History and culture - Eastern Plains

Burlington keeps a working antique carousel that is a National Historic Landmark

The Kit Carson County Carousel in Burlington is an early-1900s wooden carousel the county bought in the 1920s, later named a National Historic Landmark.

Published June 10, 2026 - Last verified June 11, 2026

A lot of the Eastern Plains story is about land and weather, but Kit Carson County also holds a small, surprising piece of national history: a wooden carousel that still turns.

The Kit Carson County Carousel sits at the fairgrounds in Burlington. It was built in 1905 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, the kind of carousel that once spun at big city amusement parks. In 1928 the county commissioners bought it, a bold purchase for a rural county, and over the decades it was nearly lost before being carefully restored. It carries hand-carved animals and an old band organ, and it has been named a National Historic Landmark.

Why mention this in a place guide: it is part of what gives Burlington its identity, and it tells you something about a community that chose to hold onto a piece of its past instead of letting it go. It is run seasonally, so hours are limited and change with the calendar.

For the carousel’s confirmed history, landmark status, and current operating season, see the City of Burlington’s official page and History Colorado.

Filed under: History and culture Kit Carson County

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History and culture

Burlington's Old Town Museum is a walkable village of restored plains buildings

The Old Town Museum in Burlington gathers restored turn-of-the-century buildings on one historic site, giving a close look at early life on Colorado's plains.

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Water and land

Out here, your water likely comes from a designated groundwater basin

Much of Kit Carson County sits over a designated groundwater basin, where wells are permitted under a different state process than wells in the rest of Colorado.

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Water and land

Center-pivot circles here are watered from the Ogallala, and that supply is finite

The green irrigation circles across Kit Carson County draw from the High Plains (Ogallala) aquifer, a groundwater supply that recharges slowly.

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Local rules

Kit Carson County is a statutory county, and most land here is unincorporated

Kit Carson County runs as a statutory county under state law, and outside the towns the county handles land use, so the rules for a parcel depend on who governs it.

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Outdoors and wildfire

Public bird hunting here runs through walk-in access and state wildlife areas

In Kit Carson County, much public bird hunting happens on Walk-In Access fields and at spots like Flagler Reservoir State Wildlife Area, each with its own rules for who may enter.

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Water and land

The Republican River ties Kit Carson County's water to a three-state agreement

Water in the Republican River basin is shared by Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska under the Republican River Compact, which shapes how much irrigation can happen in this corner of the state.

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Sources and review

Where this information comes from

This note uses official or primary sources where practical. Local details can change, so confirm before acting.

Last reviewed: June 11, 2026