The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-07-20
THE OLD STONE SHOP
Landmark of South Street Has 70
Years of History.

uuiry as to it's history, by visitors in
Bennington, than any other building
| in town. The appearance OF this
building. its solidity of structure and
peculiar kind of stone used in it's con-
struction, probably gives rise to these
conjectures as to its historical signi-
| ficance. However, its history is void
of any peculiar historical interest or
| incidents, the most striking fact
about this building being that 1t a has
always been used as wheelwright
or blacksmith shop during its many
| years of existence
In 1874, seventy-one years ago, the
| site where this shop now stands was
purchased by the firm of Graves a.
Root, made up of Luther r. Graves
and Henry G.. Root Previous to that
| time, this land was part OF the Jed
| ediah Dewey farm. Graves & Root at
| this time owned and ran tinshop
| which was located about where the A.
| H. Winslow store is today. The bust
ness had been growing more and
F., more extensive and it had become
| necessary to obtain more room. Con-
| sequently. this new land was purchas
ed the building constructed though
not for some little time after
| the lot was bought. The stone
used the building this shop
| was taken from the old Colgate
| quarry as was tile stone used in the
construction of the Grist mill on
| North street, probably built about the
same time,
| After the building was completed,
| smith shop and the upper floor as
| wheelwrights shop. Here were
| made the tin-carts used in connect
ion with the Graves 4 Root tinshop
bridge being extended from the
western end of the shop to enable
| carriages to be transported to and
from the upper floor. At this period
| the shop did its most thriving bust
ness and 1t was only with difficulty
that the demands upon the business
were fulfilled,
| About the year 1895 the first impor-
|
taken down and the upper floor was
| converted into two tenements such
as remain today. The lower floor
was then rented by Milo Remington
| who used the shop as both black
smith and wheelright shop. Mr.
| Remington was at one time a promi-
| nent Benningtonian and Is especially
| remembered for his activities in the
| interest of the Democratic party. I'm.
der his management the shop did
| prosperous business, its speciality
still being the construction of tin
carts which were sent to all parts of
the United States. However, in
few years, Mr.. Remington, WISHING
more room, moved his shop to Jeffer-
son avenue and the stone shop passed
into other hands.
| Following the occupancy by Mr..
| Remington the shop was occupied by
various blacksmiths, each one of
| whom carried on his trade successful.
| ly. Among these were Thomas Col
| Inns, John Brant, and James Toomey.
| The latter carried on business in this
shop until short time ago when the
shop was rented to John Fox of North
| street who runs blacksmith shop
| on that site today. The shop and
| property on which it stands is owned
by Mrs w. A. Root of South street.
Such is the history of the so-called
| old Stone Blacksmith Shop" Al
thnlIpb CT re
est, its unique appearance attracts
the eye of the stranger who believes
1t to be linked with some significant
incident in the history of Bennington.
For II years q blacksmith shop and
in no way weakened by time or
change of fortune. there is every rea-
son to believe that business will be
carried on successfully in this shop
for many years to come.
The old shop was undoubtedly one
OF the substantial aids in building np
the business of Graves g. Root who
sent out their tin-carts for hundreds
OF miles in all directions. Not only
did they make fortunes for them.
selves, but it was their custom to aid
young men who worked for them in
setting up business for themselves
and giving them aid in money and
credit until they got on firm basis |
Luther X. Graves died in 1891 at
the age of 70 and Henry G. Root died
in 1899 aged 80 During their later
years they worked gradually into
banking and other lines of business
and the tin-cart industry gradually
faded away though for many years it
was substantial aid to the prospect
ty of Bennington and vicinity.
In late years it has often been urg-
ed that the old stone shop be bought |
and turned into a Bennington memoir
ial hall and museum of historical |
relics