1. In 1775, Vermont declared its independence from Great Britain on October 13. Although it was not officially recognized by Congress until 1791, this date is still celebrated as Vermont Independence Day.

2. On October 13, 1854, the University of Vermont established its medical school, which is now known as the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine. The school has since become one of the top medical schools in the country, producing several Nobel Prize winners and groundbreaking medical discoveries.

3. In 1926, the Bennington Battle Monument was dedicated on October 13, commemorating the Battle of Bennington during the American Revolution. The monument stands over 300 feet tall, making it the tallest structure in Vermont and the tallest purely stone structure in the United States.

4. On October 13, 1955, the first commercial nuclear power plant in the United States — the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station — began operation in Vernon, Vermont. The plant operated for 42 years before shutting down permanently in 2014.

5. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders was born on October 13, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York. Sanders moved to Vermont in 1964 and became involved in politics, serving as the mayor of Burlington and later as a representative and senator in Congress. He has since become one of the most recognizable and influential politicians in the country.