The present-day City of Burlington was established in 1888 as towns were needed along the Rock Island Railroad during its construction. Burlington was intended to become a junction town, but additional railroad lines were never built. Although its name might seem connected to the well-known railroad company, the Burlington Northern Railroad never came through Burlington, Colorado. According to local tradition, several land buyers came from Burlington, Kansas, and Burlington, Iowa, and together insisted that the town be named Burlington. In a heated contest over the county seat, Burlington defeated Claremont, present-day Stratton, by a vote of 451 to 170. On November 5, 1889, Election Day, the Kit Carson County seat was placed in Burlington. The city then offered to build and donate a courthouse to the county at a cost of $4,500.