Martha Esposito Shea

Burlington Martha Esposito Shea

Few communities in the United States can boast of a history as long and as rich as Burlington. Situated on the Delaware River between Camden and Trenton, Burlington was settled in 1677 by English Quakers and named for Burlington, England. The city was incorporated in 1784 and soon became a center for the manufacture of cast-iron products, clothing, and footwear.

Burlington was the capital of the province of West Jersey from 1681 to 1702, and one of the capitals of the United East and West Jersey from 1702 to 1790. In 1726, Benjamin Franklin printed the first Colonial money in Burlington, and the state's first constitution was signed here in July 1776. The city has been home to numerous historical figures, including President Ulysses S. Grant, Captain James Lawrence, and James Fenimore Cooper. Burlington traces the city's history from a Quaker community to its prominence as the first Burlington County seat and as a manufacturing center served by railroad and shipping lines. The amusement park on Burlington Island, the construction of the Burlington-Bristol Bridge, the Library Company of Burlington, and the Metropolitan Inn are among the many featured landmarks.