Friends of the Bennington Battlefield

The Friends of the Bennington Battlefield is a group of volunteers dedicated to the preservation, development, and promotion of the ground on which a pivotal battle of the American Revolution, the Battle of Bennington, was fought in the hamlet of Walloomsac, New York, on August 16, 1777. On that day American forces under General John Stark, including militia from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New York, as well as Col. Seth Warner’s Continental regiment, won a decisive and consequential victory against a detachment of British, German, Canadian, Loyalist, and Native troops sent by British General John Burgoyne to raid a Continental storehouse in Bennington.

The members of the group, in collaboration with the managers of Grafton Lakes State Park, under the administration of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) of New York, seek to generate public interest and appreciation of the site, and to explore it archaeologically and topographically, with the objective of gaining and sharing knowledge of the Battle.

NY State Parks Trail Map

2024 at the Battlefield – Events

Good things have been happening at the Bennington Battlefield in the past three years, and this year was no exception as we gear up for the important 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Bennington in 2027.

Through grant funding, the Friends have created and installed new interpretive signage on the Battlefield, updating and expanding interpretation into other areas: the baggage wagons site, the Bridge location and field adjacent, the Tory Fort on the other side of the Walloomsac, and the approach to the breastwork on “Hessian Hill.” In 2022, the Friends, through grant funding, created and added an audio tour to the Battlefield, accessed by QR codes on the panels that can connect to your cell phone.

In 2020, Michael Kasler, a descendant of a Battle veteran, gifted a faithful replica brass 3- pounder cannon for display on Hessian Hill. It is a fully functional piece, and has already been fired on ceremonial occasions. The park has 2.7 miles of hiking trails throughout the site, and are a great place to enjoy peace and quiet and the beauty of nature on a summer’s day. David Pitlyk, the Site Assistant, conducts hiking tours regularly during the season.

The Friends have planned a summer’s worth of events for the Battlefield

• BATTLE DAY COMMEMORATION
  You are invited to attend a commemoration and wreath laying at the Bennington Battlefield on Friday, August 16. The program begins at 7 pm and includes a wreath laying ceremony and artillery salute

  ANNUAL COMMEMORATION CEREMONY AT THE BENNINGTON BATTLEFIELD

  The Friends of the Bennington Battlefield, in cooperation with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, will conduct its annual Commemoration Ceremony of the Battle on Friday, August 16, at 7 pm. The event takes place at the top of the hill known by some as “Hessian Hill,” where the flagpole and granite monument are located.

  This year’s program, which runs about ó hour, will note the Battle’s place in our history, and our appreciation of the efforts of those involved. Fourth-graders from Hoosick Falls Central School, who are participating in a week-long History Camp, will share in their own words, the importance of learning and understanding our nation’s story.

  Members of local SAR and DAR chapters will lay wreaths at the granite marker. Two reenacting groups, the 2nd Continental Artillery, and the “The Green Mountain Boys” will fire their guns in salute.

  The event is free and open to the public. The Battlefield is located at 5231 NY Rt 67, in the town of Hoosick.

• The Hoosick Falls Central School Living History Summer Institute Battle Day Weekend
  Students will have their annual 18th Century encampment at the battlefield. Students will wear period dress and participate in living history activities throughout the day, and offer tours of the encampment prior to the commemoration ceremony. During the commemoration ceremony several students will share selections from their Living History application essays, to express their appreciation for history.