The Parade and Celebration

The largest, most extraordinary, and perhaps the most colorful parade in the history of Bennington occurred on August 19, 1891. Never was there a group of more distinguished statesmen - from the President of the United States and numerous federal officials, to State Governors and their top administrators, to local dignitaries - all participating in the Dedication of the Bennington Battle Monument and Celebration of Vermont's Centennial.

Members of the community had decorated their homes, shops, businesses, public buildings and parks with red, white and blue bunting and streamers in preparation for this unprecedented event. Brightly colored arches had been built across streets in many places throughout the town. An arch, decorated with evergreens and floral designs that included an American flag, had been built at the entrance to the Soldiers' Home (Camp Vermont). The "Triumphal Arch", the largest, most festive and most uniquely planned arch, was constructed at the main intersection of the town . Men, women and children came from near and far to see this magnificent display of grandeur. And to have the President of the United States in Bennington for this State Celebration was a once-in-a-lifetime experience not to be missed!

The day dawned clear and beautiful, and at an early hour, by five o'clock, nearly everybody in town was busy with their preparation for the great parade, the notable celebration, and all that followed it, closing with the pyrotechnic display in the evening. The most conservative estimates did not place the gathering at less than 30,000 people, while the calculations of a greater number went as high as 40,000 and above…. Everything radiated from the Soldiers' Home as a rendezvous, which, with its spacious grounds, it is not to be doubted, contributed very much to the success of the occasion."

Stillson, quoting from the Report of the Chief Marshal, tells us that the parade included eighty-eight [88] military and civic organizations, twelve [12] bands, six [6] drum corps, and one hundred and eight [108] carriages. The parade began from the Soldiers' Home at 10:00 AM, reaching the Monument grounds at 11:15. The last carriage arrived at 12:30. By 2:30 PM the services were completed and the parade reformed for the return march. By 3:20 PM all had arrived back at the Soldiers' Home grounds.

The 'Triumphal Arch' was placed at the intersection of Main, North, and South streets…. The arch was a massive structure of wood, covered with canvas, artistically painted to imitate the rough stone and finished seams of the Battle Monument. It had a length of nearly seventy-five [75] feet, a breadth of about eighteen [18] feet, and a height of over sixty [60] feet….

The turreted top of the Arch was occupied by about one-hundred and seventy-five [175] young ladies, and children from the public schools, who sang patriotic songs, under the direction of Prof. Hubert W. Downs. They were dressed in pure white, and, with their hair falling loosely about their necks, looked, as a woman remarked to her escort, 'Like little angels, every one of them.' In the lower balcony, on either side, stood thirteen [13] ladies representing the Original States. They were dressed in costume, and each bore in one hand the United States and in the other their respective State shields…. Miss Lillian B. Adams, one of Bennington's fair daughters, clad in the time-honored colors and robes of the Goddess of Liberty, with staff and cap, occupied a throne of gold and National colors in the lofty turret on the top of the main arch.

When the victoria, drawn by four [4] white horses, containing President Harrison, Governor Page, Doctor Wm. Seward Webb, Colonel and special A.D.C., approached the Arch, The President stood with uncovered head; the Goddess of Liberty, also, arose and saluted in recognition. As The President passed under the Arch, a shower of roses fell from the hands of the children, sprinkled his carriage and all about it. At the same time the chorus of childish voices struck up "America", while the shouts from the 8000 people, increased in volume by the multitude on the housetops, swelled the enthusiasm to a degree seldom witnessed. These demonstrations attended the Presidential party along the whole route from Camp Vermont to the Monument and return."

The main speaker of the day was the Honorable Edward J. Phelps, who had been the U.S. Minister to Great Britain . Just prior to his speech the "Vermont Centennial Ode" was sung by a special choir. Then he delivered his oration to a crowd of over 30,000 people from a flag-decorated platform at the Bennington Battle Monument, entitled One Day in August 1777. President Benjamin Harrison, the Governors of Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and other dignitaries, including John G. McCullough, also spoke on that day. The speeches continued for about two-and-one-half hours on this summer day in August. There were no public address systems at that time, so hearing the speakers outdoors must have been difficult.

Following the banquet at the Soldiers' Home there were more speeches, which lasted another two-and-one-half hours. Ceremony and speeches were definitely the "order of the day" for this very rare time in the life of Vermont.

Henry Stillson expressed his opinion on some of the speeches of the day, notably the two following, "The oration by Mr. Phelps is a masterly production, and, no doubt, will be regarded by many people as the climax-piece of that distinguished gentleman's oratory…. President Harrison's address at the Monument will take rank with his best efforts, and his later remarks at the Banquet were the feature of the occasion."