The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-10-29
SOME ROAD ISSUES
IN BENNINGTON
BACK IN l849
Old Records of 10 Years Ago
Found by Judge Bates
MAIN ST. THEN AND NOW
Issue Then Was Over the Question Of
Plank Road-some Old Hotels
Now Forgotten.

Judge Edward l.. Bates for the past
year and more has been doing Ben
nington a great public service Of
which only few people are aware.
He is indexing the files of the early
newspapers OF Bennington from the
first issue Of the old Vermont Gazette,
established in 1887 by Anthony Has
well, down to the Civil war
These old papres, preserved at the
public library, contain vast amount
of local and state history, family rec
ords, local and neighborhood stats.
tics and hundreds OF other things that
go to make up the story of Historic
Bennington for more than a century,
but the information has not been
available because of the almost hope
less task of hunting through thous-
ands cf printed pages for desired
facts or records.
After the death of the late DR..
Henry c. Day Judge Bates indexed his
large collection OF clippings and other
papers and has placed the index in
the library. He became interested in
the work and consented to undertake
the tremendously greater work of in
dexing the files of the Old Bennington
newspapers
From time to time he has furnished
curious and interesting quotations
which have been printed in the Ban
ner. Below are two advertisements
of local hotels now long forgotten.
These were printed in the State Ban
ner, the predecessor of the Evening
D...a. 4. 1910 rrho pappor OF fhof
time was printed on Town Hill, now
known as Old Bennington the print
ing office being located short dis
tance north OF the Walloomsac Inn.
What is new the most populous part
of the town was then a struggling
young village known as East Benning-
ton. The two advertisements are as
follows:
The Oregon House
This house is refitted and opened by
the subscriber. for the accommodation
Of the public: and If a well stored
larder, and good quantities, OF pre-
vender are any inducements to the
traveller he hopes to receive a share
Of public patronage.
East Bennington, Vt. Dec %, lS4S.
John r. Gates.
shad-Valley Hotel
The subscriber respectfully an
nounces to his friends, and the public
generally, that he has rented the
Tavern Stand
situate in Woodford Hollow. where he
will be happy to wait upon all who
may feel disposed to patronize him.
Upon his table will be found that
which is good, and enough of it. Per-
sons travelling will do well to stop at
this house, as it is the subscribers
aim to promote the comfort and happi'
ness OF his customers.
Woodford, VT, Dec. H., 1S4S.
John Collard,
In view OF the acute interst in the
street problem right now 1t is rather
striking to find out that the question
was an issue 20 years ago as the fol
lowing old clippings will prove:
State Banner, May &c, ts4s, a.
a"PAhk Road: we perceive with
pleasure that a plank road is being
built across the fat between this and
the Center villages. No man ac-
quainted with the road as it has
been heretofore will need be told OF
the propriety of this alteration. We
wish the road, through this village was
planked instead odf being paved with
movable, cobble stones. Bue we must
ibide our time, our turn win come az
ter little"
State Banner, June 9, ts4o.
First Plank Road in Vermont.
While our friends of the Montpelier
Watchman and the st. Adams Mes
ennrnr haun hean talking worry l2unlY