Tallest VT Structure

We're currently on a cross country road trip from New Hampshire to Oregon and posting about sites along the way. This post is about a stop in Bennington, VT.

Looking for the tallest structure in the state of Vermont? Then, look no further than the small, but picturesque, town of Bennington because that’s you’ll see it from (nearly)  everywhere in town — the 306-foot Bennington Battle Monument.

There's an observation deck at the top where the slats are in the above photo, but no worries about walking to the top, use the elevator as the the stairs are now closed due to safety issues (smiles all around).

The elevator goes to the observation floor, which at 200 feet offers panoramic views of rolling hills and valleys in three states: Vermont, Massachusetts and New York.

The monument is a stone obelisk constructed of a blue-gray magnesian limestone from present day Hudson Falls, NY. It was completed and dedicated in 1891 and is owned by the State of Vermont and is a Vermont State Historic Site.

The monument commemorates the Battle of Bennington, a turning point in the Revolutionary War. The battle left British forces unprepared for the later Battle of Saratoga when in August 1877, General John Stark aided by 1,400 men from New Hampshire (Green Mountain Boys) defeated two detachments of General John Burgoyne's British army. 

The battle didn't happen at the monument site; but in Walloomsac in the state of New York, 10 miles away. That battlefield is a U.S. National Historic Landmark. 

The monument stands on the site that stored weapons and food that British forces wanted to capture and which had been the objective of the battle. 

Photos from monument exhibit

The cornerstone was laid in 1887, and construction was completed in November 1889 at a total cost of $112,000 (including the site cost). Dedication ceremonies were delayed until 1891, when President Benjamin Harrison attended the ceremonies.

This is a view of part of the observation deck and the construction. The day we visited was bright and sunny down below, but once at the top, views were hazy. Despite the descriptive photos posted, it was difficult to clearly identify the distant sites.