Maple Syrup, Missing McDonalds, and the Quiet Quirks of Vermont
Montpelier, Vermont, holds the unusual title of being the only U.S. state capital without a McDonald’s—and with fewer than nine thousand residents, it’s also the smallest. Vermont’s independent streak runs deep: it was the first state to join the Union after the Constitution was ratified, and until 1996, it stood alone as the only state without a Wal-Mart. Dairy cows outnumber people here, and Ben & Jerry’s famously donates leftover ice cream to local hogs (though the pigs draw the line at Mint Oreo). The gold-domed capitol is topped by Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, a nod to the state’s rural roots. Even Vermont’s motto, “Freedom and Unity,” hints at its balance of fierce individuality and community spirit. In Vermont, the ordinary is often just a little bit extraordinary.
#VermontCulture #GreenMountainState #MapleSyrup #Culture
