Bennington Battle Monument

Great views of the surrounding area at the top of monument. Usually fairly quiet. Nice place to visit.

My friend and I decided to take a day trip to Vermont and planned for some fall activities. We came on a beautiful and sunny day despite the 40 degree weather. The skies the monument reached into were clear blue and clouds were not hiding the tip of the monument. The Bennington Battle Monument was seen from afar since it is a soaring 306 feet tall and the clear and sunny weather enhanced its glory.
Parking was not an issue and they even encouraged guests to bring their dogs, providing mutt mitts as needed. We decided to pay the $ 5 admission fee per person at the little gift shop so that we would be able to enjoy the scenic view of fall foliage a few hundred feet above ground. We were given our admission bracelets and were greeted enthusiastically at the base of the monument to find entrance to the elevator leading to the top. The monument elevator operator welcomed us to his «office» space which we spent probably less than a minute and a half on going up/​going down. Pretty quick ride and I didn’t experience any pressure changes or discomfort.
The view was amazing and gave us a chance to photograph the beautiful scenery from nature’s palette. Some of the windows open and we were told to remember to close the windows after we are done with it. We also noticed there was a «secret» staircase that would lead to the tip of the monument, of course blocked off to public. The monument staircase used to be open to the public and is more than four hundred steps! The elevator was built in only several years ago.
Is it a must-​see in Bennington, VT? Yes! We were the tallest persons in VT when brought to the top of the monument and indeed enjoyed every moment of it. Best of all, our photographs came out beautifully.

Nice little museum, and great views from the top. Friendly, knowledgeable, enthusiastic staff.

This monument stands as a tribute to the indomitable American Spirit, even in the face of superior opposition, Americans who engaged in that battle showed unwavering courage, a will to win at all cost, so that they and future generations might live free. In the summer of 1777 the British under the command of Gen. John Burgogyne with Hessian mercenaries, Indians and Loyalists set out from Canada heading toward Albany, the British plan had been to cut New England off from the other colonies. They met with early successes but were in need of supplies, arms and munitions which were stored at the present day sight of the Bennington monument. Retired Colonel John Stark who fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill and was under the command of Gen, George Washington at Princeton and Trenton, was coaxed out of retirement to assume the rank of Brig. Gen. and command of the colonials. He met the British Army 5 miles Northeast of Bennington at Walloomsac, NY on August 16 in a prolong battle which raged throughout most of the day until the main contingent of the Army had been routed and in retreat. He gathered up the wounded and prisoners and was on his way back to Bennington when he came under attached by Hessian mercenaries and was forced to give ground. Col. Seth Warner leader of the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont came in from the North to aid Gen Stark and soundly helped in the defeat of the Hessians. The Battle of Bennington deprived the British of much needed supplies and lead to their defeat at the Battle of Saratoga and final surrender several months later. The Battle of Bennington thus became the turning point in our War of Independence.

This place was just calling out to us from the highway. As you come upon Bennington you can see this thing looming in the distance over the trees. It’s menacing to anyone who has read Lord of the Rings. You see it and do a double-​take because you think, «is that… oh God… that’s not the eye of Sauron, is it?!» Or maybe it was just me but yea… It freaked me out.
Then you find out it’s a battle monument and proceed from there!
You have to go up and see it if you never have. It definitely has a presence. You can go up inside and see the view of everything from the tip-​top. It’d be a great vantage point though I decided to pass.
Excellent monument and Bennington is a lovely town.

How can you visit Bennington and not stop at the Monument? All you history buffs know the significance of it, and all those who don’t can easily find relevant info beyond these Unilocal reviews. As for the experience, the huge obelisk can be seen from miles away and is mighty impressive up close. The gift shop employees are as quirky as they come, and could be featured in a small town sitcom. The elevator operator is about the friendliest local you could hope to meet and pleasantly rattles off a bit of the historical significance on the way up and down. It now costs $ 5 to take the trip, so it’s by no means a steal. However, the view is unlike any other in the region and is beautiful whether you’re up there in spring, summer or fall.

Docents know their stuff and are easy to engage. Reasonable entry fees and the views can’t be beat. Super great location so you can walk down to see Robert Frost’s grave. Oh, and clean, indoor, flush bathrooms… you can’t overrate that at a tourist spot.

I was in NE recently and stopped by Bennington «just because». While there I found the Bennington Battle Monument. Never one to pass up a chance to get a lift up, I bought a ticket ($ 5) and up I went.
The elevator operator is a super nice man who LOVES his job. On the way up he gives you some history, and you can stay up as long as you want. You just press the button for him to come back when you want to go down.
I was there on a very clear and crisp day, so the distance views were terrific. Id love to be there on a cloudy stormy day too though as I imagine the views of that would be very cool as well. The deck here is about 200 feet high, the monument continues up another 100 or so feet. The elevator is now the way you go, and the stairs are no longer used. I would not have minded climbing the stairs, but the elevator is spacious and very efficient as well.
On a clear day you can see NY State. The monument itself is over 300 feet tall, which was built, in 1891! So think about the work that had to be done then to build this monument. No modern equipment or materials. All good old fashioned muscles and workmanship. Its made from limestone, which was trained in from NY State. The train lines are gone now, but they were built for the transport of the limestone to here.
The monument was built to commemorate the Battle of Bennington, which was evidently the turning point in the Revolutionary War (bit of history I learned here).
Since you can look from all four sides of the observation deck, you can see Vermont, of course, but also MA and NY states.
Open daily mid-​April through October 31 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is a small gift shop as well, which is where you buy your entry ticket. I did not spend much time in the gift shop, but it looked cute. Easy parking here as well.

A good highlight for such a small town as Bennington. If you happen to be in Bennington, you should go visit there.

Just happened to stumble across this monument, was not a planned trip. Even though we were here on an overcast day the view from the top was still beyond stunning. Definitely worth the $ 3 admission. I do wish that the stairs were up to Osha (spelling??) standards because I feel like I appreciate the view a lot more when I have to work for it. ;) It was just a bonus that my eldest is in elementary school & learning about the revolutionary war. Seeing the guest book from 100 years ago is pretty neat too!

This battle was significant in turning the War of Independence from «impossible» to «maybe». The British troops at Saratoga were desperate for food and supplies and when the militia at Bennington, VT turning the British away they forced General Burgoyne to surrender. This gave the Colonials hope and France a good reason to support the George Washington with money and troops.
$ 3.00 gets you a ride up the elevator and that is about it but we do not want this monument to go in disrepair so it is worth $ 3 to support the historical significance of the site.

Not big area-​wise, but big history-​wise. A must for any history fan. Site of first American victory in Revolutionary War. The monument is huge, and is similar to the Washington Monument. Not so much touristy as inspiring. It is seasonal, but even with the few shops and entrance to the monument itself closed, it is still worth the trip.

For $ 3, you get a great view, a little history, and a nice little park to wander around in. In a town of not much to do, this is a highlight.

I’m a little biased. I have family that lives right around the corner so I hold this place near and dear to my heart. I’ve actually never been up the monument but the Summer and Fall views from the surrounding area are stunning.
I can assure you — if you have kids — STAY OUT OF THE GIFT SHOP! You will spend their college savings in expensive do-​dads.
It’s Bennington, not much to do but this is a great stop!

I’ve never been one for touristy sites (depends on the site, it isn’t a hard and fast rule) but I decided to give Bennington Monument a try on the insistence of a very nice driving instructor (at the Land Rover driving school in Manchester). It is a beautiful monument and historically fascinating. There weren’t many people around (probably because it was a rainy day) but a tour guide took us up the elevator and gave us a little history/​geography lesson. The view is spectacular. It is unlike anything I have ever seen. Beautiful greenery and the mountains form the perfect backdrop! If you are in the area, it is definitely worth a visit.

It’s a… monument. You can take an elevator up to the top and look around. If you’re lucky, you get a guide that gives you a little spiel on the way up. There are a few little dioramas on the first floor. Stairs are all 9−11-y and closed off. You buy tickets from the little gift shop across the street. I mean, this is nice little area but to me — I don’t see the point. Yay a monument and crappy gift store. Where’s the beer?!