Burlington Waterfront Park and Promenade

Burlington Waterfront Park and Promenade. . , Burlington Waterfront Park and Promenade , A Joint Effort Between the Citizens of Burlington, State of Vermont, and the Central Vermont Railroad, This park was built by the City of Burlington Parks and Recreation Department, on property created in the mid 1890's by the Vermont Central Railroad, predecessor of today's Central Vermont Railway. , The railroad purchased property and filled adjacent portions of Lake Champlain to create land which became the Port of Burlington. , Burlington's first train arrived in December 1849. As with many other cities and towns in America, the railroad was to be the key to growth and prosperity. , Commerce and growth came immediately, and by 1869 Burlington had become the third largest lumber port in the country behind only Chicago and Albany, handling 110 million board feet of lumber a year at its peak. , In 1861, Burlington's first Union Station was built on this land. It served passengers of the Central Vermont and Rutland Railroad until 1916 when the union Station which stands today at the foot of Main Street was placed in service. , By 1850, the lumber business began to decline and other commercial uses developed into the 1900's on the waterfront including grain and fuel storage, the Morgans Electric Generating Plant and rail yards. , Over the years, many plans for comprehensive redevelopment and ultimately for acquisition of the railroad's property by the City were considered and debated. , In 1990, this land was sold to the City by the Railway , The Central Vermont's main line borders this park to the east. It links the City of Burlington with the United States and Candian railroad network.