Burlington

Burlington, city, Burlington county, western New Jersey, U.S. It lies along the Delaware River (bridged), opposite Bristol, Pennsylvania. Settled (1677) by Quakers, it was known as New Beverly, then Bridlington (for a village in Yorkshire, England), and later Burlington (an alternate spelling of Bridlington). In 1681 it became the capital of the province of West Jersey, and it alternated with Perth Amboy as the capital of West and East Jersey from 1702 until 1790, when Trenton became the capital of the state of New Jersey. In 1776 the Provincial Congress met there and adopted the state constitution.

Steamboat service (1788) and the railroad (1834) opened up trade outlets for the city, and it developed as a trade and shipping centre for nearby farms. It later acquired diversified light manufactures (textiles, food and metal products, computers and electrical appliances, and chemicals). Inc. 1733. Pop. (2000) 9,736; (2010) 9,920.