1. Vermont officially became a state on March 16, 1791. The state was originally part of New Hampshire and was known as the New Hampshire Grants until it declared independence and became the Republic of Vermont in 1777. Vermont was the 14th state to join the Union, and its nickname is the Green Mountain State.

2. On March 16, 1870, the Vermont State Agricultural Society was incorporated. This organization was responsible for promoting the state's agricultural industry, as well as organizing fairs and competitions. Today, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets carries on this tradition and works to support the state's farmers, producers, and agribusinesses.

3. The first skiing race in the United States was held on March 16, 1934, at Woodstock, Vermont. The race was organized by the National Ski Association, and the winner was a Norwegian skier named Torger Tokle. Vermont is now known as a top destination for skiing and snowboarding, with numerous resorts throughout the state.

4. Vermont has a strong tradition of activism and progressive politics, and on March 16, 1981, the state became the first in the country to pass a nuclear freeze resolution. This resolution called for a halt to the production and deployment of nuclear weapons, and it helped spur similar resolutions in other states and cities throughout the United States.

5. March 16 is also the birthday of Vermont-born poet Robert Frost, who was born in San Francisco but grew up in Derry, Vermont. Frost is one of America's most celebrated poets, and his works often deal with rural life, nature, and the human condition. Some of his most famous poems include "The Road Not Taken," "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," and "Mending Wall." Frost won four Pulitzer Prizes for his poetry, and he was also awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and the Bollingen Prize for Poetry.