With its scenic mountains and picturesque New England Village, residents of Vermont enjoy an abundance of natural beauty in their surroundings. Agriculture, mining and tourism anchor the state’s economy. Dairying is the most profitable agriculture pursuit, supplying most of Boston and New England’s dairy needs.
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The first permanent settlement was established by the English in 1724 at Fort Dummer. It became a defensive outpost for the Colonial governments. The French and the British settlements were separated by the Champlain Valley. When the French abandoned the area in 1754, territorial disputes involved the colonies of New Hampshire and New York. Both claimed the land as their own and began land grants. The King of England was petitioned and ruled that New York the true landowner. Land rights were fought for by the Green Mountain Boys. Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold led crusades in the early American Revolution.
After the war, and for the next 200 years, Vermont developed both agriculturally and industrially. In 1934 the first ski tow in the nation was developed in Woodstock. In an attempt to boost tourism and farming, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Rural Electrification Administration in 1935. This made electricity readily accessible in rural areas. Interstate highways began to crisscross the state and Vermont shed its isolated image. Vermont has produced two presidents, Chester A. Arthur and Calvin Coolidge.
Agriculture, mining and tourism anchor the state’s economy. Dairying is the most profitable agriculture pursuit, supplying most of Boston and New England’s dairy needs. Maple sugar and syrup are almost synonymous with the Green Mountain State. The state’s small towns manufacture a diverse range of products. These include wood, furniture, paper products, weighing devices, jet aircraft engines and computer hardware. It also has a worldwide reputation for marble and granite. There are more than 100 types of marble and Barre is renown for its granite production.
The statewide sales tax is 5 percent. There is also a Meals and Rooms tax of up to 8 percent on lodgings and up to 10 percent on alcoholic beverages.
The Green Mountains serve as the main resort area for summer and winter activities. There are many excellent hiking and riding trails that double as cross-country skiing trails in the winter. Sailing, camping and sightseeing round out the major warm weather activities. The winter brings downhill skiing, ice fishing, and ice boating.
