The Bennington Battle Monument is located in Bennington, Vermont and is a 306 foot stone obelisk constructions that commemorates the Battle of Bennington during the Revolutionary War. The Battle of Bennington actually occurred 10 miles away in New York and the battle site is a National Historic Landmark and the monument is a Vermont State Historic site.
A local historical society began planning for the monument in 1877 with many different design options. The committee approved J Phillip Rinns design with some changes. The cornerstone was laid in 1887 and complete in 1889. The monument is constructed form Sandy Hill Dolomite from Hudson Falls, New York, blue-gray magnesium limestone, which contains fossils. The dedication ceremony was delayed until 1891 with a reception held by President Benjamin Harrison.
The observatory level, which is at 200 feet, can be reached by elevator, allowing visitors to view Vermont, New York and Massachusetts. The monument is the tallest man-man structure in Vermont and the kettle, which was captured during the battle is visible in the monument along with a diorama of the second engagement and how the monument was built. Other statues at the site include John Stark - `Live free or die' and Seth Warner who was commander of the Green Mountain boys and let them to defeat the British Forces.
The ownership of the monument was transferred in 1952 from the Bennington Monument Association to the Vermont Board of Historic sites.
A gift shop is located at the monument, which offers a selection of battle related items, which are indicative of the social, geographical and economic factors. These items include novelty items, paper-weights, books and clothing.
The monument is lit from dusk on special evenings and Friday and Saturday nights. Other evenings include; Martin Luther King's Birthday, Presidents Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Mothers and Fathers Day, Independence and Memorial Day, Bennington Battle Weekend, Flag Day, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year's.
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