The History of
Bennington Station

The Bennington and Rutland Railroad—also known as the B&R Railroad—
began construction in 1897. Designed by architect William C. Bull of Bennington who was strongly influenced by the well known H.H. Richardson,
whose style has been coined Richardson Romanesque.

The Bennington Station is constructed of rough finished blue marble giving it the appearance of granite. The marble was quarried in West Rutland and was hand cut then shipped to the site by locomotive. The interior finishing was contracted to the Eagle Square Company of Shaftsbury, VT. The original entrance to the station faced Depot Street and it's doorway was protected by a large porte cochere. The main waiting room extended the whole width of the building. The room to the left of the main waiting room, separated by an arch and grill, was known as the Ladies’ Parlour. The Lounge and Kitchen was the baggage area, Conductor’s Room, Train Dispatcher’s Office and the Superintendent’s Office. The building was heated by steam.

On October 5th of 1897 the Bennington Banner hailed the Building as “The handsomest and most artistic in the state.” The total cost of the building in 1898 was around twenty thousand dollars.

During its peak of service in 1915, as many as eighteen trains rolled through the Station each day. [Photo courtesy The Joseph A. Smith Collection/NYYSA.COM]

The building was added to the National Register
of Historic Places in 1988 (Building #88001301)

I could not look upon the peaks of Ascutney, Killington, Mansfield, and Equinox without being moved in a way that no other scene could move me. It was here that I first saw the light of day; here I received my bride; here my dead lie pillowed on the loving breast of our everlasting hills. I love Vermont because of her hills and valleys, her scenery and invigorating climate, but most of all, because of her indomitable people. They are a race of pioneers who have almost beggared themselves to serve others. If the spirit of liberty should vanish from other parts of the union and support of our institutions should languish, it could all be replenished from the generous store held by the people of this brave little state of Vermont."
President Calvin Coolidge, 1928

President Coolidge ended a two-day inspection of Vermont's 1927 flood recovery as his train arrived here about 7 p.m. Sept. 21, 1928. Five thousand people greeted Coolidge and wife Grace with loud applause as they appeared on the rear coach platform. After quieting the crowd, the president began, "Fellow Vermonters, for two days we have traveled through the state of Vermont..." He thanked Vermonters for their hospitality and great response to the flood. Continuing without notes, he said, "Vermont is a state I love…" A reporter heard Coolidge's voice "quivering with emotion." Applause was lengthy. Mrs. Coolidge asked if reporters had written down the words, lest they be lost. "Vermont is a State I Love" remains Coolidge's best-known tribute to his native state.

Vermont Division for
Historic Preservation - 2003
[For more information, visit www.HistoricVermont.org/Coolidge]

photo courtesy of WBTN's Bygone Bennington