Welcome
The Small Town In Each Of Us
to Bennington Vermont
There ’ s a small town in each of us , the Don Henley song goes . Whether passing through , visiting for a long weekend or choosing to live here , Bennington , Vermont provides that small town feel . A nostalgic feeling of closeness and familiarity , of friends and family , of fresh cut grass and a warm summer breeze and the rustle of cool , crisp leaves dancing in the fall . All of this happens here , while still providing our citizens and guests the ability to get lost in the the beauty of the Green Mountains , travel to major cities like Boston , New York or Montreal , or bump along our dusty country roads as they try to find one of our many iconic covered bridges .
Walk the streets of this quaint and historic town in Southern Vermont and you ’ ll be greeted with hellos , good days , current town news , and directions to many of our home town attractions including the Bennington Battle Monument , the museum , the local farmers ’ market , delicious restaurants and coffee shops , art galleries or the start of the White Rock hiking path . Most stores , adorned with “ Open ” signs and perhaps some Vermont-ish product , are local mom-and-pop shops either passed down from generation to generation or started with the entrepreneurial spirit that has driven this town forward since its chartering .
Established as a town in 1749 , Bennington is actually the first chartered town in all of Vermont . One could say Vermont began here , birthed right in the crescent valley of these Southshires . The syrup , the cheese , the microbrew beer and that old New England feeling could be said to have started right here in Bennington . Even the remnants of the Green Mountain Boys , who fought in the Revolutionary War , marched through these streets protecting the origins of Vermont and the American ideals of freedom and equality . It all began here in Bennington .
However , do not be confused by the antiquity and history of this town ; this is a bustling community with an emerging art scene , live performances , a growing business sector and entrepreneurial start-ups that have historically been a backbone to our economy .
So as the Don Henley song goes , “ with a small town in each of us ,” why don ’ t you stop on by one of the first small towns and find yourself enjoying all four seasons of Bennington , Vermont ? Vermont begins here !
On behalf of the Chamber and our members , I welcome you to Bennington – we hope you enjoy your stay with us ,
Matt Harrington Executive Director , Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce matt @ bennington . com