1. The Vermont legislature declared the groundhog the official state animal on February 16, 1994.

2. On February 16, 1812, the Vermont State House, located in Montpelier, was first occupied by the state legislature. It is still in use today as the home of the Vermont General Assembly.

3. Vermont's first Academy, the Lamoille Academy, was chartered on February 16, 1815. The Academy was established in Johnson, Vermont, and its goal was to provide education to students who could not afford to attend college.

4. On February 16, 1854, a group of Vermont senators proposed a resolution to abolish slavery in the United States. This was six years before the start of the Civil War, and Vermont was one of the first states to take such action.

5. The University of Vermont, located in Burlington, was founded on February 16, 1791. The university was initially known as the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, and it is one of the oldest educational institutions in the United States.