Windsor, Vermont: Old Constitution House brochure

A one-sheet brochure featuring Old Constitution House in Windsor, Vermont. From the brochure: "Delegates gathered at this simple colonial building, Elijah West’s tavern, to write and adopt a constitution for the “Free and Independent Republic of Vermont” in early July 1777. By so doing, they declared Vermont’s independence not only from Great Britain, but also from the 13 colonies comprising the other young republic – the United States. While the governments of New York and New Hampshire disputed ownership of the land sandwiched between them on the western banks of the Connecticut River, residents of the region met in Westminster, Vermont, and made their own decision – to create the separate republic of New Connecticut. When delegates met in Windsor in June 1777, they changed the name to Vermont, derived from the French for “green mountain.” One month later, 72 delegates reconvened here to craft the language of the Vermont Constitution. A violent thunderstorm and the alarming news of the capture of Fort Ticonderoga by the British nearly sabotaged their plans. Delegates hurriedly finalized the constitution “amidst a baptism of thunder, lightning and rain!” on July 8, 1777. Modeled on Benjamin Franklin’s Pennsylvania Constitution, the Vermont Constitution had some unique features. It was the first in the country to prohibit slavery, to establish voting rights for all men regardless of income or property, and to institute public education. The “Birthplace of Vermont,” as Windsor became known, was the part-time capital from 1777 to 1808. After 14 years as an independent republic, Vermont became the 14th state to join the union in 1791. In 1914 a group of preservationists moved the tavern, known as the “Old Constitution House,” from the center of town to its current location and restored it as a museum and tea house. The Old Constitution House Association operated the building until 1961, when it transferred ownership to the state of Vermont." Funding for this item was provided in part through a 2007 Preserve America grant to the Town of Windsor, Vermont (grant number 50-07-PA-3038) for the project Welcome to Windsor. The grant was administered by the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Preserve America is a federal initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of the program include a greater shared knowledge about the nation's past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country's cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities.

Windsor, Vermont: Old Constitution House brochure

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