Rep. Peter Welch today introduced a resolution in the U.S. House honoring the 100th anniversary of the Long Trail.

A century to the day after James P. Taylor founded the Green Mountain Club with the dream of creating a long-distance trail from Massachusetts to Canada, Welch highlighted the importance of the Long Trail to Vermont. Speaking on the floor of the House Thursday morning, Welch called the Long Trail "a national treasure" and commended the Green Mountain Club for its service to Vermont.

"For the past century the Green Mountain Club has lived up to its founders' dream of making the mountains of Vermont play a larger part in the life of its people. Through its creation, stewardship and preservation of the Long Trail, the club has inspired generations of Vermonters to appreciate the natural beauty of our state," Welch said.

"The Long Trail was the nation's first long-distance recreational hiking trail, and it served as an inspiration for the Appalachian Trail and others that have followed," said Ben Rose, executive director of the Green Mountain Club. "The trail has survived and flourished for a century because of public/private partnership and because hundreds of volunteers care about it as a precious component of Vermont's mountain landscape. We are grateful to Congressman Welch for introducing the resolution and for being part of the long tradition of Vermont Senators and Representatives cherishing the Long Trail."

Click here to watch Welch's speech on the floor of the House. Copied below is the text of the House resolution.

Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the Vermont Long Trail, the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the United States, and congratulating the Green Mountain Club for its century of dedication in developing and maintaining the trail.

Whereas James P. Taylor conceived of the idea of developing a long-distance hiking trail in the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the Green Mountain Club was formed on March 11, 1910, in Burlington, Vermont, to make his dream of a Long Trail a reality;

Whereas the Long Trail is the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the United States;

Whereas the Long Trail extends 273 miles along the spine of Vermont's Green Mountains, from the Massachusetts border to the Canadian border;

Whereas the Long Trail provides pedestrian access to mountain peaks, waterfalls, wildlife, and foliage in all seasons;

Whereas the Long Trail traverses scenic valleys and the tallest summits of the Green Mountain State;

Whereas the Green Mountain Club continues to protect, defend, and promote the Long Trail and its 100-year history in Vermont;

Whereas the mission of the Green Mountain Club is to make the Vermont mountains play a larger part in the life of the people by protecting and maintaining the Long Trail system and fostering, through education, the stewardship of Vermont's hiking trails and mountains; and

Whereas the birth of the Long Trail is a testament to the hard work of many dedicated individuals and its continued existence is evidence of the perseverance of the Green Mountain Club and countless volunteers: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the 100th anniversary of Vermont's Long Trail, the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the United States, and congratulates the Green Mountain Club for its century of dedication in developing and maintaining the Long Trail.