Vermont, US (Population: 623,908)
State Capitol: Montpelier
Major Cities: Burlington, Essex, Rutland, Golchester, South Burlington, Bennington, Brattleboro, Hartford, Milton, Barre
State Nickname/Motto: Green Mountain State - Freedom and unity
Statehood Granted: March 4, 1791
History:During the French and Indian War, some Vermont settlers, including Ethan Allen, joined the colonial militia assisting the British in attacks on the French. Fort Carillon on the New York/Vermont border, a French fort constructed in 1755, was the site of two British offensives under Lord Amherst's command: the unsuccessful British attack in 1758 and the retaking of the following year with no major resistance. The British renamed the fort, Fort Ticonderoga (which became the site of two later battles during the American Revolutionary War). Following France's loss in the French and Indian War, the 1763 Treaty of Paris gave control of the land to the British.
Geography: Highest point: Mt. Mansfield; 4,393 feet. The west bank of the Connecticut River marks the eastern border of the state with New Hampshire (the river itself is part of New Hampshire). Lake Champlain, the major lake in Vermont, is the sixth-largest body of fresh water in the United States and separates Vermont from New York in the northwest portion of the state. From north to south, Vermont is 159 miles. Its greatest width, from east to west, is 89 miles at the Canadian border; the narrowest width is 37 miles at the Massachusetts line. The state's geographic center is Washington, three miles east of Roxbury. There are six distinct physiographic regions of Vermont, categorized by geological and physical attributes: the Northeastern Highlands, the Green Mountains, the Taconic Mountains, the Champlain Lowlands, the Valley of Vermont, and the Vermont Piedmont.
Ethnic Diversity: One Race (98.6%), White (96.6%), Black or African American 0.5%), American Indian and Alaska Native (0.2%), Asian (1.1%), Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (0.0%), Some other race 0.2%), Two or more races (1.4%), Hispanic or Latino (0.9%)*
Famous State People:
Chester A. Arthur (1829 - 1886) The 21st President of the United States (1881-1885); born in Fairfield.
Ben Cohen (1951 - ) & Jerry Greenfield (1951 - ) Founders of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice-Cream; born in New York and moved to Vermont during the late 1970s.
Henry Wells (1805 - 1878) Founder of Wells Fargo and Co.; born in Thetford.
Orson Bean (1928 - ) Actor; born in Burlington.
Thomas Davenport (1802 - 1851) Inventor; He patented a device for "Improvements in propelling machinery by magnetism and electromagnetism" in 1837; born in Williamstown.
John Dewey (1859 - 1952) Philosopher; born in Burlington.
Rudy Vallee (1901 - 1986) Singer, band leader; born in Island Pond.
Calvin Coolidge (1872 - 1933) The 30th President of the United States (1923-1929); born in Plymouth Notch.
Katherine Paterson (1932 - ) Children’s author and Newberry Award winner for Jacob Have I Loved; moved to Barre in 1964.
Brigham Young (1801 - 1877) Colonizer, territorial governor, and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; born in Whitingham.
Stephen A. Douglas (1813 - 1861) Politician famous for his debates with Abraham Lincoln; born near Brandon.
Ralph E. Flanders (1880 - 1970) Senator; born in Barnet.
Elisha Graves Otis (1811 - 1861) Inventor of the elevator; born near Halifax.
Major Colleges/Universities: Champlain College, Green Mountain College, Johnson State College, Middlebury College, Norwich University, Southern Vermont College, Sterling College, University of Vermont, Sterling College, Woodbury College, Vermont Technical College
State and National Parks: Green Mountain National Forest
Misc:Tourism is the state's largest industry. It contributes $4.1 billion to the state's economy or 27% of the gross state product. This is the highest percentage in the country. In winter, the ski resorts Stowe, Killington Ski Resort, Mad River Glen, Sugarbush, Stratton, Jay Peak, Okemo, Mount Snow and Bromley host skiers from around the globe, although their largest markets are the Boston, Montreal and New York metropolitan areas. In the summer, resort towns like Stowe, Manchester, and Woodstock host visitors. Resorts, hotels, restaurants, and shops, designed to attract tourists, employ people year-round.
*U.S. Census - 2005