King's College Tract facts for kids
The King's College Tract is a large area of forest land, about 20,000-acre (81 km2), located near the towns of Cambridge and Johnson in Vermont. This land has an interesting history connected to early American colleges and the founding of the United States.
The Original Land Grant
In 1764, when America was still a group of British colonies, a special piece of land was given away. This grant came from Cadwallader Colden, who was the Lieutenant Governor of the New York crown colony. This meant he was a leader appointed by the British King. He gave the land in the name of King George III to the people in charge (called governors or trustees) of King's College.
King's College was the original name for what is now Columbia University in the United States, and also the University of King's College in Canada. The idea was that this large piece of land would help the college grow in the future.
Vermont's New Beginning
Things changed when the Vermont Republic was formed in 1777. This was a time when Vermont became an independent area, before it officially joined the United States. Because Vermont was now its own republic, the original land grant from King George III became complicated.
In 1785, the Vermont General Assembly (which was like Vermont's government) decided to grant the same land to a different person: William Samuel Johnson. He was an important figure in early American history, known as a "founding father" and a lawyer (jurist). He spoke for Vermont to the Continental Congress, which was the group of leaders from the American colonies. He helped Vermont eventually become part of the United States.
A College Connection Continues
It's a fun coincidence that the land's connection to King's College (Columbia University) continued. In 1787, just two years after receiving the land grant, William Samuel Johnson became the president of Columbia College (which was King's College by then).
Even though Columbia University never moved to the King's College Tract, a college eventually did open there. In 1828, a man named John Chesamore started the Lamoille Academy. This academy later became Johnson State College, which is now part of Northern Vermont University. So, the land originally meant for a college did end up hosting one!
