Discover Vermont: 19 Entertaining and Unusual Fun Facts You Can't Miss

1. Stamp-Making Pioneers

Before email leaped into existence, and a simple licked square marked the snail's trail mail: Vermont was a force to be reckoned with in the world of U.S. postage stamps. In 1847, when the country issued its first adhesive stamps, the Green Mountain state's innovations led the charge in the Classic Period, vastly improving stamp-making by replacing manual cutting and gluing with machine perforation and gumming processes, and even pioneering techniques to make stamp fraud stick out like a sore thumb.
Source => postalmuseum.si.edu

2. Maple State Flavor

Maple-licious, tree-mendous flavor: In a sticky-sweet declaration, Vermont made the sap-tastic decision to crown maple as its state flavor in 1993, giving the sugar maple tree, found throughout the state, a sap-standing moment of fame.
Source => legislature.vermont.gov

Discover the origin and significance of New Hampshire's fierce motto "Live Free or Die," penned by a Revolutionary War hero and proudly displayed on their emblem. Uncover the ways this bold sentiment continues to shape the state's identity today. 🏔️✍️🗽

=> Fun Facts about New-Hampshire

3. Apple Overload

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but Vermont is keeping a whole lot more than just doctors at bay: The Green Mountain State produces an astonishing 1,000,000 bushels (about 40 million pounds) of apples annually, with McIntosh apples leading the pack at 50% of the total crop! Visitors pick around 200,000 bushels at orchards for a tastebud adventure, and 300,000 bushels find their way to grocery stores. Besides, who needs lemons for lemonade when you've got Vermont's famous apple cider?
Source => vermontapples.org

4. Billboard-Free Roads

Vermont, where the hills have eyes but the roads don't have billboards: The state bans billboards along its highways and roads to maintain its picturesque landscape, although businesses on state roads can still display local sign-regulated signs, with municipalities determining size, number, location, and style based on the area's character and landscape.
Source => vnrc.org

5. Ben & Jerry's Bagel Beginnings

What's the scoop on doughnuts and bagels? They originally caused quite a freeze in Vermont: Ben & Jerry's, the famous ice cream company, was founded in Burlington by childhood chums Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, who initially intended to start a bagel business but switched to ice cream due to high equipment costs. Both founders even studied in college (Cohen went to Colgate University and pursued pottery) and chose Burlington as their base, because it was a college hotspot that surprisingly had no ice cream parlor!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Barre Granite Titans

In an epic clash of stone-cold titans, a tiny town in Vermont emerges as the heavyweight champion of the world, making Greek gods green with envy: Barre granite, an exquisite rock hailing from Vermont, is renowned globally for its fine grain, even texture, and unparalleled weather resistance, finding its way into major construction and sculpting projects, including the Hope Cemetery in Barre and the United States Korean War Memorial in South Korea.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Hipster Montpelier

If Montpelier were a hipster, it'd brag about being "capital" before it was cool, savoring the simple life with artisanal craftiness: Montpelier is not only the smallest state capital in the United States but also rich in history, featuring the visit of the Marquis de Lafayette in 1825, Vermont College of Fine Arts, and the timeless Hubbard Park established in 1899 for wilderness preservation.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Coolidge's Birthday Coincidence

Lend me your ears, fellow Americans, for I have a tale of presidential proportions! On the very day our nation first flexed its freedom muscles, baby Calvin Cooler-than-idge burst forth from his mother's womb and declared, "Let it be known, I am destined for White House greatness!": This quirky coincidence places Calvin Coolidge, born on July 4, 1872, in Plymouth, Vermont, as the one and only president to share his birthday with America's Independence Day, and you can now visit his childhood home at the Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site.
Source => woodstockvt.com

9. Vermont's Mini-Grand Canyon

Quechee Gorge walked so the Grand Canyon could run: Formed over 13,000 years ago during the Ice Age, this 168-feet-deep, mile-long gem of Vermont is a stunning testament to the grandeur of the Ottauquechee River's ancient artistry.
Source => vermonttourismnetwork.com

10. Vermonter Train Ride

Ever played real-life Monopoly, riding a majestic mechanical steed through the land of maple syrup?: Vermont's Vermonter train route is just that, offering passengers a luxurious journey through charming towns and breathtaking landscapes, with fully refundable Business Class tickets and leather footrest-adorned seats, stopping at gems like Montpelier and Brattleboro for sightseeing and outdoor recreation galore.
Source => amtrak.com

11. Hermit Thrush Nightingale

Who needs a singing competition when you've got Vermont's own avian nightingale belting out tunes in the forest? Say hello to the sweet-singing star, the Hermit Thrush: Possessing a melodious flute-like voice, this territorial bird is the state symbol for Vermont. Don't be fooled by its disappearing act during winter, as it triumphantly returns in April to steal the limelight from other woodland dwellers with its diet of insects, fruits, and small invertebrates. Keep an eye out for its signature tail flick, distinguishing it from mere backup singers in the thrush family.
Source => vtfishandwildlife.com

12. Tapping Liquid Gold

In Vermont, trees aren't just for hugging – they're for tapping the liquid gold within their trunks: This picturesque land of Green Mountains is the proud producer of over 2 million gallons of maple syrup each year, making it the sweetest American state in terms of maple production. The sugar maple tree, lovingly crowned Vermont's state tree in 1949, even gets its own weekend-long, sap-themed extravaganza: the Maple Open House Weekend!
Source => americaslibrary.gov

13. Spicy Dining Options

They say variety is the spice of life, but in Vermont's case, it's the chili pepper of dining options: Vermont boasts a plethora of inventive Mexican restaurants offering fusion dishes like Mexican egg rolls, Tres Hermanas with zucchini, corn, pinto beans, chipotle crema, and quinoa, and even a "Guacostada" – a crispy tostada crowned with guacamole, beans, lettuce, queso fresco, crema, and salsa roja.
Source => burlingtonfreepress.com

14. Golden Statehouse Dome

Vermont may not be chasing gold medals all that often, but they surely know how to play it when it comes to dressing up their Statehouse: Montpelier's iconic capitol building boasts a stunning golden dome, which has been regilded 10 times since its initial gold leaf application in 1906. This shimmering, precious metal-covered architectural marvel makes Vermont's Statehouse one of only 14 in the US adorned with such a sparkling rooftop, symbolizing the state's rich history and dedication to beauty and tourism.
Source => wcax.com

15. Green Mountain Boys

Before the Avengers assembled, there was a band of Revolutionary badasses called the Green Mountain Boys: Founded by the legendary Ethan Allen and his extended family in 1770, this militia not only battled against New York's attempts to control their territory but also played a crucial role in capturing Fort Ticonderoga from the British during the American Revolutionary War. To this day, the Vermont National Guard, which includes the Army and Air National Guards, honors their swashbuckling history with their informal title – The Green Mountain Boys.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

16. Lake Champlain Hockey Classic

When you're tired of the urban ice rink and want to return to your frosty roots, Vermont has the ultimate ice-capade for you: Lake Champlain Pond Hockey Classic is an annual hockey extravaganza, now in its 11th year, held at Malletts Bay in Colchester, and features a lively downtown Burlington nightlife waiting for players after the puck drops.
Source => localfreshies.com

17. Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour

In Vermont, where the cows are happier and the ice cream is chunkier: you can take a deliciously frosty journey to the Ben & Jerry's factory in Waterbury. Built in 1985, this frozen wonderland churns out a mind-melting 350,000 pints of ice cream per day, offers tours showcasing the company’s groovy timeline since 1978, and lets you taste-test those iconic chunks! Just don't expect to see the ice cream magic happening every time - production schedules are as unpredictable as their flavor names.
Source => benjerry.com

18. Polka-Dot Turtles and Worm-Wranglers

In a turtle-y awesome display of nature's eccentricity, Vermont's amphibious residents boast a penchant for polka dots and worm-wrangling: The state is home to both the endangered spotted turtle, flaunting a black to bluish-black shell adorned with dainty yellow specks, and the rare wood turtle, famous for its bizarre stomping routine designed to coax worms up to the surface for a tasty snack.
Source => a-z-animals.com

19. Flavor Graveyard

In Vermont, the dearly de-pint-ed are never forsaken, for they rest in sweet(ened) peace: Vermont is home to the Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory's Flavor Graveyard, where retired flavors enjoy their afterlife alongside the state's other noteworthy achievements like inventing snowboarding in a 1960s home workshop and boasting a highly caffeinated population.
Source => zippia.com