One of the very few US
states that has been an
independent country (the others being
Hawaii,
Texas, and
California).
With the outbreak of the Revolutionary War it declared its independence in January 1777 as the state of New Connecticut, but refused to join the Union. Its territory had long been disputed by both New Hampshire and New York. It adopted the name Vermont in July 1777.
As New Connecticut it was headed by Joseph Bowker, chairman of the "General Convention of Delegates". Then as Vermont its governors were Thomas Chittenden 1777-1789 and 1790-1791, and Moses Robinson 1789-1790. It became the fourteenth member of the USA in 1791. Chittenden then remained governor until his death in 1797. He was styled President of the Council of Safety until March 1778.
http://rulers.org/usstat7.html
Also, a suburb of
Melbourne. It is a fair distance out in the eastern suburbs, around the junction of
Canterbury Road with (from the north)
Mitcham Road and (off to the south-east)
Boronia Road. Neighbouring suburbs include
Mitcham to the north,
Heatherdale to the east,
Nunawading to the west, and
Wantirna to the south-east. To the south,
Vermont South may be considered a separate, neighbouring suburb. Its postcode is 3133.
There are no great landmarks in Vermont, but it is, as far as any Melbourne suburb can be, peaceful and in small parts attractive. The best back street is Glenburnie Road, one street east of Mitcham Road. This is twisting and full of trees, and rings to the sound of bellbirds, especially in the little reserve with a dam between it and Grey Street.
Near the entrance on Canterbury Road, from which also you get an impressive view of the Dandenongs, is an old dairy. This and a fuel and feed store on the other side of the village centre are legacies from the past. Between Mitcham Road and Rooks Road is the large brickworks and tile kiln, Wunderlich, who used to advertise their wares with large tile-covered boards on the roadside. Surprisingly, some of the fields they own there have still not been gobbled up by developers.
The rest of is, of course, just pizza parlours and video shops like everywhere else in the world. Towards the City is Brentford Square shopping centre, the nearest large and convenient place, although there are basic shops also in the village itself. Further on you get to the even larger Forest Hill. Vermont South is also a large shopping centre.
On the way to Brentford Square you pass the football ground: Vermont play in purple with a gold V. A little beyond that is another small nature reserve.
Vermont was settled in the mid to late 1800s, and the name was bestowed by the botanist Baron Ferdinand von Müller.