Historic Site will reopen in time to offer free admission during Vermont Days
Vermont Business Magazine The Division for Historic Preservation announces Bennington Battle Monument, the 306-foot monument commemorating the Revolutionary War Battle of Bennington, will be closed June 9 –12 to conduct proactive maintenance. The tallest-man-made building in Vermont was the subject of a two-year study to examine its construction, current condition, and maintenance issues. That report found the nation’s second tallest unreinforced masonry building suffers from cracking and excessive moisture. To help combat this, a safety inspection team will repel the Monument during its week-long closure to remove loose rock. The public is invited to Monument Circle to watch this important work.
“The Bennington Battle Monument is a sacred place that commemorates the American fight for independence at the Battle of Bennington in Walloomsac, New York,” said Laura V. Trieschmann, State Historic Preservation Officer. “This nationally significant Monument is structurally sound, but its preservation and restoration require careful examination, as well as ongoing maintenance.”
As the Monument is a nationally significant building listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the physical investigations and preservation recommendations must comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and the guidelines set by the American Institute for Conservation. The work will be guided by best practices for the treatment of heritage sites, with a full scope of work for repair, restoration, costs, and alternatives. Presently, the efforts of the Division for Historic Preservation are focused on are archaeology, safety monitoring, and scaffolding design for the drying out of the Monument which is affected by the humidity and rain.
The Bennington Battle Monument stands on the site of a critical supply depot that sparked the Battle of Bennington, a pivotal victory for colonial forces on the New England front of the American Revolution. Designing a monument to mark the site began in earnest on the 100th anniversary of the founding of our country with the incorporation of the Bennington Battle Monument Association. The Monument was dedicated on August 19, 1891, with a grand ceremony lead by President Benjamin Harrison that included tens of thousands of onlookers.
After annual maintenance work is complete, the Monument will reopen to the public on June 13. Vermont Days, when admission is free at all State Historic Sites and Vermont State Parks, take place June 14 and 15. To learn more about the Bennington Battle Monument, please visit the Division for Historic Preservation website.
Bennington Battle Monument
The tallest man-made building in the State of Vermont commemorates the Battle of Bennington, a pivotal victory for American forces on the New England front of the American Revolution. On August 16, 1777, Vermont’s Green Mountain Boys, the New Hampshire Militia, and volunteers from Massachusetts, defeated British troops charged with capturing provisions stored at the Bennington military supply depot—the site where the monument stands today.
Designing of a monument to mark the site of a critical supply depot began in earnest in 1876 with the incorporation of the Bennington Battle Monument Association. Former Governor Hiland Hall spearheaded the commemoration efforts, fearing that “a smaller monument would remain unknown to the world and would dwindle into an obscure art gallery.” The third design of J. Phillip Rinn, a well-known Boston architect, developed into the 306-foot monument that we see today. Ground was broken on June 4, 1887 with a ceremony marking the laying of the cornerstone on the 110th anniversary of the battle. The two-ton capstone was set on November 25, 1889. Bennington Battle Monument was dedicated on August 19, 1891, with a grand ceremony lead by President Benjamin Harrison and a gathering of tens of thousands onlookers.
The exterior of the stone monument is constructed of Sandy Hill dolomite, a blue-gray magnesian limestone quarried from the Town of Kingsbury, New York. The monument weighs approximately 19,000,000 pounds. J. Phillip Rinn also designed the 417-step interior stair. With its wide sloping treads and low risers, the Rinn stair made for a gradual climb to the monument’s observation level that provides spectacular open views of Vermont, New York, and Massachusetts. The State of Vermont was deeded ownership of the Battle Monument, 1909 gift shop, and monument property in 1953 from the Bennington Battle Monument and Historical Association.
Bennington Battle Monument is the second tallest unreinforced masonry building in the United States; the first is the Washington Monument, which is the tallest unreinforced masonry building in the world.
About the Division for Historic Preservation
The Vermont State Historic Sites are owned and operated by the Division for Historic Preservation, which is part of the Department of Housing and Community Development. The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) works to support vibrant and resilient communities, promote safe and affordable housing for all, protect the state’s historic resources, and improve the quality of life for Vermonters.
6.5.2025. Montpelier, Vt. – The Division for Historic Preservation
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