Burlington perches on the line where sky meets prairie in northeastern Colorado, 12 miles before drivers pass a “Leaving Colorful Colorado” sign and landing in Kansas. There’s not a Starbucks in sight. The town boasts two exits on Interstate 70 (437 and 438), four area feedlots and, as capital of the state’s grain and feed industry, a primo place to watch cows, hogs and beans grow. In fact, Burlington is home to almost half the people who live in Kit Carson County and, in state production, ranks No. 1 for wheat, No. 2 for sunflowers, No. 3 for dry beans and No. 4 for corn. Although plagued by tornadoes and drought since 1888, when the first railroad section boss tried to break the plains by planting trees every mile along the right of way, the town relishes its agricultural heritage, volunteer-driven community projects and hospitality in abundance. One hundred years later, when native son John “Mike” Lounge blasted into space on the Discovery shuttle, he took with him the town’s centennial flag signed by 3,500 residents.
Getting around: Burlington is a straight shot on I-70, 166 miles or 2 hours and 27 minutes east of Denver.
