Burlington offers local businesses and lakeside catfish fishing
Home to about 2,600 people, Burlington is a small city with plenty going on. “Something that stands out to me is the downtown. They really filled it out for a small town,” says Cheri Bauman, director of the Coffey County Chamber of Commerce. Local businesses line Neosho Street and U.S. Route 75, forming a downtown district with restaurants, coffee shops and vintage stores. Just north of town, the Wolf Creek Generating Station — the only nuclear power plant in Kansas — is a major employer for the area. Coffey County Lake helps cool the plant, and locals also head to the lake to fish. “We’re the catfish capital of Kansas,” Bauman says.
Downtown's vintage stores, local restaurants and coffee shops
Vintage Sisters is a combination vintage shop and restaurant. Along with a full menu and daily specials, the downtown space has over 50 booths from different vendors. “Vintage Sisters has been here for a long time and is very well-loved by the community. If you go in, there’s always people,” Bauman says. Local coffee shop 11th Lane Roastery roasts its own beans and serves bagels, baked goods and homemade ice cream. Cilantro’s Mexican Grille serves Mexican fare, and Hoover’s Thriftway is the community grocery store. There’s also a Walmart Supercenter about 40 miles away in Emporia.
A mix of housing styles and price points available in Burlington
Homes in Burlington sit on narrow, sidewalk-lined streets, where trees in front yards add plenty of green and shade. Driveways lead to detached garages for older homes and attached garages for newer houses. Manufactured homes, bungalows and Nationals typically range from $30,000 to $100,000, while ranch-style homes start around $180,000 and reach as high as $300,000. While Kansas is in Tornado Alley, FEMA gives Coffey County a relatively low risk indicator for tornadoes.
Nearby county lakes and community parks close to home in Burlington
Coffey County Lake stretches over 5,000 acres. In addition to catfish, anglers can reel in walleye and crappie. On the other side of Route 75, John Redmond Reservoir Lake offers another 9,000-plus acres of water. Locals head to the swimming beach and the boat launches, and there’s also hunting and fishing. The Neosho River flows alongside the town for more fishing. Kelley Park includes a playground, horseshoe courts, a rodeo arena and a stadium that hosts local sporting events. The Burlington Recreation Center has an indoor pool, a walking track, basketball courts and a weight room. The rec center sits on the same campus as the high school and middle school, but it’s open to students and residents alike. “It’s like a YMCA, but it’s through the school,” Bauman says.
B-rated Burlington public schools with technical education programs
Burlington Elementary School serves kindergarten through fourth grade and receives a B-plus from Niche. Burlington Middle School receives a B. Burlington High School, also rated B, offers career and technical education programs.
Taking U.S. Route 75 to get around Coffey County
Burlington is the seat of Coffey County and home to the Coffey County Hospital. Emporia, the nearest bigger city, is about 40 miles away. The nearest airport is Kansas City International Airport, about 116 miles away.
The annual county fair and seasonal celebrations
In the summer, the Coffey County Fair puts on livestock contests, rodeos and live music. In October, BooFest celebrates fall and Halloween with hayrides around Kelley Park, costume contests and a candy cannon. “They do a Christmas event every year that has a lighted parade and a chili bakeoff,” Bauman says.
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Written By
Caroline Ernst
