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BENNINGTON BATTLE MONUMENT
OPENS FOR 2009 SEASON
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Bennington Vt - An
iconic Vermont attraction will once again tempt visitors to
its heights when the Bennington Battle Monument opens for
the season this Saturday, April 18.
"This is a sign that winter is truly over in Vermont,"
Governor Jim Douglas said. "The Bennington Battle Monument
is always the first historic site to open, and while Memorial
Day traditionally marks the beginning of the summer tourist
season, Vermonters know that a trip to the top of the Monument
is always a rite of spring."
Built to commemorate the August 16th, 1777 Battle of Bennington,
this Vermont State Historic Site opened to the public in 1891,
some four years after construction began in 1887.
The Monument, a 306' obelisk, was constructed on the site
of a Continental military storehouse. Driven by a need for
ammunition, food and arms, British General John Burgoyne decided
to attack the town of Bennington and capture the storehouse,
only to be defeated by General John Stark and Colonel Seth
Warner leading the Green Mountain Boys.
"This battle, as well as the earlier rearguard action
fought at Hubbardton on July 7, 1777, helped pave the way
for a Colonial victory that October at Saratoga and ultimately
for American independence," said John Dumville, Historic
Sites Operations Chief for the Vermont Division for Historic
Preservation.
Visitors can ride an elevator to an observation level within
the Monument that overlooks scenic vistas of Vermont, Massachusetts
and New York. The Monument, which is the tallest structure
in Vermont, and gift shop are fully accessible.
Events scheduled for the 2009 season includes the Climb of
Your Life sponsored by the American Lung Association on June
6th; the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence
and Fourth of July Celebration; and Bennington Battle Day
celebrated on August 15th and 16h with an encampment, cannons
ceremonies and re-enactors on site.
The Monument and gift shop, located in Old Bennington, Vermont,
will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. daily through
October 31.
Admission to the Monument is $2.00 for adults, $1.00 for children
(ages 6 thru 14) children 5 and under are free as are scheduled
school groups. Tickets can be purchased in the gift shop,
where a fine selection of quality merchandise relating to
the battle and the Monument, along with gifts, maple products,
books and more is offered.
Further information is available online at www.historicvermont.org
or by calling (802) 447-0550.
The small state of Vermont boasts a rich and
rewarding historical heritage. Today, that history is well
preserved in an exceptional collection of state-owned historic
sites stretching the length of the state. Ranging from precontact
encampments, to pivotal Revolutionary War sites, to the
private homesteads of U.S. presidents, Vermont's historic
sites chronicle the development of a state, its people and
the nation around it.
Visit
the Vermont State Historic Sites 
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