Bennington banner and reformer. (Bennington, Vt.) 1903-19??, 1903-09-10
Another Interesting Article by
Hon. Henry D. Hall.
ABOUT SOME OLD MILLS
Showing How the EARLY Settlers In the Town
Of Bennington 0vercame Difficulties
That Nature Imposed.

The building of the first corn or
grist mill and the spot where it was to
be located, which was to relieve the
first settlers in Bennington from going
long distance for corn meal to the
nearest mill, which must have been in
Williamstown some fifteen or eighteen
miles distant, as was the case with
other necessities at the time, and bring
ing them into the settlement upon
horseback, have always been objects
of interest to their descendants.
The real facts with reference to the
anxiety and conduct of the immigrants
for getting the mill and its contem-
plated location, has not to the knowl-
edge of the writer been heretofore
treated upon.
The small stream or rivulet, some-
times called the ogden Brook, from
one Joseph Ogden, who some seventy
five or eighty years ago, had extensive
wagon, carriage, paint and blacksmith
shops upon it will play an important
part. The shops we're located
on the south side of the
road where the little brook crosses the
street a short distance west of the Wal
loomsac House at Bennington Center
The plant consisted of quite large
two story building for wagon manu-
featuring, under which the streams
ran, with a paint shopfn the second
story, and adjoining on the north
building for the storing of lumber
which was covered by large platform
where wagons and carriages we're
placed for painting or to be shown to
customers sometimes in an unfinished
condition. There was also another
building adjoining this on the west for
keeping unfinished work and display
ing the productions of the concern.
Between the walk in front of the
shops and theroadway, where tits now
covered with Hat stone, was way
through the brook for horses and car
riages to be driven for watering and
other animals, and the quantity of
water running there and the width of
the stream when the wriler first knew
the locality, would have challenged
the thought of covering the space with
stone.
About twenty feet south of the wagon
shop and just east of the brook stood
the blacksmith shop which was ap-
preached through an open yard from
the street, the east line being the Swift
garden fence. This is where the iron
work was done for wagon and carriage
building, the custom work of the town
and the shoeing of the thirty to sixty
horses or more usually cared for at
the 'Hicks hotel or tavern, now the
Walloomsac Inn, and built in early
times by Capt. Elijah Dewey, and not
so strange this number of horses, as
the through line of travel by stage or
other vehicles from Albany and Troy
to Boston was across the mountain
through Woodford to Brattleboro, and
the propelling power of the usualdaily
four horse coaches, was the horse, car
rying from ten to eighteen passenge.
each way, we're groomed at this stand,
and often extras, sometimes three or
four with sixty to ninety passengers
were hurried through on this express
route, generally taking meal at the
old tavern.
A short distance west was the loca-
tion Of the Ogden residence, the whole
making plant of more than ordinary
desirability and situation for business
in the earlier days before water power
had been increasingly developed in the
easterly portion of the town.
Sixty years since these premises
we're occupied by Bassett and Lown, a
Troy firm who did large business in
their line, and by their ability and
business facilities largely increased
the manufactured stage coaches which
were in general use before the days of
railroads. This was when the Center
was the principal business locality of
thetown and where the population we're
wont to go for all store necessities and
reading matter as the book and print
ing Office was near the monument site
and the "oldJune trainings that we're
considered of so much Importance were
held in the vicinity of the State Arms
house
From the Ogden works the stream
ran as now, through the Heman Swift
meadow to the Chandler premises and
under the blacksmith shop opofLewis and