The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-07-28
HISTORIC EVENTS
IN HISTORY Of
THIS TOWN
~gr
Which Will Form a Basis of the
Coming Pageant
"M0THER OF VERM MON T"
In Early History Of the State Ben
nington Was Always Found
in the Lead
"MOTHER OF VERNON T"
sek4UFsesA..-


Bennington in its early days had
the most stirring history of any Yer
mont town and many OF these scenes
are to be reproduced in a historical
pageant to be given by the people of
Bennington August II. IA, Is and Is,
in celebration of the 150th anniver-
sary of the settlement of the town.
In addition to the scenes depicting
the early history there will be sever
al indicative of the progress and
changes brought by succeeding years
down to the present day.
The historical pageant has long
been extremely popular in Great Brit
ain and continental Europe. Intro
duced from there to this country 1t
has been developed and extended in
its scope until it provides one OF the
most delightful entertainment fea
lures ever produced Along with the
amusement and scenic spectacle and
splendor it gives an opportunity to
see almost perfect reproductions of
dramatic events of history and in
that way gives a knowledge OF his
tory and teaches patriotism as they
can never be learned from the dry
pages OF printed books.
Bennington history is such that it
offers wonderful field for a histori-
cal pageant In fact the great prob
lem that confronts the pageant com
mittee is the wealth OF material
available and all OF It so striking and
interesting that it is found necessary
to lengthen the program in order to
cover the chief events of the history
of the town. which. in many respects.
Is the history of the state of Yer
mont, for Bennington was the parent
town of the state and Bennington
men led in the activity and force that
produced here from the New Hamp-
shire Grants an Independent common
wealth. afterwards admitted to the
sisterhood of states.
Bennington was the first organized
town in what is now Vermont and the
first to achieve an individual force
strong enough to take the stand II
did in the days when Vermont was
in the making, The first settlers OF
/ the town were young men from
Massachusetts, and Connecticut. They
were an active. earnest, liberty low.
ing. daredevil and turbulent crowd
who knew their rights and could not
be bluffed-not even by the orders Of
the king and much less by the min
ions OF royal authority on this side OF
I the ocean. That their leaders were
men OF ability is proved by the out
come of their efforts.
IL was the men OF Bennington who
organized the opposition 10 the rich
/ and powerful colony OF New York
and who took the leading part In
carrying this opposition through 10
/ success. from the day when the
sturdy pioneers raised a stuffed cata.
mount on a pole to grin defiance at
/ New York authority to that other
/ day. q years later. when Vermont
/ became the first state added TO the
/ original thirteen. II was, at Benning'
/ ton at Landlord Fay's tavern that
I the "beeeh seal" was devised and
first applied to the bare back OF a
York Justice. In this connection II Is
well to remember even at this late
day that during the controversy with
New York the New York people
sympathized with the people OF Yer
mont. The fight OF the settlers for
their lands was not with their neigh
Dor settlers along the Hudson but
with the land spectators, and politl'
clans who fawned around Albany.
IL was the men OF Bennington who
organized the council OF safety which
afterward made Vermont an indie
pendent republic and maintained that
independence for fourteen years. II
was under Bennington leadership
that the towns which rebelled against
the new free state were bulldozed
into submission. II was the Ben
nington mob" that later stepped IN
and stopped an attempt to divide
Vermont between New York and New
Hampshire II was Bennington that
furnished fourhfths OF the company
of resolute men who rescued Remem'
her Baker almost from under the
guns OF Albany,
II was in Bennington In lIIS that
the first declaration OF independence
penned In America was drawn and
signed. and signed chiefly by Ben
. nington men. II was at Bennington
the home OF Seth Warner. that the
regiment Of Green Mountain Bays
had It's beginning and Bennington
which furnished more recruits thar
any other town. II was from Ben
nlngton that Ethan Allen started or
that glorious trip resulting In the
capture of Ticonderoga and crow
Point.
II was near Remington that th'
battle was fought. bearing the name
of the town. that proved the turnlns
point of the War OF the Revolution
and Remington at moments notice
furnished over 200 soldiers 10
stark's army. It was Bennington
which furnished the subsistence an'
supplies also which made STARK