Historic Bennington

In the winter, a number of very good-cross country ski areas,neat restaurants, inexpensive places to stay, and plenty of history. Bennington is rich in history...The Battle of Bennington, which occurred on August 16,1777 is commemorated by the 304 foot Bennington Battle Monument that was completed in 1891.

For our most memorable event during this stay, cross-country skiing in ideal snow conditions would take first prize. After years of poor snow conditions, Vermont is being blessed with frequent snowfalls.

Quick Tips:

Read my additional journals for good places to eat, stay, and explore.

Best Way To Get Around:

You do need a car to get around...the ski areas are outside of town. Once in town, park your care and walk around...you can walk to the Bennington Museum and the impressive Bennington Monument.

This was a pleasant place to stay. Our room cost $42 with two double beds,pleasant interior with cable TV and HBO. The owners are very pleasant people who enjoy engaging their guests in conversations ranging from local politics, to the frustrations of local building/improvement codes. (They had a minor fire...really minor...causing virtually no damage and ended up paying $40,000 for required building code upgrading,etc.

In this motel is a pleasant dining room and bar. Breakfast is served at reasonable prices and there is free coffee in the morning.

This place serves delicious meals such as Roast Turkey,Chicken Teriyaki,Fried Shrimp,Linguini with Brie and many other items. They also serve what they call "pub grub" which includes eggplant provencal,marinated chicken sandwiches,fish-n-chips and open-faced sandwiches.
But what stands out here is that they make their own brew... such as Benny's Brew Pale Ale, brewed with Yakima Valley Cascade Hops, a Vermont Special Porter which is a dry hopped chocolate with hallertau hops(dark),A Stark Hose #1 Raspberry, a traditional English ale complimented by natural fruit flavors,a Old 76 Strong Ale, a rich English Yorkshire ale with fruity undertones and a smooth finish...just to name a few.

If you enjoy trying out new beer and ales, this is the place for you.

Bennington Potters is a large hands-on craft pottery...owner and designer David Gill believes art should be available to everyone at reasonable and economical prices. The pottery here is crafted in Vermont only, with a collectable handstamp. Many early pieces from the Bennington Potters are now collector items.

As you walk around this store, which is visually attractive with antiques, you will have before your eyes hundreds of items such as cups, plates,ironware,all quite unique.

Part of this building is an antique School House designed to demonstrate beautiful table settings, blending Bennington Pottery, linens, and decorative accessories. There is also a Gristmill which has discounted merchandise, stocking matching glassware, table linens,wooden accessories,rugs, and their famous Blue Agate hand glazed ware.

Along with the owner, David Gill, this place is also the home of five other production potters whose styles range from modern to classic from traditional to way-out contemporary.

My friend purchased a rather interesting moose iron cup hanger for $28.

When you visit Bennington, don't miss this place.

The Bennington Museum is one of the most interesting history and art museums in New England. You can experience the history of Vermont through the many objects and works of art made and used by the early Vermont settlers. On display is a model of the Battle of Bennington, and a large collection of pottery, glass, and furniture.

The largest public collection of paintings by Granma Moses, the beloved folk artist,is here in this museum. Outside the museum is the Grandma Moses Schoolhouse which she attended as a child...moved to the museum from Eagle Bridge NY. Inside you can see many of her personal belongings.

If you have an interest in military history, you will love this place. There are historical artifacts including the famous Bennington Battle flag thought to be the oldest stars and stripes in existence...uniforms and firearms.

There is also an excellent collection of Bennington Pottery including over 4,000 pieces of Rockingham flint enamel,parian and scroddled ware produced by Bennington's United Pottery Company from 1847-1858.

This museum also has a gift shop where you can purchase Vermont-made items,museums reproductions and Grandma Moses prints.

The Battle of Bennington occurred on August 16, 1777. Brigadier general John Stark and his American forces, aided by Seth Warner and the Green Mountain Boys, defeated the detachments of British General John Burgoyne's invading army as they attempted to take the arsenal depot located in Bennington. This British defeat, and subsequent lack of supplies, was a major factor in Burgoyne's surrender of his 8,000 troops at Stillwater,NY following the Battle of Saratoga on October 17, 1777...a turning point on the American Revolution.

The 304 foot Bennington Monument, built in 1891,commemorates this important event. There is parking around the Monument. We chose to walk from town to appreciate the many beautiful, historic homes in the area.

This Vermont State Park, which is closed in the winter, is an ideal place to cross-country ski if you are looking for solitude and few other skiers. Our favorite trail is a loop around a lake...this trail is narrow but lovely...you ski among a forest of pine, hemlock, and spruce trees.

As mentioned, this place is closed during the winter so there are no facilities available. The advantage is that skiing is free. If you are seeking a place with ski rentals,refreshments,etc. There is a place just a few miles closer to the Town of Bennington on Route 9...they have groomed trails and you pay a daily use fee.

Although we have not stayed at this park during the summer, the setting and facilities look good and we plan to camp there one of these summers. There are a number of campsites as well as cabins for rent. We noticed a sign indicating that the daily camping fee was $10. There is a small lake,playgrounds for kids,and plenty of picnic tables.

The Blue Benn Diner is an institution...mentioned in such prestigious publications as the "Christian Science Monitor", "Yankee Magazine" and "Classic Diners of the Northeast".

This place is a family run business since 1974. Owner Sonny and wife Marylou, and daughter Lisa, take great pride in serving delicious food at a price anybody can afford. The unusual thing about the food here is that wholesome,veggie meals are on the menu such as veggie chili,veggie lasagna,Blue Benn Veggie Burger,Marinated Portabello Mushrooms,Shiitake Mushroom and Broccoli,veggie meat loaf,Syrian Roll-Ups,Veggie Burrito,Veggie Enchilada,and Eggplant Almond Enchilada...to name only a few of the items on the menu. The morning we were here, I had a delicious Multigrain with blueberries pancakes and my friend had the Garden Scrambled with broccoli,spinach,tomatoes,onions,mushrooms,peppers, and topped with cheddar. The Blue Benn also serves more traditional foods such as Pot Roast,Roast Turkey, Fried Scallops,Chicken Picatta,and many other selections.

The portions are very generous and the price very reasonable. The place was very crowded the morning we were there...we chose to sit on stools rather than wait for a booth. This is an extremely popular place.

Along with the food, the building itself has an interesting history. The Blue Benn Diner was manufactured by the Paterson Vehicle Co. of Patterson, NJ in the 1940's. This company was also known as the Silk City Design. In 1949 it was shipped and assembled on its present site in Bennington.

Some information on the DINER INSTITUTION. The DINER is strictly an American creation...I have been told that you won't find a diner in Europe. The old diner is a stand-alone structure. One story tall and usually longer than wider, they often look like an abandoned railroad car or trolly...which some are. The traditional diner is constructed primarily of stainless steel, chrome,pressed tin, and a lot of lavendering. During the 1920s and 30s,manufacturers designed them to look like sleek cool trains. They are called diners because it is a short version for dining car.

A DINER is simply an eatery where you can enjoy a delicious homecooked meal at a fair price and served in a hurry without fanfare or garnish. There isn't a lot of room in a diner such as Blue Benn and that's the way it was meant to be. A diner like Blue Benn is a place for people to gather...for a community to come together, to have a good meal and enjoy themselves. Friendliness takes up a lot of space in the Blue Benn Diner...people are talking to each other...it can be noisy...it is certainly not a place to put on airs.

One additional feature that warmed my heart at the Blue Benn was the jukebox...full of oldie but goodies from the 50's and 60's.

If you decide to visit Bennington, don't miss out on this special place to eat.