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Attractions
Snake Alley is Burlington’s most famous landmark. Constructed in 1894, this brick and stone-curbed path was built as an emergency route for horse drawn fire trucks. Listed in Ripley’s Believe It or Not as “the crookedest street in the world,” Snake Alley contains five half curves and two quarter curves and drops 58 feet in the span of 275 feet. Snake Alley is located between Washington and Columbia Streets.
The Heritage Hill Historic District is one of Burlington’s oldest neighborhoods. The Heritage Hill Historic District is a National Historic District with more than 120 homes considered architecturally or historically significant. The district has several architectural styles such as Georgian, Greek Revival, and Queen Anne. Self-guided tours of Heritage Hill Historic District are available by contacting the Burlington Convention and Visitors Bureau at (319) 752-6365.
Burlington’s Arts
for Living Center is housed in the former German Methodist
Episcopal Church that was built in 1868. The Center’s art gallery
hosts a variety of works by local artists. Exhibits, lecture programs,
and classes are also available. The Arts for Living Center is located
in the Heritage Hill District at 7th and Washington Street. For more details
call (319) 754-8069.
Our Lady of Grace Grotto was constructed during the
Great Depression and built entirely with donated rock. Some of the stones
actually came from the Holy Land. The grotto highlights include walls
of crystal rock, sidewalks of stone, a statue of Mary, landscaped gardens,
and several ponds. Our Lady of Grace Grotto is located east of St. Mary’s
Church in West Burlington.
The Apple Trees Museum is located in the Old Charles
Perkins Mansion at 1616 Dill Street in Perkins Park. The mansion was built
for Charles Perkins, who served as president of Burlington Railroad. Today
the mansion houses the Des Moines County Historical Society collection
which includes Burlington memorabilia and Native Indian artifacts.
The Phelps House Museum is located in an elegant Victorian home whose nine rooms are filled with furnishings and artifacts that date back as far as 1774. The museum also includes a medical memories display that highlights the first Burlington hospital. Phelps House Museum can be found at the top of Snake Alley at 512 Columbia Street.
The Port of Burlington Welcome Center was built in 1928
and originally served as a barge-loading station. Today it is a State
of Iowa Welcome Center where visitors can obtain information about state
and local attractions and view historic displays. The Welcome Center is
located at 400 North Front Street. For additional information call (319)
752-8731.
Located in Crapo Park on the bluff where Zebulon Pike first raised the American Flag, the Hawkeye Log Cabin offers visitors a look into Burlington history. This unique museum is an actual one room log cabin filled with pioneer era furniture, tools and artifacts.