downstream on the Skagit River
- Burlington — Thumbnail History (historylink.org)
Burlington is located in western Skagit County, just north of the county seat of Mount Vernon. The community was first established in 1882 as a logging camp, developed into a small town during the early 1890s, and incorporated in 1902. Agriculture has always been one of the biggest industries in the city, though extensive commercial development along Burlington Boulevard between the late 1980s and late 2000s changed this to some extent. The city had an estimated 8,783 residents in 2017, and in 2019, Burlington remained a pleasant, small community, one that was proud of its small-town appeal.
northbound on Interstate 5
- Heath Farm Marker (lakewoodhistorical.org)
Joseph Thomas Heath was born on Sept. 22, 1804 in Exeter, England. On Sept. 21, 1843 he signed a contract with the Puget Sound Agricultural Co. (Hudson’s Bay Co.) and left Cherbourg, France for the Pacific Northwest. Sailing on the British ship “Cowlitz” around the horn of South America to Hawaii. He arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River on June 1, 1844. On June 17, the “Cowlitz” arrived at Fort Nisqually. Heath moved into an existing log house and barn that was built and abandoned by one of the Red River (Canada) settlers about 1840. In the next five years, Heath built a granary, barn, corn shed, Dutch barn, smoke house, kitchen, tool house, dairy, pig sty and an ox shed. He fenced his yard and another 40 acres. Heath kept a very detailed diary, however, only part of it survived. Much of the diary from Jan. 1, 1845 until he became sick on Feb. 9, 1849 still exists. Heath died at the age of 44 just after the end of the diary. He was buried at Fort Nisqually in an unmarked grave. After Heath’s death, a U.S. mounted artillery unit, Company M, arrived, leased and later purchased the property from Hudson’s Bay Co. In August of 1849, Fort Steilacoom was established using the Heath’s Farm log buildings. Heath’s house became the Fort Adjutant’s (HQ) office. As the Fort grew the log buildings were replaced. Heath’s log house was located very close to this historic marker.
southbound on Bellingham Subdivision
southbound on Interstate 5
upstream on the Skagit River
- Burlington, Washington (Wikipedia)
Burlington is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. Its population was recorded as 9,152 in the 2020 census. Burlington is located approximately halfway between Seattle and Vancouver, Canada. The city is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.
