Burlington was made part of Chittenden County in 1787. It became the seat of Vermont's newly organized county government in 1791, even though it was not yet an incorporated city or town. The courthouse had been burned down during riots between British and local forces on June 28 (July 9), 1807 while settlement was pending; it is believed to have been rebuilt shortly thereafter but no record exists.[7] During much of its early history, Burlington served as a major transportation hub for surrounding communities via water routes including Lake Champlain and rivers—the Winooski River being key—and roads leading from several nearby mountain passes.