Bennington County History continued...
All of this early growth and development did not occur in a particularly serene setting, however. A major dispute surfaced as early as 1765 when New York attempted to confiscate the land grants of many of the new inhabitants of the region. The "Green Mountain Boys," led by Ethan Allen and Seth Warner, were formed to resist these efforts by New York. A larger conflict, between the American colonies and England, soon intervened, however. Significant battles took place in the area in 1777, first at Hubbardton (along present day Route 30 in Rutland County) where Seth Warner's troops fought after abandoning Fort Ticonderoga, and then at the Battle of Bennington where Warner and John Stark won a critical battle that set the stage for the American victory at Saratoga. An independent State of Vermont was declared in 1777, with Thomas Chittenden of Arlington becoming its first governor in 1778. All of these events helped to defuse the land claims controversy with New York, which was finally resolved in 1790.
Communities in the region grew steadily over the next several decades, with notable concentrations of activity in Bennington and Manchester, both towns having been named shire towns in 1781. Numerous small industries sprang up around the region; first grist mills, saw mills, and blacksmith shops, then tanneries, shoemakers, paper mills, cloth manufacturers, iron works, the famous Norton and Fenton potteries, and a manufacturer of carpenter's squares ("Eagle Squares" established in 1823 in Shaftsbury). Many of the largest manufacturing concerns were located along waterways in Bennington and North Bennington. A favorable climate and protective tariffs gave a strong boost to sheep raising in Vermont, and this agricultural enterprise became very important in Bennington County in the first decades of the l9th century. Many hillsides were cleared of trees to provide pasture for the region's sheep, which by 1840 numbered in excess of 100,000. An economic depression in 1837 resulted in the closure of many businesses and manufacturing concerns, and removal of the tariffs on wool products in the 1840s sent sheep raising into decline.
A number of factors in the mid-1800s exerted a strong influence on the future development of the region. Many farmers who had been raising sheep switched to dairying, and this has remained one of the region's dominant agricultural activities. A thriving cheese manufacturing industry developed as a result, with nine cheese factories operating in the region by 1880. The arrival of rail service in 1852 significantly impacted the region in several ways. Obviously, communication and transportation for residents of the region was vastly improved. The trains also brought in people from outside the region in ever-increasing numbers, thus leading to the establishment and growth of the tourism industry. The Equinox House was opened in Manchester by Frank Orvis in the 1850s to accommodate summer visitors, and many similar establishments followed in the ensuing years. The industrial revolution also followed the railroads into the region, with several old factories and mills being converted to new uses and a number of large new factories built; the "Holden Leonard" mill in Bennington was built during this period (in 1865). The marble industry flourished in the northern part of the county, with the greatest quantity of marble being quarried in Dorset (at one time or another, 28 quarries were worked in Dorset) and milled in Manchester.
Similar growth patterns persisted for the remainder of the 19th century, although a few significant events affected the local economy. The Civil War, while depleting the work force, did give a boost to local textile and machinery manufacturers. By the early twentieth century, textile manufacturing had become Bennington's dominant industrial activity. A nationwide economic depression slowed growth and caused some factories to close in the 1870s. The arrival of telephone service (1881) and electrical service (1887) had a profound effect on people's lives and the type and character of new development in the region.
Electricity spawned a proliferation of trolley car systems in and between villages. These trolley lines enhanced local passenger transportation and also served a number of camp resorts and other vacation spots, such as the inn/casino in Glastenbury. The arrival of the automobile at the turn of the century foretold the end of the trolley era, and passenger cars and tractor-trailer trucks would eventually lead to an enormous decline in the use and significance of rail service. Transportation improvements represented one of several causes that led to the consolidation of schools and school districts in the region (in 1869 there were 150 separate school districts in the county).
Throughout the region's modern history, forestry and related industries have been of great importance to the economy. Tree harvesting was first undertaken to clear land for settlements and cropland, to serve early construction needs, and for potash production. In the 1800s trees were also cleared for pasture land and to feed blast furnaces for iron foundries. The apex of logging activity in the county may have come around the turn of the 20th century when large lumber companies cleared vast acreages in the Green Mountains and sent the logs down rail lines and rivers to feed sawmills in cities and towns below. The Rich Lumber Company operated during this time in Manchester, logging in the Lye Brook and Bourn Pond areas east of town; the clustered houses of "Richville" stand as an interesting reminder of this time. Commercial logging continues to be an important economic activity, both in the Green Mountain National Forest, and on private tracts of forest land.
The first decades of the 20th century saw a number of important developments. An increasing reliance on automobiles led to a need to improve roads, and most of the main roads through the region were paved by 1940. The region's first hospital, Putnam Memorial, now known as the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, was opened in 1918. A very severe flood in November of 1927 caused extensive damage to buildings, roads, and bridges, and washed out trolley and rail lines (many of which were never rebuilt).
The stock market crash of 1929 ushered in a period of hard times for the local economy. Particularly hard hit was the local textile industry; the failure of the Holden Leonard mill in 1938 idled 800 local employees, fully one-fourth of Bennington's work force at the time. Several events during this time, however, did suggest brighter years ahead. Bennington College opened in 1932. The Southern Vermont Artists was incorporated by artists in Manchester and Dorset. And in Woodford and Peru, the ski industry took a giant step forward with the addition of mechanized lifts in 1939.
The post-World War II era has been a time of relatively rapid changes and growth in the region. A number of industries serving new technologies (e.g., automobile parts, batteries, specialized fabrics, plastics, computer supplies) have replaced outmoded manufacturing concerns in Bennington, Arlington, and Manchester. Some traditional industries, however, are still very important to the region's economy (e.g., dairy products, lumber, and wooden furniture). With the region now very accessible to the northeast's major population centers, the vacation and tourism industry has continued to grow in importance. Summer residents, outdoor recreation enthusiasts of all kinds (including the many skiers who visit the Bromley, Magic, and Stratton ski areas), "leaf-peepers," and shoppers all contribute to the region's economic health. The long-planned limited access highway running from Bennington to Dorset (Route 7) was completed in 1990, and provides convenient non-stop travel the length of the region for residents and visitors alike.
Recent years have also seen a keen interest throughout the region and state in the conservation of natural resources and active planning for the future. The growth of the Green Mountain National Forest, establishment of state parks at Lake Shaftsbury, Emerald Lake, and the Adams Reservoir, and creation of the Merck Forest and Farmland Center are clear physical manifestations of this concern. Municipal plans and ordinances, and a number of state laws such as Act 250 and Act 200, have been enacted to encourage economically advantageous growth while protecting the open spaces and natural environment that have been so important to the region's history.
While the Bennington region has certainly seen profound changes over the last 230 years, it is evident that the past has shaped the present and that the region will continue to benefit from its rich history. Additional information on the region's history can be found in the book: The Shires of Bennington, by Tyler Resch, the source of the information presented in this section.
