|| HOME
|| INTRO
|| SYMBOLS
|| ALMANAC
|| GEOGRAPHY
|| STATE MAPS
|| PEOPLE
|| FORUM
|| NEWS
|| COOL SCHOOLS
|| STATE QUIZ
|| BOOK STORE
|| MARKETPLACE
|| NETSTATE.STORE
|| NETSTATE.MALL
|| GUESTBOOK
|| WEBMASTER

The Vermont State Song

These Green Mountains

words and music by Diane Martin and arranged by Rita Buglass Gluck

    These green hills and silver waters
    Are my home - they belong to me
    And to all her sons and daughters
    May they be strong and forever free
    Let us live to protect her beauty
    And look with pride on the golden dome
    They say home is where the heart is
    These green mountains are my home
    These green mountains are my home

Adoption of the State Song

In 1998, the Vermont General Assembly adopted a resolution that directed the Vermont Arts Council to appoint a three-person panel for the purposes of recommending a new state song. The resolution indicated that it was time for Vermont to adopt a new and "more singable" state song than that which had been adopted in 1938; "Hail, Vermont".

The panel was established and the Vermont State Song Competition was on. 107 entries were received. The panel had the arduous task of reviewing them all and narrowing the field to eight finalists. These eight songs were played on Vermont Public Radio and Vermont Public Television stations. They were also posted on the Vermont Art Council's web site. All Vermonters were urged to express their opinions regarding the eight finalists until the end of the review period on July 15, 1999. Calls poured in and the Vermont Arts Council's web site was busy.

Among the finalists were Carol Abair's "My Home Is Vermont" and Meg Irish's "This Is Vermont, My Home" and Diane Martin and Rita Buglass' "These Green Mountains".

When the votes were tallied, Diane Martin and Rita Buglass came away with the top prize and the Vermont Legislature went to work.

Representatives Osman and Alfano introduced a bill to name "These Green Mountains" Vermont's new official state song. It was read in the Vermont House of Representatives for the first time on January 4, 2000.

On April 24, 2000, the Vermont Legislature adopted "These Green Mountains" as the new official state song. On May 5, 2000 Governor Howard B. Dean, M.D. signed the legislation.

A ceremonial signing took place on May 22, 2000, at Twinfield Union School. Led by Diane Martin, with Rita on the piano and bolstered by dozens of eager young Vermont voices, Governor Dean enthusiastically joined in the first "official" singing of "These Green Mountains."

Vermont Statutes

The following information is excerpted from the Vermont Statutes, Title 1, Chapter 11, Section 514. The words are not included within the statute.

TITLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
CHAPTER 11. FLAG, INSIGNIA, SEAL, ETC.
SECTION 514.

§ 514. State song

The state song shall be "These Green Mountains."

    (Added 1999, No. 99 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 5, 2000.)

Source: Vermont State Web Site, (http://www.state.vt.us), December 7, 2004
Source: The State of Vermont Legislature, (http://www.leg.state.vt.us/), December 7, 2004
Source: The Vermont Arts Council, (http://www.vermontartscouncil.org), December 7, 2004

[ HOME || INTRO || SYMBOLS || ALMANAC || GEOGRAPHY || STATE MAPS || PEOPLE ]
[ FORUM || NEWS || COOL SCHOOLS || STATE QUIZ || BOOK STORE || MARKETPLACE ]
[ NETSTATE.STORE || NETSTATE.MALL || GUESTBOOK || WEBMASTER || PRIVACY STATEMENT ]

Site designed exclusively for NETSTATE.COM by NSTATE
United States Flag

Top