1. On October 5, 1869, the University of Vermont officially opened its doors to students for the first time. The university was founded in 1791 and its first classes were held in a small building in Burlington, Vermont. Today, UVM is a major research university with a diverse student body and a wide range of academic programs.

2. On October 5, 1775, Ethan Allen and a group of Green Mountain Boys captured the British garrison at Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York. The capture was a major victory for the American rebels during the early days of the Revolutionary War, and it gave them control of a key strategic point on Lake Champlain.

3. On October 5, 1836, the Vermont Central Railroad was chartered by the Vermont General Assembly. The railroad was built to connect the state's major cities and towns, and it played a key role in Vermont's economic development in the 19th century.

4. On October 5, 1931, the Vermont State House was destroyed by a fire. The iconic building in Montpelier had been the seat of Vermont's government for over 50 years. A new State House was built on the same site and opened in 1938.

5. On October 5, 1977, anti-nuclear activist Marge Piercy was arrested for protesting the construction of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. Piercy was one of many Vermonters who opposed the plant, which was eventually shut down in 2014 after years of controversy and safety concerns.