a Bennington Historical Society presentation

Vermont is home to the third highest number of covered bridges in the United States, after Pennsylvania and Ohio. If you look at the number per square mile, Vermont ranks number one. There are five of them right here in Bennington County – three in Bennington alone! These bridges are part of Vermont’s identity, captured in paintings, the subject of ghost stories, and part of many of our daily commutes. In this presentation, local researchers will share what they know about our county’s beautiful and historic covered bridges.

Avis Hayden lives in Sunderland, on property that adjoins the Chiselville Covered Bridge. She has a curiosity about local history, spurred on by her genealogical research involving Vermont residents. She holds a Certificate from Boston University in Genealogy. She volunteers at Bennington Museum’s Regional History Room and assists with projects at the Russell Collection (Arlington/Sunderland/Sandgate).  

David Pilachowski has lived in Bennington for 25 years, worked in college and university libraries, and has long been interested in history. He volunteers in Bennington Museum’s Regional History Room (RHR) and is a Museum Trustee. He was one of several people involved for the past several years in reorganizing and cataloging the RHR collection. Through that work, he became aware of Professor Louis Puffer’s remarkable collection of covered bridge materials and associated resources donated to the RHR.

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