11 Things You Didn’t Know About The History Of Vermont
You better believe that big things happened in the little Green Mountain State! We’ve gathered some cool facts and if you knew them all, well then you get an A+ on todays history lesson. Here are some historical events, inventions and firsts that changed life as we know it, and these tidbits shed some light on a few interesting things that helped to shape the history of VT, and the world as we know it.
Philatelists (people who study and collect stamps) credit Brattleboro with producing America's first postage stamp in 1846. Before the introduction of stamps, it was the mail's recipient (not the sender) who paid the cost of postage, giving the fee directly to the postman on delivery.
Vermont was the first state to abolish slavery in their constitution in 1777.
In 2000 for the first time, a state allowed gay couples to have all the same benefits as married couples under state law. The Vermont civil union bill was a landmark in the fight over gay marriages.
People have always found ways to hang their clothes to dry, the currently used spring loaded design was invented by David M. Smith of Springfield, Vermont, in 1853.
Norwich University in Northfield (originally in Norwich) was the first of all private military colleges in the nation and is the birthplace of ROTC.
The first rope tow at a ski resort in the U.S. was at a VT resort. Suicide Six in South Pomfret had the first one and this resort is still operating today!
From 1777 and 1791, Vermont was truly independent. It even had its own coins and its own postal service!
The first Social Security check was issued to Ida M. Fuller of Ludlow who received check #000-000-001 for $22.54, January 31, 1940.
Vermont was the first state to mint a copper penny. They were authorized by the Vermont General Assembly in 1785 and made by Reuben Harmon.
President Calvin Coolidge was sworn into office by candlelight by his father at his home in Plymouth Notch.
Also, President Coolidge is the only president to have a birthday on the 4th of July!
While these things changed the history of VT, some other strange things must have happened in Vermont to have required these weird and wacky laws to be put into effect. Get ready to laugh – or scratch your head – or both!
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