FSP Timeline

FSP Timeline

A chronology of notable events in the Free State Project's history.

Date Notable Event
2001
7/23/01 Jason Sorens' seminal article Announcement: The Free State Project appears in The Libertarian Enterprise.
7/31/01 Interested participant, Robert Vroman, sets up FSP Yahoo group (called "clubs" back then).
8/4/01 First website launched, thanks to Larry Myers.
8/6/01 220 people have signed up already.
8/6/01 Jason's second article Update: Free State Project in The Libertarian Enterprise.
8/10/01 Motto chosen: Liberty in our Lifetime
8/24/01 Yahoo group grows to 100 members.
8/28/01 Brian Wilson, libertarian radio talk show host in California, interviews Jason and joins the FSP on the air.
8/29/01 Web poll sets state-vote when membership reaches 5,000.
9/1/01 Official beginning of FSP. Statement of Intent; Participation Guidelines; Mission Statement: "The Free State Project is a plan in which 20,000 or more liberty-oriented people will move ...".
9/9/01 Logo and mascot chosen:
9/11/01 9-11
9/15/01 Claire Wolfe article Would You Move to the State of the Free? in Sierra Times.
10/01 Much website content added.
10/01 Elizabeth McKinstry speaks at conventions in FL, IL, IN, CO.
10/29/01 First media article about FSP. Media archives set up.
12/01 Jason's What Can 20,000 Liberty Activists Accomplish? published in Freedom Daily News.
12/01 Member poll nixes Commonwealths (e.g. Virgin Islands) from state vote.
2002
1/02 FSP partners with free-market.net; our banners and articles appear on their site. Editor assigned to cover us is Mary Lou Seymour (who becomes a major activist for the FSP).
1/02 ME LP endorses FSP.
2/02 Debra Ricketts designs new website.
3/02 FSP incorporates as a nonprofit corporation in Nevada (easy to incorporate). First Board of Directors: Jason Sorens (Pres.), Elizabeth McKinstry (VP), Debra Ricketts (Treas), Robert Vroman, Joe Littlejohn. Others: Mary Lou Seymour, Amanda Maxwell, Steve Cobb. Committees: Research and Publicity/Finance.
4/6/02 Board enacts corporate bylaws and elects officers.
7/02 Research Committee determines 10 candidate states: "all states under 1.5 million population" (except HI and RI which are too statist). 10 states are: AK DE ID ME MT ND NH SD VT WY. State reports and state-comparison spreadsheet variables abound.
7/18/02 FSP store and online forum added.
8/02 After big controversy, Yahoo group becomes fully moderated and restricted to FSP business (due to high-volume of off-topic posts). Other lists set up for general discussions.
8/7/02 Walter Williams' endorsement in his column and on "Hannity and Colmes" TV program causes jump in website visits and new members.
9/1/02 First year anniversary of FSP founding. Jason writes A History of the Free State Project On Its First Birthday.
9/9/02 1,000 members.
10/13/02 New directors Tim Condon and Matt Cheselka.
10/13/02 FSP featured on front page story of the Union Leader in Manchester, NH.
10/17/02 Vin Suprynowicz signs up.
10/22/02 Mention on slashdot results in FSP website overload.
11/1/02 Membership growth chart.
12/16/02 State vote will use Simple Condorcet's Method.
2003
1/18/03 NH LP endorses FSP.
2/4/03 FSP Reaches 2,500 Members.
2/25/03 VT LP endorses FSP.
3/8/03 DE LP endorses FSP.
3/25/03 First issue of The Quill – the monthly FSP newsletter.
4/27/03 Member Tim Condon arrested for handing out FSP flyers.
5/1/03 AK LP endorses FSP.
5/2/03 Elizabeth McKinstry appears on MSNBC.
5/24/03 Grand Western Conference held in Missoula, MT.
5/25/03 MT LP endorses FSP.
5/31/03 WY LP endorses FSP.
6/03 Prominent LP members/candidates Michael Badnarik, Gary Nolan, and Art Olivier are recent new members.
6/1/03 4,000 members. Vote date set for 9/8/03.
6/4/03 FSP mentioned in Playboy.
6/26/03 Escape to NH Getaway Week.
6/26/03 UT LP endorses FSP.
6/28/03 NH Governor meets visiting Free Staters and welcomes the FSP to NH.
7/5/03 NJ LP endorses FSP.
7/8/03 Urgent funding needed.
7/16/03 FSP announces Ballot Vote Certification Process.
7/27/03 Elizabeth McKinstry appears again on MSNBC.
8/7/03 NH Governor joins as a Friend of the FSP.
8/13/03 5,000 members!
8/14/03 FSP mentioned on Paul Harvey radio show.
9/03 State selection mail-in voting takes place this month.
10/1/03 Free State Project chooses New Hampshire! Results announced at Press Conference in New York.
10/13/03 Kelton Baker appointed Interim President, Doug Hillman Interim Vice-President.
10/27/03 New York Times story on FSP.
11/1/03 Noted freedom-activist Richard Boddie joins FSP at the NH Liberty Expo.
11/3/03 NH Info page debuts on website.
11/10/03 Major website re-design (by James Reyes, Adam Rick, and Justin VanVorst).
12/3/03 FSP ad about Goose Creek makes a splash.
12/22/03 Old state reports, data, and voting results available in website Archives.
12/26/03 Videos from state announcement press conference (10/31/03) online.
2004
1/16/04 Noted freedom-activist Richard Boddie endorsement.
1/28/04 Community Liaisons program initiated.
2/15/04 Amanda Phillips elected FSP President for 6-month term by Board. Strategic Goals for 2004 adopted by Board.
2/19/04 Readers Digest had a brief story about the FSP.
2/26/04 FSP featured on the TV news magazine Chronicle, shown throughout New England.
2/04 Endorsements from Doug Stanhope (comedian) and Aaron Russo (LP Presidential hopeful).
3/8/04 Activist Center debuts on the forum.
3/21/04 Endorsements from the Republican Liberty Caucus and the LP of Alabama.
3/31/04 New Hampshire named most-livable state. (Another article).
4/4/04 L. Neil Smith endorses the FSP!
4/27/04 Activist Activator debuts.
5/12/04 FSP participant to walk 1,000 miles as he moves to the Free State!
Follow the journey of the FSP Travel Bugs.
New FSP Guestbook of Porcupines who visit NH.
5/20/04 Liberty Magazine's June issue cover story with 3 FSP articles.
5/30/04 FSP participant Michael Badnarik wins LP Presidential nomination.
6/24/04 Porcupine Freedom Festival (June 24-27) at Rogers Campground in Lancaster, NH.
8/21/04 6,000 participants!
9/15/04 Chat Workshop series debuts. Originated by Kat Dillon.
10/16/04 Two new ongoing web pages: We Made the Move! and Welcome from NH Residents.
10/29/04 FSP tries out new Leadership Circle management structure.
11/17/04 The Jan/Feb '05 issue of American Handgunner magazine contains a nice article Gun Rights - Can a Porcupine Save Your Guns? by FSP vice-president Evan Nappen.
12/01/04 Reason Magazine has a big article about the FSP - Revolt of the Porcupines.
12/15/04 Golden Porcupine Awards for outstanding recruiters, debuts.
12/28/04 This year's Media Articles (over 60) and Essays (34).
2005
1/26/05 The Great FSP Recruiting Push of 2005
2/26/05 Exciting endorsement from Michael Badnarik, LP '04 Presidential candidate.
2/27/05 Strategic Goals for 2005 adopted by Board.
2/28/05 New, more streamlined mission statement.
3/09/05 Free Staters win elections in NH: Dawn Lincoln to the Budget Committee in Winchester and Karen Pratt to the School Board in Goffstown.
5/15/05 Monthly FSP News debuts.
5/30/05 Fundraising Goal of $20,000 surpassed.
7/23/05 Porcupine Freedom Festival (July 23-31) at Rogers Campground in Lancaster, NH.
09/17/05 NORML Director Keith Stroup endorses FSP.
11/01/05 FSP Status Report - Statement by the Board of Directors
12/27/05 FSP wins Freedom Organization of the Year poll held at Strike the Root.
2006
1/1/06 January 2006 Recruitment Challenge
1/13/06 The First 1000 – a one-year recruitment program begins.
1/20/06 Endorsement from David Bergland 1984 LP Presidential Candidate and author of Libertarianism In One Lesson.
2/17/06 Endorsement from Walter Block economist/philosopher/professor.
2/22/06 7,000 participants!
3/13/06 Varrin Swearingen is new FSP President.
4/03/06 LP of Florida endorses FSP
06/23-07/01/06 Porcupine Freedom Festival at Roger's Campground
11/07/06 Joel Winters becomes the first early-moving Free Stater to be elected to the NH House of Representatives.
11/07/06 NH Constitution amended to prohibit eminent domain for private benefit.
2007
2/22/07 First NH Liberty Forum
6/18-24/07 Porcupine Freedom Festival at Gunstock Mountain Resort
6/27/07 NH formally rejects the Federal "Real-ID" system.
09/27/2007 Texas Congressman and Presidential candidate Ron Paul endorses FSP.
10/22/07 Irena Goddard is new FSP President.
11/1/07 8,000 participants!
11/27/07 500 movers!
2008
01/03-06/08 Liberty Forum
05/17/08 Libertarian presidential candidate Dr. Mary Ruwart endorses FSP.
06/09-15/08 Porcupine Freedom Festival at Gunstock Mountain Resort.
07/22/08 Former Congressman and presidential candidate Bob Barr endorses FSP.
10/19/08 Varrin Swearingen is new FSP President.
10/25/08 Richard Heller endorses FSP, reveals he is a member.
11/04/08 Six FSP participants (including four movers) are elected to NH House of Reps!
12/31/08 The Walk for Liberty - a couple's project of walking from one end of the country to New Hampshire - is completed, with multiple news mentions along the way.
2009
01/16/09 9,000 participants!
03/02/09 NH Rep. Itse mentions FSP on Glenn Beck Program. Traffic overwhelms FSP servers.
03/04/09 NH Rep. Itse mentions FSP on Fox & Friends.
03/05-08/09 Liberty Forum at Crown Plaza Hotel
03/15/09 Russia Today reports on the FSP
04/16/09 700 movers!
04/29/09 Jason Sorens interviewed on Fox's "Freedom Watch"
05/02/09 Libertarian Party founder David Nolan endorses the FSP
05/29/09 Boston Globe covers Free State Project
06/12/09 Penn Jillette endorses the FSP
06/25-28/09 Record-breaking attendance for the Porcupine Freedom Festival held at Rogers Campground
07/25/09 Associated Press story on the Free State Project is picked up by the Washington Post and is placed on the front pages of Fox News, Yahoo News and others.
08/04/09 Middle East edition of Stars & Stripes Newspaper covers the FSP
08/11/09 Free State Project participant William Kostric makes international news by openly carrying a pistol to an anti-Obama protest.  News media seem shocked at the level of freedom in New Hampshire.  The "event" is covered on MSNBC, the Alex Jones Show, the Alan Colmes Show, Glenn Beck, and others.  It is commented on by many in the media including Pat Buchanan and Ron Paul who stated that he was "suprised" by how many guns he had seen in NH while campaigning there.

10/01/09

 

3/15/10

 

3/18/10

 

 

3/18-21/10

 

03/25/2011

 

4/7/2011

 

7/10/2011

 

01/31/2012

Free State Project "money bomb" raises $26,600 in one day, far surpassing its goal of a $20,000 one-day take!

2010

The Free State Project reaches 10,000 participants!  

 

The Free State Project reaches 800 movers!

 

The Free State project Liberty Forum is held in Nashua, NH, once again breaking attendance records.  Judge Napolitano's keynote speech is covered in local media.

 

Free State Project featured on John Stossel's cable news show.  

 

900 movers!

 

11,000 signers!

 

1,000 movers!
Date Notable Event



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