THIS LAND OF OURS

[Music] in the northwest corner of New England is the state of Vermont on March 4th 1791 Vermont was admitted to the Union as the 14th state making it the first state to be added to the original 14th [Music] Vermont the Green Mountain State is rugged and beautiful several hundred lakes and streams besides adding to the state scenic beauty are important as sources of hydroelectric power Lake Champlain is not only Vermont's largest body of water it is the largest east of the Great Lakes Vermont's first settlement was Brattleboro on the Connecticut River the boundary between Vermont and Connecticut Brattleboro is principally an industrial community [Music] Rutland in the south central part of the state is known as the marble city from these four E's comes more than 70% of the marble for the monuments and statuary of America the marble is found in more than 100 varieties ranging from jet black to Perry and white and the handling of the giant blocks is a marvel of mechanical engineer [Music] granite - is a major product of Vermont at ferry in the central part of the state the rock of ages' quarries produce more granite and manufacture more memorials than any similar organization in the world this source of granite is apparently inexhaustible and the granite itself is perhaps the finest clearest and hardest textured in the world [Music] the capital of Vermont is Montpelier since the capital was established in 1850 government has been one of Montpelier 's proudest claims Vermont's largest city and leading trade center is Burlington Ethan Allen famous Revolutionary War hero was an eminent son of Burlington his most spectacular achievement was when he and 83 of his Green Mountain Boys captured or Ticonderoga Burlington is the home of the state university situated on a magnificent track granted by the state in 1791 the university is one of America's oldest and finest [Music] in southwestern Vermont is Bennington the first town to be chartered west of the Connecticut River Pennington is historically famous for the Battle of Bennington which was largely responsible for breaking the dominance of the British General Burgoyne in the northern theater of the Revolutionary War the Battle of Bennington is commemorated by this monument one of the highest battle monuments in the world Bennington is proud of the scholastic standing of its fine schools perhaps one of the best known is the Bennington school for girls [Music] one of Vermont's most famous sons was Calvin Cooley 29th President of the United States he was born in this small store at Plymouth [Music] [Music] Vermont is predominantly a rural state many fertile farms dotting the rolling countryside [Music] Vermont has many poultry farms the raising of chickens is an important activity and Vermont turkeys are known and prized throughout the country [Music] although Vermont does not specialize in the growing of potatoes some are grown these potatoes being harvested are Irish cobblers [Music] Vermont's cattle outnumber her people and constitute the state's most important agricultural activity from her many fine dairy farms comes a large proportion of the milk cream butter and cheeses supplying the tables of New York Boston and other sections of the country [Music] but undoubtedly the most famous of all of Vermont's products of field and farm is her maple syrup each season throughout the state the trees are tapped and slowly give up their SAP the SAP is then gathered and taken in to be boiled down into delicious maple syrup sugar and candy which are famous throughout the world [Music] what has Vermont to offer the sportsmen and vacationers picturesque old ends welcome the traveler for many lakes and streams abound in fish and throughout the changing seasons Vermont's scenic beauty combines with the recreational opportunities to attract the most demanding of pleasure secrets [Music] now having taken a quick trip through Vermont let's review our journey and see what we have learned we've learned that Vermont was the first States to be added to the original thirteen and at the first settlement in the state was Brattleboro we've been reminded that Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys were a strong factor in the winning of America's independence we've seen some of Vermont's quarries one of the world's leading sources of marble and granite we've had a glimpse of Vermont's maple industry we've been reminded that Vermont is one of the leading dairy States of the east and we have seen that Vermont is indeed the sportsmen's and scenic paradise and so there you have Vermont applying state and a friendly state one which has contributed greatly to the progress and greatness of America when you come to Vermont you will hate to leave or its rugged beauty its industry and its people make it one of the foremost states in this land of ours