Bethany Craig, who planned Bennington’s 175th Celebration, has family ties that date back to the town’s inception.
She said her family — the Dodges — have been in town for generations. Her fifth great-grandfather, Gideon Dodge, landed in the town in 1783. The family isn’t totally clear why Gideon moved to the area but said his father, James, lived in New Boston.
“So perhaps (Gideon) was interested in having land near him,” Craig said in a message to the Ledger-Transcript.
Her fourth great-grandfather, John Dodge, physically carried a petition (presumably by horseback, or horse and carriage) to Concord to incorporate as a town in 1842.
“We’ve been around for awhile,” Craig said.
Craig said her own childhood was the picture of an ideal small-town upbringing. She said as a kid, she rode her bike everywhere, bought penny candy and ice cream at the Bennington Country Store, played baseball at the local field, fished in Cold Spring Pond, walked on the railroad trestle bridge, and spent countless hours playing tether ball at the school’s playground.
Years later, in 2013, she and her husband, Jim, bought a home built by her grandparents.
“It has been wonderful raising our own family here,” Craig said, adding that her kids are the ninth consecutive generation to live in Bennington.
She said her son, Carter, will attend Pierce Elementary School next year. Craig said it “blows his 5-year-old mind” that his mom, nana, and great-grandfather all attended the same school.
Craig co-coordinated the town’s 175th celebration with her husband. She said she assembled a committee of active citizens to give input about content and logistics for the celebration.
The bulk of events came from asking the community who wanted to host something and various groups/town departments volunteering to participate. From there, the event fell into place.
A big focus of the celebration will be the rhubarb festival. The festival, which benefits the GEP Dodge Library Building Fund, is in its fifth year. Craig said the 175th committee decided to partner with them to help create a weekend-long celebration this year.
175th celebration schedule
Friday, June 2
4 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Pierce School Open House
Saturday, June 3
10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Fifth annual Rhubarb Festival at Sawyer Field on Route 202
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. – Ham and bean dinner at the Bennington Congregational Church has been canceled due to safety issues at the church.
Sunday, June 4
All day – WWII Reenactment Encampment at Sawyer Field; 10 a.m. – Outdoor Church Service; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Downtown celebration on Main Street; 1 p.m. – Parade on Antrim Road, Main Street, Acre Street, Cross Street; 2 p.m. – Ice cream social on the Town Hall lawn
For additional information contact Bethany Craig: (603) 588-2106 or bethanycraig@yahoo.com