Charles H. Potter’s House Furnishings Store

Charles H. Potter’s house furnishings store at 528 Main Street is typical of the commercial wood- frame buildings that originally dominated Main Street. Most were lost to fire or replaced with brick buildings. The three story building in this image was replaced by the current Gibney Block around 1900.

Like many commercial stores during the nineteenth century, Potter sold a wide variety of products. Advertisements in the Bennington Banner mentioned “Stoves and Ranges, Furniture, Lamps, Crockery, and ALL KINDs of Housekeeping Goods.” Note the actual cast-iron stove on the high post in front of the store advertising his goods inside.