1) On January 17, 1871, the town of Ludlow, Vermont experienced the largest snowstorm in its history, with over four feet of snowfall in a single day. This event is now known as the "Great Snow of 1871."

2) In 1927, on January 17th, the Vermont State House was rededicated after extensive renovations. The Capitol's iconic dome was added during these renovations, which were completed after a fire destroyed the previous building in 1857.

3) January 17, 1931 marked the day that Kenneth Squier, a radio station manager in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, first coined the term "groundhog day" during a broadcast about Groundhog Day events in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

4) On January 17, 1961, Vermont became the last state in the United States to abolish the death penalty. The state had not executed anyone since 1954, and the law was officially repealed by the state legislature in a close vote.

5) The Vermont minor league baseball team, the Vermont Lake Monsters, held their first-ever public event on January 17, 1994. The team had been founded in 1993 but had yet to hold a public event until a fan forum was held to introduce the team to the community.