The previous article explored the US states that start with U (Utah is the only one), while the following piece turns attention to those that start with V.
Two names stand out in that group: Vermont and Virginia.
Let’s find out more about what makes those two states unique.
Vermont
Vermont is located in the northeastern corner of the United States on the East Coast, bordered by New York to the west, Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and Canada to the north.
History
The story of this state began long before it joined the Union. In the 1700s, New York and New Hampshire both claimed the same territory.
The settlers refused to pick sides. They created their own path, defended it with the Green Mountain Boys led by Ethan Allen, and pushed back against any outside control.
Their defiance shaped the independent streak that defines Vermont to this day.
In 1777, the settlers went a step further and declared the Republic of Vermont. They wrote a constitution that banned slavery and allowed all men to vote, even those who did not own land.
It was one of the most progressive documents of its time. For fourteen years, Vermont operated as a self-governing republic before it became part of the United States in 1791 as the 14th state.
Geography
The state stretches across the northern section of the Appalachian range, with the Green Mountains running through its center.
The name itself comes from the French “vert mont,” meaning “green mountain.”
To the west, Lake Champlain forms a natural border with New York and shapes the weather across the region.
Winters bring long stretches of snow that feed ski resorts and rural communities alike.
Summers are short, but quite popular among those interested in forest trails, clear rivers, and farmland.
Vermont has strict environmental protection laws, including a complete ban on billboards. That makes driving through this state much more attractive compared to other states.
Small farms, local businesses, and traditional craftsmanship form the backbone of its economy.
Today, the state is known for higher standards compared to the national average, but expenses are also among the highest in the country.
Health insurance is also the most expensive in this state.
Surprising Facts About Vermont
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- Operated as an independent republic between 1777 and 1791.
- Banned slavery in its constitution decades before the Civil War.
- Produces nearly 50% of the maple syrup made in the US.
- Has more covered bridges per mile than any other state.
- Houses the first commercial cheese factory in the United States, opened in 1882.
- Montpelier, its capital, is the only one in the country without a McDonald’s.
- Contains more unpaved roads than paved ones.
Virginia
Virginia lies on the East Coast of the United States. It stretches from the Atlantic Ocean inland to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The state built towns before the nation had borders and kept growing through every war, reform, and political shift that followed.
History
Jamestown, built in 1607, became the first permanent English colony in North America. The settlement struggled with hunger, disease, and conflict with Native tribes, but it survived.
Tobacco farms soon turned it into a major trading hub. The colony became rich and powerful.
Many of the most important figures in early America came from Virginia.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison all shaped the foundation of the United States.
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution both carry ideas written or influenced by Virginians.
The state stood at the center of the Revolution, both in thought and in fight.
By the 19th century, that power carried a heavy cost. Slavery became the backbone of its wealth, and when the Civil War began, Virginia joined the Confederacy. That’s why we have two Virginias in the first place.
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Richmond served as its capital. The state turned into a battlefield, with major conflicts at Manassas, Fredericksburg, and Appomattox.
The war ended on Virginia soil when Confederate forces surrendered at Appomattox Court House in 1865.
Geography
The east meets the ocean through sandy plains and tidal rivers.
The middle rises into the Piedmont with rich soil and long farms.
The west folds into the Appalachian Mountains, with peaks covered in forest and fog through most of the year.
The climate varies with the land. The coast stays humid and warm, while the mountains stay cooler.
The James and Potomac Rivers cut through the terrain, while the Chesapeake Bay holds much of the fishing and shipping trade.
Shenandoah Valley, between mountain ridges, remains one of the most fertile regions in the country.
Surprising Facts About Virginia
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- Produced eight U.S. presidents, more than any other state.
- Contains more Civil War battlefields than any other state.
- The Pentagon sits in Arlington, covering over six million square feet.
- The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel runs for more than seventeen miles.
- The Appalachian Trail crosses roughly five hundred miles of Virginia land.
- Virginia’s General Assembly is the oldest continuous legislative body in the Western Hemisphere.
- It has some of the weirdest laws in the country.
The Bottom Line
Vermont and Virginia both leave a mark that continues to define the nation. The past of each state shaped the course of the country, and the present shows how that history still lives in daily life.
Each one tells the truth about where the country came from and what it had to face to exist.
