About Bennington

The Bennington area enjoys natural beauty and is nestled in the Southwestern corner of Vermont. Bennington and the surrounding communities are famous and richly endowed with arts, history, and outdoor recreational opportunities. They are a tourist destination with a plethora of sight-seeing and recreational activities.

Bennington is center of commerce in the surrounding agricultural area. The area includes the villages of Bennington, Old Bennington, and North Bennington. It acts as a major gateway to Vermont from New York State via Route 9.


History of Bennington

Bennington is where the Catamount Tavern once stood, and it was there that Ethan Allen and Seth Warner formulated the Green Mountain Boys and helped to establish the State of Vermont! People come here to live those moments of the history and feel the presence of those who worked hard to the historical formation of State of Vermont.

The history of Bennington dates back to 1749. The then New Hampshire Governor, Benning Wentworth, chartered the first town in the territory now known as Vermont, and named it after himself.  The town of Bennington is known for the Battle of Bennington, fought during the Revolutionary War! August 16th, 1777 marked a famous battle with Gen. John Stark’s 1,500 New Hampshire Militia defeating 800 troops including German mercenaries, local Loyalists, Canadians, and Indians under German Lt. Col. Friedrich Baum.

The area of Bennington includes three historic districts: Old Bennington, Downtown Bennington and North Bennington. Among them, Old Bennington is the original settlement, dating back to 1761, and was inhabited by Congregational Separatists when they arrived from Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Demographics of Bennington
According to the census of 2010, Bennington Town has a population of 15,764 people with 6,096 households residing there.

The population of Bennington was spread out with 20.7% under the age of 18 and 18.0% of people were 65 years of age or older. 53.2% of the population is female.

88.1% of the population is a high school graduate (ages 25+) and 27.7% has a Bachelor’s degree or higher.

Places of Attraction in Bennington
Bennington  attractions include museums, antique shops, art galleries, historic walking tours, covered bridges, beautifully revitalized downtown, green mountains and lush valleys, and a whole range of summer and winter recreational opportunities.

The Bennington Battle Monument
The most sought after visiting place in Bennington, the Bennington Battle Monument, is dedicated to the famous Battle of Bennington that took place during the Revolutionary war in 1777. It is a 306 feet tall stone obelisk, and was opened to the public in 1891. It is open to the public from mid-April to October 31st.

Bennington Center for the Natural & Cultural Arts
The Bennington Center for the Arts is home to the world-class fine art, history, and theatre, which is frequented by both residents and visitors. The Center offers a permanent art collection, sales exhibitions, live theatre by Old Castle Theatre Company, and exhibits within the Covered Bridge Museum. These activities are available to the tourists throughout the year.

Bennington Museum
One of the finest museum in and around the area depicting the true American heritage outstanding collections of American furniture, paintings and glass, military history and historical artifacts, tools, toys, dolls, and what not!

Old First Church
The Old First Church is the oldest church in all of Vermont. Completed in 1805 this church throws one of the finest examples of post-colonial church architecture in New England. Located in historic Old Bennington, the church is one of the most photographed churches in the world, with thousands of visitors each year.

The Vermont Covered Bridge Museum
The Vermont Covered Bridge Museum features a theatre production depicting the evolution, history, and importance of covered bridges. Exhibits include an overview of the technical improvements in covered bridge trusses allowing even large locomotives to traverse them.

Recreational Activities in Bennington
Bennington offers recreational activities throughout the year and often weather-specific including:

  • Bicycling
    Bicycling is one of the most enthralling experiences you can plan by moving around to the see the scenic, historic back-roads through the rambling countryside and covered bridges. Mountain bicycling is another option.
  • Skiing & Winter Activities
    Bennington County offers great opportunities for skiing and winter activities and, it has the finest alpine and cross-country skiing in the country. There are twelve major ski areas within one hour’s drive.

Snowmobiling
Many private and club-owned snowmobile trails run through Bennington and Bennington County, and you can enjoy it a lot. Many companies offer easy access to snowmobile trails coupled with the options of machine storage, rentals, and guided tours.