🍁Vermont

The Green Mountain State

Vermont was the 14th state — the first admitted after the original thirteen — and was an independent republic (the Vermont Republic) for 14 years before joining the Union in 1791. The state's small population, strict environmental and land-use laws, and tradition of town-meeting democracy have made it one of the most distinctive corners of New England. It is also the only state whose capital (Montpelier) has no McDonald's.

The Vermont Republic

Vermont declared independence from both Britain and New York in 1777 and governed itself as the independent Vermont Republic for 14 years. The Vermont constitution of 1777 was the first in North America to ban slavery (though enforcement was imperfect) and to provide for universal male suffrage without property requirements. Vermont finally joined the United States in 1791 as the 14th state, first admission after the original thirteen.

The Green Mountains

Vermont takes its name from the French verts monts — "green mountains." The Green Mountains, a northern extension of the Appalachians, run the length of the state and separate the Champlain Valley in the west from the Connecticut River Valley in the east. Vermont has 223 ski mountains and resorts (including the giant Killington), and the fall foliage draws millions of leaf-peeping visitors each October.

Dairy and Maple Syrup

Vermont was long an agricultural state built on dairy — "Cabot" and "Ben & Jerry's" both began as Vermont operations. It is the largest producer of maple syrup in the United States (about 2.5 million gallons per year, though dwarfed by Canada's Quebec). The state's commitment to local and organic food has made it an early adopter of farmers' markets, co-ops, and direct-to-consumer agriculture.

Small and Distinct

Vermont has the second-smallest population of any U.S. state (after Wyoming). It is one of only two states without a billboard-free major highway (outdoor advertising billboards were outlawed in 1968). It was the first state to guarantee civil unions for same-sex couples (2000) and to guarantee same-sex marriage by legislation rather than court order (2009). The state has trended reliably Democratic in recent decades after a century of reliable Republican voting.

Vermont Facts

• Montpelier is the least populous state capital — about 7,500 residents.
• Two presidents were born in Vermont — Chester A. Arthur (21st) and Calvin Coolidge (30th).
• Vermont has the highest per-capita consumption of maple syrup in the country.
• The state was the first to outlaw billboards (1968).
• The largest city in Vermont, Burlington, has fewer than 50,000 residents.

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