| 1833 | The newly formed Troy Conference of the Methodist Church decided that they must have a strong and influential literary institution near the center of the Conference. |
| 1834 | West Poultney, Vermont was chosen as a site because of the “deep interest and enthusiasm of the inhabitants, and the good morals of its industrious citizens who carefully observe the Sabbath,” and because they had subscribed $5,000 for the institution. On October 25, 1834, the Vermont General Assembly passed the Act of Incorporation. |
| 1836 | The Troy Conference Academy opened with the Rev. S. Stocking as principal. An academy in the 19th century was actually a combination grammar and high school. In the better academies, of which TCA was one, the more advanced subjects could now be considered college level. |
| 1844 | TCA’s first graduate received a diploma. |
| 1860 | The Vermont Legislature granted TCA the right to convey baccalaureate degrees to young ladies. |
| 1863 | With the Civil War in progress, John Newman, former teacher and principal at TCA and backed by W. Y. Ripley of Rutland, purchased the Academy and it became Ripley Female College. |
| 1866 | Ripley Female College awarded baccalaureate degrees to four women. |
| 1874 | The Troy Conference of the Methodist Church repurchased the school and it became once again the Troy Conference Academy. |
| 1908 | In April, a fire destroyed the Academy Building. Dr. Dunton, principal of the Academy, began raising funds and reconstruction of the building began. |
| 1931 | Jesse Bogue, principal, recommended to the Trustees of the Academy two year’s of college work be added to the institution. |
| 1932 | Troy Conference Academy and Green Mountain Junior College co-existed as two distinct schools sharing dorms, classrooms and faculty. The institution also served as Poultney High School. Green Mountain had its first graduate. |
| 1933 | The first two-year class graduated from Green Mountain Junior College. |
| 1936 | Last class of the old academy graduated. Green Mountain Junior College operated solely as a two-year institution for men and women. |
| 1943 | The last coeducational class graduated, and Green Mountain Junior College operated solely as a two-year college for women only. |
| 1957 | “Junior” was dropped from the College’s name, and Green Mountain College began a period of growth, building and strengthening that lasted over a decade. |
| 1970 | The College’s Methodist affiliation was dropped by mutual consent. |
| 1975 | Four-year bachelor degree programs were added to the curriculum, and the college became coeducational again. |
| 1989 | Two-year associate programs were officially dropped from the curriculum. |
| 1994 | James M. Pollock retires after serving as president for 17 years since 1977. |
| 1995 | Thomas L. Benson was inaugurated as president of Green Mountain College in September. The College adopts an environmental liberal arts focus. |
| 1996 | The College renews its affiliation with The United Methodist Church. |
| 2001 | The College adopts the following mission statement: “As a four-year, coeducational residential institution, Green Mountain College takes the social and natural environment as the unifying theme underlying the academic and co-curricular experience of the campus. Through a broad range of liberal arts and career-focused majors and a vigorous, service-oriented student affairs program, the College fosters the ideals of environmental responsibility, public service, international understanding, and lifelong intellectual, physical, and spiritual adventure.” |
| 2002 | The 85-acre Deane Nature Preserve is dedicated. |
| 2002 | John F. (Jack) Brennan appointed as president of Green Mountain College in August. Thomas L. Benson stepped down after eight years of service as president. |
| 2006 | The College begins to offer online graduate masters programs leading to the MBA (Masters of Business Administration) and MSES (Masters of Science in Environmental Studies) degrees. |
| 2007 | The College earns national recognition as the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) awards Green Mountain College a sustainability award. |
| 2008 | Green Mountain College confers its first graduate MBA degrees. |
| 2008 | Paul J. Fonteyn assumes presidency of Green Mountain College in July. John F. (Jack) Brennan retired after serving six years as president. |