FSP Timeline

FSP Timeline

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

DateNotable 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. 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 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 6/27/07 NH formally rejects the Federal "Real-ID" system. 10/22/07 Irena Goddard is new FSP President. 11/1/07 8,000 participants! 11/27/07 500 movers! DateNotable Event

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