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BENNINGTON HISTORIC AND RECREATIONAL INFORMATION KIOSK THREE SIDED PROTOTYPE

12.09.2019 K2

Putnam Square B ennington

BENNINGTON PUTNAM SQUARE KIOSK

downtown tour brochure_9x_downtown tour brochure 12/16/19 11:17 AM Page 1

genteel population of Old Old of population genteel

er than Old Bennington. The The Bennington. Old than er rate the structure. structure. the rate iron, stone, brick or wooden lintels. lintels. wooden or brick stone, iron,

community was ten times larg- times ten was community brick and stained glass often deco- often glass stained and brick ed arched windows, topped by cast- by topped windows, arched ed

tion of 4,000, this downtown downtown this 4,000, of tion openings. Mosaic tiles, colored colored tiles, Mosaic openings. heavy, bracketed cornices and round- and cornices bracketed heavy,

1800s. By 1850 with a popula- a with 1850 By 1800s. found around door and window window and door around found cial blocks are characterized by by characterized are blocks cial

Old Bennington in the early early the in Bennington Old edged low relief ornamentation is is ornamentation relief low edged narrow and tall. Italianate commer- Italianate tall. and narrow

develop down the hill from from hill the down develop emphasizing geometric form. Hard - Hard form. geometric emphasizing arched windows, which tend to be be to tend which windows, arched

A community began to to began community A arranged in a series of set backs backs set of series a in arranged ed eaves, square towers, and round- and towers, square eaves, ed

shoes, and trunks. trunks. and shoes, forms of design from 1925 to 1940. Building fronts are are fronts Building 1940. to 1925 from design of forms square shaped building with low-pitched roofs, bracket- roofs, low-pitched with building shaped square

facturer turned out boots, boots, out turned facturer The style is associated with the streamlining of all all of streamlining the with associated is style The A style popular between 1840-85, it is characterized by a a by characterized is it 1840-85, between popular style A

trial complex. Another manu- Another complex. trial ART DECO ART

ITALIANATE ITALIANATE

them, rounded out the indus- the out rounded them,

support support to blacksmiths with

angular pediments and framed by elaborate stonework. stonework. elaborate by framed and pediments angular of palm leaves. leaves. palm of

and cart makers, makers, cart and Wagon area.

low-pitched roof. Windows are usually topped by tri- by topped usually are Windows roof. low-pitched tion found in the pediment is the wreath or a cluster cluster a or wreath the is pediment the in found tion

least one tin shop dotted the the dotted shop tin one least

parapets rimming the edges of the characteristic shal- characteristic the of edges the rimming parapets portico, the width of the building. A common decora- common A building. the of width the portico,

iron, machine shops and at at and shops machine iron,

porticos with full pediments, stone balustrades or or balustrades stone pediments, full with porticos pediment supported by classical columns forming a a forming columns classical by supported pediment

boxes. Foundries to smelt smelt to Foundries boxes.

by their impressive scale, stone columns that support support that columns stone scale, impressive their by feature a front with a flat triangle triangle flat a with front a feature

that made paper and paper paper and paper made that

the marble and granite. Such structures are identified identified are structures Such granite. and marble the these buildings are rectangular and and rectangular are buildings these

numerous full service garages. service full numerous

appearing were saw and lumber mills as well as those those as well as mills lumber and saw were appearing

colored stone. In Vermont, quarries supplied much of of much supplied quarries Vermont, In stone. colored the temple front, front, temple the by Characterized

automobiles, which were serviced at Bennington’s Bennington’s at serviced were which automobiles,

others that produced thread and hosiery. Also Also hosiery. and thread produced that others

lic buildings from 1900-30. Most were built with light light with built were Most 1900-30. from buildings lic Vermont between 1820-60. 1820-60. between Vermont in lar

the intersection of US7 and VT9 became covered with with covered became VT9 and US7 of intersection the

cotton packing sheet factory in the country and and country the in factory sheet packing cotton

courthouses, schools and other pub- other and schools courthouses, ancient Greece, this style was popu- was style this Greece, ancient

ed in 1871. In the twentieth century, Putnam Square at at Square Putnam century, twentieth the In 1871. in ed

many of them textile mills, including the largest largest the including mills, textile them of many

for libraries, museums, banks, banks, museums, libraries, for Inspired by the architecture of of architecture the by Inspired

its most prominent landmark, the Putnam Hotel erect- Hotel Putnam the landmark, prominent most its

By 1869, Bennington had 38 stores and businesses, businesses, and stores 38 had Bennington 1869, By

Renaissance inspired the style used used style the inspired Renaissance GREEK REVIVAL GREEK

South Streets. It became know as Putnam Square, for for Square, Putnam as know became It Streets. South

Gristmills to grind grain were among the earliest mills. mills. earliest the among were grain grind to Gristmills

and Rome and the Italian Italian the and Rome and

Corners" where Main Street was crossed by North and and North by crossed was Street Main where Corners"

Bennington became the industrial hub of the area. area. the of hub industrial the became Bennington

The architecture of Ancient Greece Greece Ancient of architecture The

streamlining proved to be very new. new. very be to proved streamlining

Later, downtown’s center focused on the "Four "Four the on focused center downtown’s Later,

Located along the Walloomsac River, downtown downtown River, Walloomsac the along Located

NEO-CLASSICAL

revived the Colonial or Classical, while the Art Deco’s Deco’s Art the while Classical, or Colonial the revived

verged in 1852 at a depot on the street named for it. it. for named street the on depot a at 1852 in verged

ular style for commercial buildings. Later styles styles Later buildings. commercial for style ular

Railroad and the Lebanon Springs Railroad that con- that Railroad Springs Lebanon the and Railroad

crossed at Putnam Square Putnam at crossed

swags, and cupolas. cupolas. and swags,

late nineteenth century, Italianate was the most pop- most the was Italianate century, nineteenth late

portation hub for the Rutland and Bennington Bennington and Rutland the for hub portation

railroads and eventually a highway system that that system highway a eventually and railroads

columns, pediments with ornamental ornamental with pediments columns, classical with

1840s are of Greek Revival Style. From the mid to the the to mid the From Style. Revival Greek of are 1840s

onon enntn lo eae trans- a became also Bennington Downtown

• linking itself to the outside world through two two through world outside the to itself linking •

ries with a central doorway. Many were decorated decorated were Many doorway. central a with ries

1830s to the present. Buildings from the 1830s and and 1830s the from Buildings present. the to 1830s

Street, a blow to Old Bennington’s political power. power. political Bennington’s Old to blow a Street,

courthouse courthouse

more formal and symmetrical, having two or more sto- more or two having symmetrical, and formal more

styles and functional types that appeared from the the from appeared that types functional and styles

by 1870 the new County Courthouse was erected on South South on erected was Courthouse County new the 1870 by

rival, Old Bennington, by obtaining the county county the obtaining by Bennington, Old rival,

T

ed fanlights or pediments. Commercial structures were were structures Commercial pediments. or fanlights ed

this primer explains the mixture of architectural architectural of mixture the explains primer this

fought back and was able to have its own post office, but but office, post own its have to able was and back fought

• wresting political dominance from its early early its from dominance political wresting •

with classical columns, doorways topped by exaggerat- by topped doorways columns, classical with

o help you recognize the structures on the tour, tour, the on structures the recognize you help o

Post Office followed the newspaper. Old Bennington Bennington Old newspaper. the followed Office Post

Walloomsac River offered for mills mills for offered River Walloomsac

window with two shorter narrower windows), porches porches windows), narrower shorter two with window

hill to the Walloomsac community and the Bennington Bennington the and community Walloomsac the to hill

• taking advantage of the waterpower the the waterpower the of advantage taking •

three part window consisting of a tall round-headed round-headed tall a of consisting window part three

moved down the the down moved Gazette Vermont "Algiers." In 1847 the the 1847 In "Algiers."

cal details are Palladian windows (a (a windows Palladian are details cal

S

referred to the downhill settlement as being as ugly as as ugly as being as settlement downhill the to referred developed in the nineteenth century by: by: century nineteenth the in developed

colonial era. Among the most typi- most the Among era. colonial

Bennington made fun of the new village and one sailor sailor one and village new the of fun made Bennington

tep Back in Time to Experience a Downtown that that Downtown a Experience to Time in Back tep

Architectural Styles Architectural and details common in the earlier earlier the in common details and

is characterized by a return to forms forms to return a by characterized is

An Overview of of Overview An Popular between 1890-1930, the style style the 1890-1930, between Popular Time in Back Step

COLONIAL REVIVAL COLONIAL

About the tour Welcome to This self -guided walking tour begins at the Downtown Welcome Center on South Street, moves up to Putnam Historic Downtown Square and then continues to the Walloomsac River Walk before returning to Putnam Square. Parking is provided at the Welcome Center as well as additional Bennington lots designated on the map.

Choice of Walking or Driving A walking tour of Water system deeded to For those who enjoy a walk, the tour takes an hour, Downtown Bennington’s covering about half a mile from the Welcome Center village to the Walloomsac River Walk. Wear comfortable National Register Historic District Bennington shoes and layered clothing in case the weather Banner started changes. Driving is also an option. featuring the Putnam Square area Electricity Downtown Bennington offers you a wide choice of and the Historic Walloomsac Mills Old Blacksmith installed US. 7 shop built shops and places to eat. Take the historic tour and paved spend a day in downtown. Putnam

Hotel built The Downtown Welcome Center Trolley line established We urge you to stop at the Downtown Welcome Center on Route 7 (corner South & Elm Sts.) open 9-5 Monday Personalities through Friday, 11-4 Saturday & Sunday. Located in a National Register Historic Building, the Center provides our entrepreneurs, Enos Adams, Henry Putnam, Born in Woodford, Trenor Park was a information and personal guidance on what to do in FTrenor Park and Henry Root, financed and built financier of numerous business enter- Bennington. Relax in an armchair as you plan your Putnam Square, making downtown Bennington the prises including the development of stay. The Center also serves as a gallery with changing commercial and retail as well as industrial hub of the railroads in Vermont and Bennington. exhibits featuring artists from the Bennington area. It area: He was a major benefactor to the town. is the home of the Bennington Arts Guild. One of his gifts was the Bennington Credits ∑A self-educated man, Enos Adams was a public library. major manufacturer, businessman and This brochure was printed and partially underwritten architect who erected buildings on by Applejack Limited Editions. BBC Downtown Docents Main St. ∑Henry Putnam was a benefactor, busi- Betty Kingsley and Jennifer Kern created this brochure. nessman and manufacturer. Promoting Chief photographer on the project has been Charlie Copp. M.P. McDonough Architect initially designed the a higher quality of life, he built the time line. Advice and post cards have come from Images Putnam Hotel, Opera House, and from the Past. Callie Raspuzzi of the Bennington Putnam Hospital. He created a water Henry Root, prominent in finance and Museum helped us to trace photographs that came system for Bennington and deeded it to from Park-McCullough House’s Matthew Schulte banking, was influential in state and the Village in 1912. He was responsible for the complex (Trenor Park), Mary Mollica (Henry Root), and Beverley local government. of foundries on North St. Petrelis (Henry Putnam). Our reader was Meg Campbell. The Better Bennington Corporation staff has served as editor. downtown tour brochure_9x_downtown tour brochure 12/16/19 11:17 AM Page 2

Downtown Welcome Center 1 Map footprints & roads by BCRC; color & layout by Spectrum Nature’s Closet 11 186 North St. 18 Design Dating from the 1830s or 1840s, the Gage Street On the northeast cor- 186 North St. The second structure of its Downtown Welcome Center is a field ner, M.P. McDonough, kind on the tour, Taylor’s Garage is an Art stone structure, a form of construction Architect, designed this Deco yellow brick veneer structure with a found in early nineteenth-century mill buildings. The outside contemporary store in 2003 on the site of band of leaded and stained glass windows that identify the doorway has a five-light transom and full-length sidelights a three-story brick building. firm. It was constructed in 1928. beneath a heavy stone lintel. Built as a blacksmith shop when Bennington experienced the Industrial Revolution, this building served as a tinsmith shop and then as a wagon US Historic 12 shop until 1912. It had various social uses until it became the 7 22 Post Office 190 19 19 20 present Welcome Center. Inside by the staircase the original North St. stonewall is exposed. The existing fireplace was added in the 20 This rounded three- 21 early twentieth century. story brick commercial 18 N 190 North St. These two building was built to balance the Putnam buildings recall the era Hotel. Enos Adams constructed it in 1886.

Street when Bennington was an iron-manufacturing center. The The first floor has been modernized but Bennington 2 small office was constructed prior to 1850 by L. Grover to County Courthouse the façade on the upper floors is original. serve the next-door foundry. Erected on the riverbank as a It was used as the Bennington Post Office 17 School foundry prior to 1846, the red brick factory building has a Bennington County Courthouse was erected with other commercial businesses until corbelled cornice. In 1864 Henry W. Putnam purchased both in 1936 in the Colonial Revival Style, com- 1913. When the Post Office left for its new for the manufacture of water wheel governors. Putnam later P home, this building became a bank. patible with the town’s image as a colonial village. While 16 succeeded in the manufacture of various patented light early courthouses were erected in Old Bennington, its current hardware products. location signifies the importance of downtown. The triangular The only freestanding clock in Bennington entrance portico, supported by four monumental Doric County, this pedestal timepiece was 23 columns, contains a clock framed by swags. An open bell 15 installed in front of this building in 1929 cupola, with a gold leafed dome, sits atop the hipped roof. Pleasant Street and continues to be controlled by a mas- 10 14 ter clock inside the bank. 169 North St. 21 West Mai P 9 Iron ore and ocher beds existed near the Bennington Town Office 3 Walloomsac River. S.H. Brown built an iron 8 Commercial n Street 13 foundry on the riverbank at 169 North St. The Bennington Town Office was built as 11 Building in 1842. It is a two and one half story stone structure. When the Root family home in 1840. Henry Root Henry W. Putnam purchased the building in 1867, it had already 7 started a tinsmith operation in Bennington Next door on Main been converted to grind grain. A gristmill into the 1920s, then East M ain StreetVT prior to his involvement in Vermont finance and politics. Its ? Street is Bennington’s a garage, it was rehabilitated as offices in 1978. Windows are 12 13 original massing and detailing are characteristic of Greek 6 9 earliest commercial building, built by Enos 12/12 with smooth stone lintels and wooden sills, while the Revival houses with extensions on either side of the temple Adams in 1845. Although this building is interior has sloping window spaces and hewn wooden lin- 5 front. Note the front porch supported by Doric Columns. In lower in height than its neighbor, the top tels. Along with the buildings at 190 North St. this structure the 1920s, this building was donated for use as the Town office. architecture remains the same. recognizes Bennington’s role in the Industrial Revolution. 4 24 P

201 South St. 3 Walk up North Street. 4 Union Street

By mid century picturesque Italianate River Walk 22 201 South St. is another Greek Revival P 2 taste eclipsed the Greek Revival as the frame building with projecting portico nation’s most popular style. North Street The Wallomsac River Walk is a scenic trail supported on four fluted Doric columns. contains a mix of mid and late nineteenth with interpretive signage of the history This residence has been converted to a commercial building 25 1 century commercial buildings and earlier along the Wallomsac River. It is a separate with modern additions. ? residences. With the Italianate style you tour that can be taken as an extension of the downtown tour. should look for molded decorations like scroll-sawn brackets under the eaves. Walk back down North & South Streets Some buildings have an original apartment towards the Welcome Center. 113 South St. 5 on an upper floor for the owner of the 113 South St. is an Italianate Revival, three- business below. story brick commercial block erected as DOWNTOWN an investment by architect/builder 125 North St. 23 Calvin Park for his cousin Trenor Park in 1865. It is the most 126 North St. 14

outstanding building for architectural features in the 125 North St. This temple front Greek 126 North St. was moved Downtown Historic District. Note the decorative window BENNINGTON Revival has corner pilasters supporting to this site in 1987, the heads and decorations on the second and third floor. a molded cornice with gable end building having been in Although the first floor exterior has been modernized, the returns. Attached is a full front porch with Queen Anne a textile mill complex, serving as the Thomson Mill Office inside still retains original features. From 1906-77 it was Stand at Putnam Square so that you can look up West Main St. scroll-sawn decoration. until 1985. Built around 1920, inside it was elegantly decorated the last location of the fashionable Drysdale’s Dry Goods Company that was operated by three generations of the with wood paneling, which has been retained in the current Vermont Federal Bank 8 the current office space. Cross Putnam Square. same family. Drysdale’s window displays exposed Bennington to the latest clothing styles. This white marble building flows around one of the corners of Putnam Square. Built in 1930 as the Vermont Federal Bank 136-140 North St. 15 118 South St. 24 109 South St. 6 with neo-classical elements, it has a rich interior of Italian and Tennessee marble with gilded detail. The parapet hon- 136-140 North St. is a three story Italianate 118 South St. This marble Federal Building 109 South St. was built in 1870 as down- ors commerce with the inscription, "Commerce has made all commercial building, decorated by pan- was listed on the National Register of town’s first courthouse, indicating that winds her messenger, all peoples her servants." This magnif- eled pillars, topped by elegant Corinthian Historic Places, December 12, 1976. Built downtown was now a center of county icent building is worth seeing inside and out. capitals that extend to the cornice, which is supported by on as a Post Office and other commercial uses in 1913, it was government. This five-bay Italianate building has a monumental scroll-sawn brackets. among the last works by James Knox Taylor, supervising second story in which the court assembled. The first floor Architect for the U.S. Treasury. It was a Post Office from 1913- has been modernized with a brick storefront. Until 1939 the 332 West Main St. 9 1967, a U.S. Federal building until 1996, and then was trans- courthouse was topped with a tower containing the town clock. ferred to the Town of Bennington in 1997 to become the 332 West Main St. is a three bay three- 164 North St. 16 Police Station. You are now at Putnam Square, the center of Bennington, story Italianate commercial building. It the intersection of Vt. 9 and US. 7. was built in 1868 as The First Vermont 164 North St. has the original storefront Bank. Although the front steps are not original, the door to with a recessed single door flanked by the right and the stairway leading up to the second floor are. single pane showroom windows. The The semi-circular cast iron arch sills were restored in its molded eave is on simple scroll-sawn brackets. The interior 210 South St. 25 Putnam Hotel 7 1996 as a Tax Act project. The inside was renovated to includes pressed tin walls and ceilings throughout. This appear as it did in the mid 1800s. structure and the one next to it form a row of relatively uni- 210 South St. is the third historic garage With its sweeping curved corner location, form storefronts. on the tour. A Neo-Classical Revival struc- the Putnam Hotel was built and financed ture, it was built as Marshall’s Garage in by Henry W. Putnam in 1871 as a hotel and 324 West Main St. 10 1926 to sell and service the growing number of private commercial building. Note that some storefronts are modern 170 North St. 17 motorcars in the region. Its design allowed customers to while others retain their original cast iron pillars. The upper By 1920, automobile care and sales was a drive into a second floor entrance from Hillside Street to floor windows have segmental heads and arches, marble growing business due to Bennington’s 170 North St. has the original storefront, the service department. Cars for sale were on the street keystones and sills. The hotel was formerly known for its 75 major crossroads. 324 West Main St. is a including a recessed double leaf door level. It became the CB Sports factory in 1969 after remod- rooms of luxurious accommodations and proudly advertised two-story brick building built in 1920 as the Bennington with transom light flanked by single pane eling. It has again been remodeled following the standards its use of steam heat and electricity when those services Garage. It has a front façade of brick sections between large showroom windows. The second floor apartment has a rec- of the National Register of Historic Places. The first floor were rare. Hotel services ceased in 1967. The building of this bay windows and has recently been renovated for offices. tangular oriel window above the entrance. Scroll-sawn has semi-circular arched windows and a central entrance hotel demonstrates the early prominence of Bennington as brackets with applied decoration support the oriel and the with reproduction Georgian fluted pillars and is painted in a commercial, transportation and vacation center. Now look up East Main St. building’s cornice. Neo-Classical colors. 27 25 History 26 Timeline Walloomsac Rd. Old Bennington 1749 Charter Granted to Bennington by Map and Key New Hampshire Governor Benning 24 Wentworth 1 Pliney Dewey House 23 2 1761 Bennington settled by families from 22 Hiram Waters House Massachusettes and Connecticut 3 Isaiah Hendryx House 21 4 Jedidiah Dewey House

1762 Peter Harwood, first child born 20 5 Roberts House Monument Ave. Monument in Bennington 6 Monument to William Lloyd Garrison 19 7 Colonel Nathaniel Brush House 1763 Meetinghouse built, first Protestant 17 8 Walloomsac Inn church in Vermont 18 Bank St. 9 Old First Church 1777 Vermont declares itself an 16 10 Site of the Meetinghouse 1763 independent state 15 11 Site of the County Courthouse 1847

12 Site of Ethan Allen’s House 1777 Battle of Bennington on August 16 13 Asa Hyde House 1791 Vermont joins the United States 14 The Catamount Tavern 1767 as the 14th State after fourteen 14 15 Old Academy years as an independent republic 16 Site of Samuel Robinson’s log cabin Main St. 13 17 Samuel Raymond House 1806 Old First Church dedicated 12 18 General David Robinson House 11 19 Richard Carpenter House 1828 William Lloyd Garrison publishes 8 10 Ave. Monument Journal of the Times 9 20 The Uel Robinson House VT Route 9 / West Rd. 21 Ellenwood-Daniel Conkling House 1841 Downtown Bennington, called 7 6 5 22 The Fay-Brown House “Algiers,” develops 23 Governor John Robinson House 4 1891 Dedication of Bennington Battle 24 Captain David Robinson House Monument celebrating the Battle 3 25 Bennington Battle Monument of Bennington in 1777 and the 2 1 26 Monument to Colonel Seth Warner Centennial of Vermont statehood 27 Monument to General John Stark **This map is not to scale Monument Ave. Extension

BenningtonOld est. 1749

photo part of Collection of the Bennington Museum

Old Bennington Old Bennington is the earliest permanent settle- ment in Vermont. It was in the Spring of 1761 that Captain Samuel Robinson led a group of 22 settlers from Massachusetts to the wilderness of Vermont to form a Congregational community Bennington Historical Society Walking Tour centered around a village green and a meeting

house. The community grew rapidly, hosting View of Bennington, 1798, Ralph Earl (1751-1801), Collection of the Bennington Museum many fine homes, schools, a cemetery, post of- he mission of theBennington Historical fice, and court house. It was a self-sufficient TSociety is to research the history of community with many local artisans and mer- Bennington and surrounding communities and chants to provide services. share our insights with the public. We hope to Discover the Stories The Green Mountain Boys ventured out foster a greater understanding of our from here to fight for their land and freedom in common heritage. the Battle of Bennington. In July of 1777, the The society conducts approximately of Twenty-Seven proposed Vermont constitution, prohibiting eight monthly meetings per year in the Ben- slavery and offering near universal suffrage, nington Museum’s beautiful Ada Paresky Edu- Buildings & Monuments was discussed at the meeting house. Old Ben- cation Center. Our monthly presentations are nington produced six Vermont governors. usually on the third Sunday of the month at in Vermont’s However, as industry grew, activity began 2:00p.m in the Ada Paresky Education Center to shift downhill along the Walloomsack River at the Bennington Museum, located at First & Oldest Town which provided power to operate mills and ma- 75 Main Street in Bennington. chinery. Government offices and business soon followed, leaving Old Bennington behind as a quiet residential community. Old Bennington reflects a history of change; homes have been taken down, moved, and renovated but the original character of indi- benningtonhistory.org vidualism and freedom remains and continues in [email protected] the spirit of Bennington and of Vermont. Follow the tour with your phone Bennington Historical Society ~ Bennington Museum ~ 1 Pliney Dewey House 1800 10 Site of Bennington 19 Richard Carpenter House 1819 Built by son of Jedidiah Meetinghouse 1763 One of the many tradesmen in Dewey, first pastor of the First On this site stood the original Old Bennington, Carpenter Church. Pliney ran a cider mill Meetinghouse. The building was operated a tailor shop with by the brook behind the home. 40 x 50 feet and served as a Isiah Hendryx. The triple Federal style. school, a church, and Town Hall. window above the door shows Prisoners from the Battle of Bennington were held here. The renovations carried out in Vermont legislature convened here in 1778. It was taken down the 1890s. after the completion of the Old First Church. Hiram Waters House 1820 2 Waters was a carpenter and 20 The Uel Robinson House 1828 built the house at left. 11 Site of County Courthouse 1847 Uel was the grandson of Samuel The shop, built in 1862, was This was the third Courthouse to Robinson. A Federal style / connected to the home. Both be built in Old Bennington. It Greek Revival clapboard home. buildings are in the Greek burned in 1869 and was rebuilt Interestingly, two of Uel’s sons Revival style with later in a location on South Street, moved to South Carolina and embellishments such as the moving the base of power from served in the Confederate Army starburst on the pediment. Old Bennington to what is now downtown Bennington. In during the Civil War. Vermont a Shire Town is a county seat, and Bennington and Manchester both share that distinction. The June term of the Isaiah Hendryx House 1830 3 County Court convenes at Bennington and the December term at In this brick house the front Ellenwood-Daniel Conkling Manchester. Ethan Allen’s home, built in 1769 was next door. 21 door and the gable reflect the House 1810 Federal style and the gable This home was enlarged and facing the street and pediment Ethan Allen's House 1769 embellished in the Italianate style reflect the Greek revival Style 12 Ethan Allen lived here from in 1859. At one time it sported a showing the changing architec- 1769 to 1775. He is best known cupola. Conkling’s carriage shop tural styles of the period. as one of the founders of was next door. Hendryx was a tailor, one of the many tradesmen and merchants Vermont and for the capture of that worked in Old Bennington providing goods and services to Fort Ticonderoga early in the the community. Revolutionary War. A historic marker is located a few feet 22 The Fay-Brown House 1781 4 Jedidiah Dewey House 1763 north of the homesite. This is the only stone building Built by Jedidiah Dewey, a in the area and was built as a carpenter and the first pastor of blacksmith shop. It was the First Church, this is one of 13 Asa Hyde House 1787 converted into a dwelling in the oldest frame buildings in Asa Hyde, a skilled cabinet 1857 and underwent remodeling Vermont. The house is located maker, came to Bennington in 1937. on the original “Minister’s Lot” from Norwich, Connecticut, in of 420 acres that was granted 1805 to work with the building to him by the town proprietors and stretched all the way to the of the First Church. He is Walloomsac River. responsible for many of the 23 Governor John Robinson features of the church, including House 1860 the columns, pews, and pulpit. 5 Roberts House 1895 Robinson, the first Democratic Built in the Colonial Revival Governor of Vermont, was style, it replicates the earlier 14 Site of the elected in 1853. The house was Federal style of the other Catamount Tavern 1767 built in the vernacular style that buildings on the street. It was combined both Greek Revival Originally the Stephen Fay the home of novelist John and Federal features. Tavern, the building stood on Gardner while he taught at this site and served as the head- Bennington College. quarters of Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys, who left 24 Captain David Robinson 6 William Lloyd Garrison from here in 1775 to capture House 1790 Marker Fort Ticonderoga. General Stark, Robinson was a grandson of William Lloyd Garrison, the who commanded the American Samuel Robinson, one of the great abolitionist, briefly ran a forces in the Battle of founders of Bennington. Upon newspaper, The Journal of the Bennington, conferred here with his death he deeded his house to Times, in Bennington from the leaders of Vermont prior to the Battle. British officers the First Congregational Church 1828 to 1829 before moving on captured in the Battle were housed here for a short time. The for use as a parsonage. to establish The Liberator. bronze statue of the catamount commemorates a stuffed mountain lion that once stood in front of the tavern snarling towards New York, then engaged in land disputes with Vermont. The Bennington Battle Col. Nathaniel Brush House 25 7 Monument 1891 1775 Built to commemorate the Battle Colonel Bush commanded two 15 Old Academy 1819 of Bennington, it is located near companies of Vermont This two story brick building the site of the Continental Store- militia at the Battle of having a steep gable front was house which was the object of Bennington. The home was originally built as a school; later the British attack. The limestone renovated in 1824. it served as the town library, memorial is 306 feet high, with the fire department in the making it the tallest structure in basement. Just after it was built Walloomsac Inn 1771 Vermont. President Benjamin 8 a windstorm blew off the belfry, Originally the Dewey tavern, it Harrison attended its dedication and part of the facade had to be was built by Elijah Dewey, son in 1891 on the 100th anniversary of Vermont statehood. Memori- replaced. Note the difference in of Reverend Jedidiah Dewey. als to General Stark, Colonel Warner, and printer Anthony the brickwork on the front. During Bennington’s heyday as Haswell are located nearby. the jumping-off point for settling the Vermont frontier, 16 Site of Samuel Robinson’s 26 Monument to the Walloomsac Inn was an Log Cabin 1761 important stage stop and one of the village’s commercial and Colonel Seth Warner Robinson was the founder of social centers. Prisoners captured at the Battle of Bennington Seth Warner was a resident of Bennington and leader of the were fed from its kitchens, Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Bennington and successor to first settlers who bought land James Madison stayed here in 1791, and President Rutherford Ethan Allen as leader of Green titles originating from a grant B. Hayes held a reception at the Inn celebrating the centennial of Mountain Boys. Later, when made by Governor Benning the Battle of Bennington in 1877. Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt and the Green Mountain Boys Wentworth of New Hampshire her family and later Walt Disney were guests as well. The Inn became a Continental Army in 1749. was in continuous operation as an inn into the 1970s and may be regiment, he led them to victory the oldest inn in Vermont. It is currently a private residence. at the Battle of Bennington.

9 Old First Church 1805 The first Protestant congrega- 17 Samuel Raymond House 1821 27 Monument to tion in the New Hampshire Built of locally made brick, this General John Stark Grants was gathered on was the residence of the John Stark, one of the heroes of December 3, 1762 at the president of the first bank in Bunker Hill, raised 1400 Meetinghouse. The First Bennington, which was located volunteers from New Hampshire Congregational Church, built next door on Bank Street. and was the overall commander in 1805, was dedicated in Extensive renovations around at the Battle of Bennington. 1806. Designed by noted architect Lavius Fillmore, with its 1930 included a two-story Rallying his troops before the Palladian window and open belfry, it represents the best of addition and a sunporch. battle he said “There they are, Federal church architecture. It was restored and rededicated as boys! We beat them today or Vermont’s Colonial Shrine in 1937; Robert Frost read a poem at Molly Stark sleeps a widow tonight!” The sculpture shows the ceremony. The adjacent cemetery, which predates the church, General David Robinson contains the graves of many of the founders of Bennington, 18 General Stark pointing to the battlefield. Governors of Vermont, and a mass grave of German and American House 1795 soldiers killed at the Battle of Bennington. The earliest grave is General David Robinson was that of Bridget Harwood who died in 1762. Robert Frost, one of the sons of Samuel Special thanks to Robert Tegart and members of the although not a member of the congregation, is buried here with Robinson. Built in the Georgian Bennington Historical Society for donating their time and members of his family. style, the house features a large knowledge to create this walking tour. Palladian window.