An intriguing mix of folklore and history surrounds this picturesque town on the banks of the Delaware River that was a magnet for famous – and infamous – visitors throughout the 1700s and 1800s, including Ulysses S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln and the pirate Blackbeard.
Rich in historical architecture, the town has 40 notable buildings, including the country’s oldest home, the 1675 Revell House; NJ’s oldest pharmacy, library and Episcopal church.
 
And there's the storied Blue Anchor Inn, which hosted an arm-wrestling match between Ulysses S. Grant (who lived in Burlington) and Abraham Lincoln at its bar during Lincoln’s campaign for president.
 
Burlington was the center of a large and vocal abolitionist movement, and several buildings in town were stops on the Underground Railroad.
 
The Burlington Historical Society presents guided tours and rents self-guided audio tours.
 
Many people believe that the pirate Blackbeard buried his treasure under a large walnut tree in Burlington (and that witches and ghosts protect it – in case you’re thinking of looking for it).
 
If it’s treasure you seek, you’re better off stopping at one of the antiques stores on High Street.