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Bennington (town), Vermont
Encyclopedia
Bennington is a town
in Bennington County, Vermont
, United States
. It is one of two shire towns (county seat
s) of the county, the other being Manchester
. The population was 15,764 at the 2010 census. By population, Bennington is the largest town in southern Vermont, the third-largest town in Vermont (after Essex
and Colchester
), and the sixth-largest municipality in the state (after Burlington
, Essex, Rutland, Colchester, and South Burlington
). Bennington is home to the Bennington Battle Monument
, which is the tallest structure in the state of Vermont.
, Bennington was chartered on January 3, 1749 by Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth
and named in his honor. It was granted to William Williams and 61 others, mostly from Portsmouth
, New Hampshire
. The town was first settled in 1761 by four families from Hardwick
and two from Amherst
, Massachusetts
. They were led by Capt. Samuel Robinson, who camped in the river valley on his return from the French and Indian War
.
The town is known primarily for the Battle of Bennington
, fought during the Revolutionary War
(the battle was actually fought a few miles to the west in New York
). On August 16, 1777, Gen. John Stark
’s 1,500 New Hampshire Militia
defeated 800 troops of German mercenaries
, local Loyalists
, Canadians and Indians under German Lt. Col. Friedrich Baum
. German reinforcements under the command of Lt. Col. Heinrich von Breymann
looked set to reverse the outcome, but were prevented by the arrival of Seth Warner
’s Green Mountain Boys
; the Vermont militia founded by Ethan Allen
.
There are three historic districts within the town today: Old Bennington
, Downtown Bennington and North Bennington
. Of these, Old Bennington is the original settlement, dating back to 1761 when Congregational Separatists
arrived from Connecticut
and Massachusetts
. In the early 1800s, Downtown Bennington started developing, and by 1854 the county’s population had reached 18,589.
In 1891, the Bennington Battle Monument
was opened. The monument is a 306 feet (93.3 m) high stone obelisk that is the tallest structure in Vermont. It is a popular tourist attraction.
Bennington has ready access to natural resources and waterpower, and a long history of manufacture, primarily within wood processing. The town is also recognized nationally for its pottery
, iron
, and textiles.
, the town has a total area of 42.5 square miles (110.0 km2), of which 42.4 square miles (109.9 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km2) (0.14%) is water. Bennington is drained by the Walloomsac River
and its tributaries.
s often dump heavy snow and wind on the town during the winter, and accumulations of one foot of snow or greater are not uncommon when these storms move through the area. Abundant sunshine, along with heavy showers and thunderstorms are frequent during the summer months, although tornadoes are rare. An F2 tornado, however, did hit North Bennington on May 31, 1998 during an extremely rare tornado outbreak in the region.
The record high is 98 °F (37 °C), set twice in 1955 and 1975. The record low is -25 F, set twice in 1979 and 1994. Bennington averages 64.1" of snow annually.
U.S. Route 7
,
Vermont Route 7A
,
Vermont Route 9, 
Vermont Route 67A and 
Vermont Route 279
. Route 279, also locally known as the Bennington Bypass, is a Super-2 freeway whose northern segment began construction in August 2007. This segment of the Bypass is estimated to be complete sometime in 2012. Also to be constructed is a Vermont Welcome Center in the center of its systems interchange
with US 7.
, who operate the Green Mountain Express, is a private, nonprofit organization, that owns and operates the public transit system in Bennington. Three lines serve Bennington itself (two during the work week, and one on Saturday), as well as a paratransit "Flex" route and a commuter route known as the "Regional Route". The Regional Route serves the remainder of the county, mostly along the US 7 and Historic Route 7A
corridor. It provides commuters a public transit option by bus to Manchester to the North and Williamstown, Massachusetts
to the South. This route runs on a limited schedule during weekdays.
Yankee Trails operates another regional bus line from Bennington to Albany, New York
's Greyhound terminal with an intermediate stop in downtown Hoosick Falls, New York
. It runs twice per day (three times from Hoosick Falls) from the historic Bennington Station on the corner of River and Depot Streets. The first trip runs without a Bennington stop from Hoosick Falls, and has one late morning trip and another evening trip with Bennington at its eastern terminus.
There has also been talk about bringing Amtrak
Thruway intercity bus service to Bennington in the recent past. However, it is unclear when, or whether, service will begin.
is a public-use, state-owned airport
located about 3 miles (4.8 km) West of downtown
Bennington. Also dubbed "Southwest Vermont's Airport", it sits near the northern flank of Mount Anthony and close to the Bennington Battle Monument. Based at this airport is the hub
of cargo air carrier AirNow
.
of 2000, there were 15,829 people, 6,313 households, and 4,018 families residing in the town. The population density
was 372.45 people per square mile (144.03/km2). There were 6,574 housing units at an average density of 154.9 per square mile (59.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.96% White, 0.63% Black, 0.25% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races
, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic of any race were 0.99% of the population.
There were 6,162 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were couples living together and joined in either marriage
or civil union
, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,706, and the median income for a family was $40,615. Males had a median income of $30,712 versus $22,411 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $17,290. About 11.1% of families and 14.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.1% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.
is a progressive four-year liberal arts college ranked 104 in Tier 1 by U.S. News College Rankings. Southern Vermont College
is a private, four-year, liberal arts college offering a career-directed curriculum.
Bennington currently has four K-12 public elementary schools:
There is one public middle school, the Mount Anthony Union Middle School, (MAUMS), and one public high school, the Mount Anthony Union Senior High School (MAUHS). Grace Christian School is a private, faith-based K-12 school founded in 1995.
Bennington College
, in the village of North Bennington, has been the home base for Sage City Symphony
since its founding in 1973 by Louis Calabro
. The Symphony plays a challenging program of the traditional repertoire as well as commissioning a new work each year.
Bennington is also home to the Bennington County Choral Society , the Bennington Childrens' Chorus and the Green Mountain Youth Orchestra .
As of 2010, the Mount Anthony Patriots were also State Champions in Men's and Women's Nordic Skiing, as well as Women's Lacrosse.
Bennington is home to a large and growing Cancer Center based on the campus of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. Due to a variety of local effects such as an abnormally high ozone count, the population has many times the normal rate of cancers and is also the subject of ongoing studies into Crohn's Disease
due to the fact that Crohn's disease affects 5 out of 100,000 people in the USA but affects 1 out of 1,000 people in the greater Bennington, VT area.
. News is also carried in the Troy Record and the Manchester Journal. Bennington is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy television market. The radio station WEQX
is located in nearby Manchester, VT. The area is also served by WBTN-AM 1370
.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Bennington County, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is one of two shire towns (county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
s) of the county, the other being Manchester
Manchester (town), Vermont
Manchester is a town in, and one of two shire towns of, Bennington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,180 at the 2000 census....
. The population was 15,764 at the 2010 census. By population, Bennington is the largest town in southern Vermont, the third-largest town in Vermont (after Essex
Essex, Vermont
Essex is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. The population was 19,587 at the 2010 census.By population, Essex is the largest town in Vermont, and the second-largest municipality .-Government:...
and Colchester
Colchester, Vermont
Colchester is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. The population was 17,067 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth-largest municipality and second-largest town in Vermont by population.-Geography:...
), and the sixth-largest municipality in the state (after Burlington
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
, Essex, Rutland, Colchester, and South Burlington
South Burlington, Vermont
-Economy:CommutAir, a regional airline, is headquartered in the city, by the airport. The Magic Hat Brewing Company, one of the United States's larger craft breweries, is located here.One measure of economic activity is retail sales...
). Bennington is home to the Bennington Battle Monument
Bennington Battle Monument
The Bennington Battle Monument is a 306 ft stone obelisk located at 15 Monument Circle, in Bennington, Vermont. The monument commemorates the Battle of Bennington during the Revolutionary War....
, which is the tallest structure in the state of Vermont.
History
First of the New Hampshire grantsNew Hampshire Grants
The New Hampshire Grants or Benning Wentworth Grants were land grants made between 1749 and 1764 by the provincial governor of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth. The land grants, totaling about 135 , were made on land claimed by New Hampshire west of the Connecticut River, territory that was also...
, Bennington was chartered on January 3, 1749 by Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth was the colonial governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766.-Biography:The eldest child of the John Wentworth who had been Lieutenant Governor, he was born and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Wentworth graduated from Harvard College in 1715...
and named in his honor. It was granted to William Williams and 61 others, mostly from Portsmouth
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. The town was first settled in 1761 by four families from Hardwick
Hardwick, Massachusetts
Hardwick is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States, about west of the city of Worcester. It had a population of 2,990 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of Hardwick, Gilbertville, Wheelwright and Old Furnace.- History :...
and two from Amherst
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. They were led by Capt. Samuel Robinson, who camped in the river valley on his return from the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
.
The town is known primarily for the Battle of Bennington
Battle of Bennington
The Battle of Bennington was a battle of the American Revolutionary War that took place on August 16, 1777, in Walloomsac, New York, about from its namesake Bennington, Vermont...
, fought during the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
(the battle was actually fought a few miles to the west in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
). On August 16, 1777, Gen. John Stark
John Stark
John Stark was a New Hampshire native who served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He became widely known as the "Hero of Bennington" for his exemplary service at the Battle of Bennington in 1777.-Early life:John Stark was born in Londonderry, New...
’s 1,500 New Hampshire Militia
New Hampshire Militia
The New Hampshire Militia was first organized in March 1680, by New Hampshire Colonial President John Cutt. The King of England authorized the Provincial President to give commissions to persons who shall be best qualified for regulating and discipline of the militia. President Cutt placed Major...
defeated 800 troops of German mercenaries
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
, local Loyalists
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
, Canadians and Indians under German Lt. Col. Friedrich Baum
Friedrich Baum
Friedrich Baum was a Brunswick dragoon Lieutenant Colonel in British service during the American Revolutionary War. Baum served under Major General Friedrich Adolf Riedesel commanding the Dragoon Regiment Prinz Ludwig in support of General John Burgoyne's 1777 campaign to attack the Lake...
. German reinforcements under the command of Lt. Col. Heinrich von Breymann
Heinrich von Breymann
Heinrich von Breymann was a German Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel lieutenant colonel who fought as an officer in the service of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. He was killed at the Battle of Saratoga. He was commander of the Breymann Grenadiers, an elite battalion....
looked set to reverse the outcome, but were prevented by the arrival of Seth Warner
Seth Warner
Seth Warner was born in Roxbury, Connecticut. In 1763, he removed with his father to Bennington in what was then known as the New Hampshire Grants. He established there as a huntsman....
’s Green Mountain Boys
Green Mountain Boys
The Green Mountain Boys were a militia organization first established in the 1760s in the territory between the British provinces of New York and New Hampshire, known as the New Hampshire Grants...
; the Vermont militia founded by Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen was a farmer, businessman, land speculator, philosopher, writer, and American Revolutionary War patriot, hero, and politician. He is best known as one of the founders of the U.S...
.
There are three historic districts within the town today: Old Bennington
Old Bennington, Vermont
Old Bennington is a village in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. It is located entirely within the town of Bennington. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 232....
, Downtown Bennington and North Bennington
North Bennington, Vermont
North Bennington is an incorporated village in the town of Bennington in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,428 at the 2000 census....
. Of these, Old Bennington is the original settlement, dating back to 1761 when Congregational Separatists
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
arrived from Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
and Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. In the early 1800s, Downtown Bennington started developing, and by 1854 the county’s population had reached 18,589.
In 1891, the Bennington Battle Monument
Bennington Battle Monument
The Bennington Battle Monument is a 306 ft stone obelisk located at 15 Monument Circle, in Bennington, Vermont. The monument commemorates the Battle of Bennington during the Revolutionary War....
was opened. The monument is a 306 feet (93.3 m) high stone obelisk that is the tallest structure in Vermont. It is a popular tourist attraction.
Bennington has ready access to natural resources and waterpower, and a long history of manufacture, primarily within wood processing. The town is also recognized nationally for its pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
, and textiles.
Geography and climate
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 42.5 square miles (110.0 km2), of which 42.4 square miles (109.9 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km2) (0.14%) is water. Bennington is drained by the Walloomsac River
Walloomsac River
The Walloomsac River from the Native American name, Wal-loom-sac is a tributary of the Hoosic River in the northeastern United States. It rises in southwestern Vermont, in the Green Mountains east of the town of Bennington in Woodford Hollow at the confluence of Bolles Brook and City Stream where...
and its tributaries.
Climate
Bennington experiences a humid continental climate (Koppen Dfa) with cold, snowy winters and warm to hot, humid summers. The town can experience snowfall as early as October and as late as April. Nor'easterNor'easter
A nor'easter is a type of macro-scale storm along the East Coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada, so named because the storm travels to the northeast from the south and the winds come from the northeast, especially in the coastal areas of the Northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada...
s often dump heavy snow and wind on the town during the winter, and accumulations of one foot of snow or greater are not uncommon when these storms move through the area. Abundant sunshine, along with heavy showers and thunderstorms are frequent during the summer months, although tornadoes are rare. An F2 tornado, however, did hit North Bennington on May 31, 1998 during an extremely rare tornado outbreak in the region.
The record high is 98 °F (37 °C), set twice in 1955 and 1975. The record low is -25 F, set twice in 1979 and 1994. Bennington averages 64.1" of snow annually.
Roads and highways
The town is crossed by U.S. Route 7U.S. Route 7
U.S. Route 7 is a north–south United States highway in western New England that runs for from Norwalk, Connecticut, to Highgate, Vermont. The highway's southern terminus is at Interstate 95 in Norwalk, Connecticut...
,
Vermont Route 7AVermont Route 7A
Vermont Route 7A is a north–south state highway in Bennington County, Vermont, in the United States. It is an alternate route of U.S. Route 7 between Bennington and Dorset...
,
Vermont Route 9, Vermont Route 67A and Vermont Route 279Vermont Route 279
Vermont Route 279 , often referred to as the Bennington Bypass, is a two and three-lane undivided northwest bypass of Bennington in Bennington County, Vermont, United States...
. Route 279, also locally known as the Bennington Bypass, is a Super-2 freeway whose northern segment began construction in August 2007. This segment of the Bypass is estimated to be complete sometime in 2012. Also to be constructed is a Vermont Welcome Center in the center of its systems interchange
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
with US 7.
Public transit
Green Mountain Community NetworkGreen Mountain Community Network
Green Mountain Community Network is a private, nonprofit organization, that owns and operates the public bus transit system in Bennington County in southwestern Vermont. Known as the Green Mountain Express, their bus service currently has 2 local weekday routes in Bennington, the Red and Blue routes...
, who operate the Green Mountain Express, is a private, nonprofit organization, that owns and operates the public transit system in Bennington. Three lines serve Bennington itself (two during the work week, and one on Saturday), as well as a paratransit "Flex" route and a commuter route known as the "Regional Route". The Regional Route serves the remainder of the county, mostly along the
US 7 and Historic Route 7AVermont Route 7A
Vermont Route 7A is a north–south state highway in Bennington County, Vermont, in the United States. It is an alternate route of U.S. Route 7 between Bennington and Dorset...
corridor. It provides commuters a public transit option by bus to Manchester to the North and Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown is a town in Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,754 at the 2010 census...
to the South. This route runs on a limited schedule during weekdays.
Yankee Trails operates another regional bus line from Bennington to Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
's Greyhound terminal with an intermediate stop in downtown Hoosick Falls, New York
Hoosick Falls, New York
Hoosick Falls is a village in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 3,182 at the 2010 census, a decline of 254 since 2000. During its peak around 1900, the village had a population of about 7,000...
. It runs twice per day (three times from Hoosick Falls) from the historic Bennington Station on the corner of River and Depot Streets. The first trip runs without a Bennington stop from Hoosick Falls, and has one late morning trip and another evening trip with Bennington at its eastern terminus.
There has also been talk about bringing Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
Thruway intercity bus service to Bennington in the recent past. However, it is unclear when, or whether, service will begin.
Aviation
William H. Morse State AirportWilliam H. Morse State Airport
William H. Morse State Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located three miles west of the central business district of Bennington, a town in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. It is also referred to as "Southwest Vermont's Airport"....
is a public-use, state-owned airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located about 3 miles (4.8 km) West of downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
Bennington. Also dubbed "Southwest Vermont's Airport", it sits near the northern flank of Mount Anthony and close to the Bennington Battle Monument. Based at this airport is the hub
Airline hub
An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
of cargo air carrier AirNow
AirNow
AirNow is an American cargo airline based in Bennington, Vermont. It operates scheduled and charter cargo services throughout the northeast. Its main base is William H. Morse State Airport in Bennington. -Fleet:...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 15,829 people, 6,313 households, and 4,018 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 372.45 people per square mile (144.03/km2). There were 6,574 housing units at an average density of 154.9 per square mile (59.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.96% White, 0.63% Black, 0.25% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic of any race were 0.99% of the population.
There were 6,162 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were couples living together and joined in either marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
or civil union
Civil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,706, and the median income for a family was $40,615. Males had a median income of $30,712 versus $22,411 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $17,290. About 11.1% of families and 14.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.1% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Bennington is home to a variety of municipal, parochial and private schools. Continuing education is supported by a diverse mix of colleges and career development centers. Bennington CollegeBennington College
Bennington College is a liberal arts college located in Bennington, Vermont, USA. The college was founded in 1932 as a women's college and became co-educational in 1969.-History:-Early years:...
is a progressive four-year liberal arts college ranked 104 in Tier 1 by U.S. News College Rankings. Southern Vermont College
Southern Vermont College
Southern Vermont College is a private, four-year liberal arts college located on the former Edward Everett Estate near Bennington, Vermont in the southwestern corner of the state bordering New York and Massachusetts.-Overview:...
is a private, four-year, liberal arts college offering a career-directed curriculum.
Bennington currently has four K-12 public elementary schools:
- North Bennington Grade School
- Bennington Elementary School
- Monument Elementary School
- Molly Stark Elementary School
There is one public middle school, the Mount Anthony Union Middle School, (MAUMS), and one public high school, the Mount Anthony Union Senior High School (MAUHS). Grace Christian School is a private, faith-based K-12 school founded in 1995.
Arts and culture
Bennington is the home of the Chamber Music Conference and Composers' Forum of the East, a summer institute for amateur musicians. The Conference is held on the campus of Bennington College, and has been located in Bennington for nearly all of its seasons since it was founded in 1946. The Conference also includes a chamber music festival each summer, performed by faculty members at Greenwall Auditorium on the Bennington College campus, with six concerts held between mid-July and mid-August. Bennington is also home to the Oldcastle Theatre Company, a small professional theatre with a special interest in encouraging New England plays.Bennington College
Bennington College
Bennington College is a liberal arts college located in Bennington, Vermont, USA. The college was founded in 1932 as a women's college and became co-educational in 1969.-History:-Early years:...
, in the village of North Bennington, has been the home base for Sage City Symphony
Sage City Symphony
Sage City Symphony is a community orchestra based in Bennington, Vermont that tackles ambitious works from the traditional repertoire as well as commissioning new works. It was formed in 1973 by its first musical director, noted composer Louis Calabro, who was on the faculty of Bennington College...
since its founding in 1973 by Louis Calabro
Louis Calabro
Louis Calabro, was an Italian American orchestral composer.Calabro studied piano and composition at Juilliard School of Music. Vincent Persichetti was his principal teacher there....
. The Symphony plays a challenging program of the traditional repertoire as well as commissioning a new work each year.
Bennington is also home to the Bennington County Choral Society , the Bennington Childrens' Chorus and the Green Mountain Youth Orchestra .
High School Sports
Bennington is home to the 23-time defending State Wrestling Champion Mount Anthony Patriots. They have won 23 consecutive Vermont State Wrestling Championships under the head coaching of Scott Legacy. This is the national record.As of 2010, the Mount Anthony Patriots were also State Champions in Men's and Women's Nordic Skiing, as well as Women's Lacrosse.
Sites of interest
- Bennington Battle MonumentBennington Battle MonumentThe Bennington Battle Monument is a 306 ft stone obelisk located at 15 Monument Circle, in Bennington, Vermont. The monument commemorates the Battle of Bennington during the Revolutionary War....
- Grandma MosesGrandma MosesAnna Mary Robertson Moses , better known as "Grandma Moses", was a renowned American folk artist. She is often cited as an example of an individual successfully beginning a career in the arts at an advanced age. Although her family and friends called her either "Mother Moses" or "Grandma Moses,"...
Gallery at The Bennington Museum - Park-McCullough Historic HousePark-McCullough Historic HouseThe Park-McCullough Historic House is one of the finest and best-preserved Victorian mansions in New England. It is a thirty-five room mansion, set on 200 acres of grounds, and located off Route 67A in North Bennington, Vermont, USA....
, a well-preserved, 35-room, Victorian country house - Robert FrostRobert FrostRobert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and...
's grave - Bennington CollegeBennington CollegeBennington College is a liberal arts college located in Bennington, Vermont, USA. The college was founded in 1932 as a women's college and became co-educational in 1969.-History:-Early years:...
- Southern Vermont CollegeSouthern Vermont CollegeSouthern Vermont College is a private, four-year liberal arts college located on the former Edward Everett Estate near Bennington, Vermont in the southwestern corner of the state bordering New York and Massachusetts.-Overview:...
Health
- Bennington is home to Southwestern Vermont Medical CenterSouthwestern Vermont Medical CenterSouthwestern Vermont Medical Center is a non-profit general medical surgical hospital located in Bennington, Vermont. It is licensed for 99-beds. Founded in the early 20th Century by donations from Henry W. Putnam and his son, SVMC is the only hospital in Bennington County, Vermont...
, a community hospital that serves southern Vermont and has satellite clinics in Manchester and Wilmington.
- The Bennington Rescue Squad provides Primary 911 service in Bennington as well as non-emergency and interfacility transfers and is staffed at the paramedic level by volunteer members and paid career staff
- A number of primary and specialty care providers practice in the Bennington area. Most are affiliated with the Southwestern Vermont Healthcare system.
Bennington is home to a large and growing Cancer Center based on the campus of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. Due to a variety of local effects such as an abnormally high ozone count, the population has many times the normal rate of cancers and is also the subject of ongoing studies into Crohn's Disease
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease, also known as regional enteritis, is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, causing a wide variety of symptoms...
due to the fact that Crohn's disease affects 5 out of 100,000 people in the USA but affects 1 out of 1,000 people in the greater Bennington, VT area.
Media
Bennington's local newspaper is the Bennington BannerBennington Banner
The Bennington Banner is a daily newspaper published in Bennington, Vermont. Established in 1841, the paper covers local, national, and world news. The Bennington Banner sells 7,800 papers daily with a penetration of 65% in Bennington. It is distributed throughout Southwestern Vermont and eastern...
. News is also carried in the Troy Record and the Manchester Journal. Bennington is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy television market. The radio station WEQX
WEQX
WEQX is an FM radio station located at 102.7 MHz and broadcasting from Manchester, Vermont, USA at 1250 watts with an effective radiated power output of 50,000 watts . Their tower is located on nearby Equinox Mountain...
is located in nearby Manchester, VT. The area is also served by WBTN-AM 1370
WBTN (AM)
WBTN is a radio station in Bennington, Vermont. It signed on on September 23, 1953. For a while, WBTN had a sister station WHGC , later WBTN-FM.In 2008 WBTN AM was purchased by Shires Media Partnership.-References:...
.
See also
- List of people from Bennington, Vermont
- Bennington Free LibraryBennington Free LibraryBennington Free Library is a public library in Bennington, Bennington County, Vermont.- Statistics :According to 2000 Census figures as reported by the Vermont Department of Libraries, Bennington Free Library serves a population of 18661, with staffing hours equivalent to 10.77 full time employees...
- Bennington TriangleBennington Triangle"Bennington Triangle" is a phrase coined by New England author Joseph A. Citro during a public radio broadcast in 1992 to denote an area of southwestern Vermont within which a number of persons went missing between 1920 and 1950...