State House on Dewey Day, October 12, 1899
Today marks the anniversary of Dewey Day, a celebration held in 1899 and again in 1999 to commemorate the accomplishments of Vermont native, war hero, and former Norwich student Admiral George Dewey. The photo above depicts the State House building in Montpelier all dolled up for the occasion.
Admiral Dewey hailed from Montpelier and attended Norwich in the 1850s, eventually graduating from the Naval Academy in Annapolis. In 1899, he became the first admiral of the United States Navy following his victory at the 1898 Battle of Manila Bay.
The Dewey Day festivities included a separate celebration on the Norwich campus, including the laying of the cornerstone for what would become Dewey Hall. Norwich also provided the color guard for the Montpelier parade:
NU color guard for Dewey Day parade, 1899
Compare these to photos of the centennial Dewey Day celebration in 1999:
Vermont State House on Dewey Day, 1999
NU Cadets in 1999 Dewey Day Parade
Check out the finding aid for our archival collection George Dewey here. You can also read more about Admiral Dewey on the Vermont Historical Society website here.
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