Located on the banks of the mighty Mississippi River, Burlington, Iowa, is home to 26,839 individuals who learn, work, and play in this city of many hills. Originally dubbed "Catfish Bend," the city has been a hub of commerce for the surrounding area because of its varied transportation links -- highways, rivers, railroad, and airport. Four distinct seasons provide the beauty of an ever changing, colorful landscape. Each season is filled with all sorts of leisure activities, from concerts to Broadway touring companies to the excitement of Big Ten football and basketball. Steamboat Days is rollicking summertime fun on our riverfront featuring national entertainers. And in winter, cross-country ski trails provide an invigorating and fun escape. Burlington's many attractions include a rich cultural mix in an architecturally diverse community. Special events such as the Snake Alley Art Fair and the Sight of Music Drum and Bugle Corps Competition take place against a backdrop of steep hills and restored homes. The Burlington Parks and Recreation Department offers 13 public parks with many recreational facilities. Some of these include open shelters, picnicking equipment, basketball courts, Little League ball diamonds, walking trails, tennis courts, playground equipment, historic buildings, a gazebo, the Flint Hills Municipal Golf Course, and an outdoor public swimming pool in Dankwardt Park. Downtown Burlington is lined with beautiful buildings, trees, shrubs and benches. The walk leads to stores of many varieties: clothing stores, jewelry shops, a florist, gift centers, plus medical and law offices, banks, insurance offices and restaurants. The Burlington area has a wide variety of antique dealers from which to choose, including the West Jefferson Antique District (800 block of Jefferson, downtown Burlington). The Burlington, Iowa community schools provide educational opportunities for students ranging from pre-school through college age. Area students receive numerous awards and scholarships every year. Graduates of Burlington schools include an astronaut, a well-respected Federal judge, the director of the Jet Propulsion Lab of NASA, a Vice-President of Disney World, a noted music historian, and a well-known conservationist. Burlington is a vigorous and vital community where it's easy to balance the demands of work and family.