May
What historic events happened in May?
May
May 1, 1898
Admiral George Dewey, native of Montpelier, Vermont, won the Battle of Manila Bay by destroying the Spanish fleet. When Dewey returned to America, he was greeted by the nation as the greatest living naval hero.
May 4, 1787
The first permanent settlement of Montpelier was formed by Colonel Jacob Davis and fellow settlers.
May 5, 1978
Ben & Jerry's opened their first ice cream shop in Burlington. On their one-year anniversary they hosted their first ever free cone day in Vermont. Ben & Jerry’s now has ice cream shops across the United States and the world.
May 10, 1775
Fort Ticonderoga is captured by the Green Mountain Boys under the leadership of Ethan Allen.
May 11, 1846
Henry Denison, legal advisor to several Japanese emperors, is born on this day in Guildhall.
May 17, 1886
John Deere, a native of Rutland, developer of the self-scouring steel plow and founder of a farm machinery empire, dies in Moline, Illinois. His invention was known as the "plow that broke the plains," because it was used by farmers on the Great Plains.
May 23, 1796
Historian and naturalist Zadock Thompson is born in Bridgewater. He wrote history books and sold them cheaply so that all Vermonters could read them.
May 25, 2019
Senator Bernie Sanders held a rally on the Vermont State House lawn in Montpelier. This event was part of his second campaign for US president. He lost to Joe Biden in the Democratic primaries in 2020.
May 28, 1992
Three types of stones became Vermont's state stones. Marble, granite, and slate are all stones quarried across the state of Vermont. Each stone has been used to build famous statues and buildings, including some in Washington, D.C.!
May 29, 1933
The US Supreme Court settled the border dispute between Vermont and New Hampshire. The states had been arguing over land along the Connecticut River since the 1780s. The Court ruled New Hampshire owns the river and Vermont's border ends at the riverbank.
May 31, 1778
Ethan Allen returns to Vermont after being held prisoner by the British for nearly three years. Allen was caught when he tried unsuccessfully to capture Montreal.
May 31, 2003
ECHO, The Leahy Center for Lake Champlain opened at the Burlington Waterfront. ECHO stands for The Ecology, Culture, History, and Opportunities Center. Senator Patrick Leahy helped open ECHO. The center helps people learn about life in and near Lake Champlain.
Copy and paste this citation to show where you did your research.
Vermont Historical Society. "May." Vermont History Explorer. Accessed July 18, 2025. https://vermonthistoryexplorer.org/may