Show MARBLE MARBLES CRO CROSS TO MARK SITE I Well Erect Monument At I Location of First Meet Meet- Meeting Meeting Meeting ing House Vt Juno June 4 4 Ground has IMS been bren broken here for tor forthe forthe the erection of a memorial monument monument monument ment to mark tho the site of the first meeting house hous hou In the Hampshire Grants now the tho state of Vermont Yermont which was aas a Intimately associated t d with th the battles s of ot Ticonderoga and n Bennington on In the Re Resolution art aT aTar war oar and with tho the early of the state stale The fhe monument which bleh Is the gift of o Mrs Elinor Squier or of New Nc e York to the Bennington Batas Dattle v nm nt and Historical S Society c iy will Iii Iii-bd be dedicated ed on on July 8 I In the center of o a s Maltese crops ros ro's 8 42 feet In diameter r torm formed d bv by em- em embedding em embedding bedding 1 marble slabs In the turf will rise a shrine o of Vermont gray marble 12 It feet reet high ligh and SIX feel e t wide Ide On this Bill III be pl C d two Iwo tablets one hearing bearing an Inscription Von Ion t telling th the history of th the sit and a low relief reller of the meeting meetinghouse meetinghouse house and the other hiving heving h a II re- re reproduction reproduction re reproduction production ot of the great sell of ot the state The Inscription prepared for the tho monument recites the tho re erection of othe the meeting house hou e plain a plain build build- building In ing of o unpainted ol wood In 66 1763 1763 and deal desk deals with the stirring e of colonial days da dai s as follows Here Here th the forefathers met In prayer pra er for or assistance Istance a against the measures of or New lew York YorkI I a and nd the thO 0 overwhelming power or of orI ling George Hither th the settlers I returned d from the capture of Ti- Ti Ticonderoga Tl the tie battle of or Benning- Benning Bennington Bennington ton Benning-ton ton and the surrender or of o Dur one oneto to otter offer their thanksgivings Ings and here were ere brought the prison prison- prisoners ors ers captured on August 16 1777 Tor 40 ears cars the tho center of the religious life lire of the tho community the theme me meeting house was nas as also connected with th tho the political life lire of ot the state Vermont Yermont was as an Independent nt re- re republic republic re republic public from January 17 1777 to Its admission into the union March arch 4 1 1711 1791 n I The fhe first l legislature met metat metat metat at Windsor in 1778 and ind adjourned t to Bennington for Its Jun June se session held on this site The laws for or carrying on the government of or this so state were fe enacted at the of the legislature which as- as assembled assembled as assembled In the meeting house houe Feb Feb- February Feb Feb- February February 11 1779 lI Here re met the convention con con- consisting con con of ot one delegate from each town which on January J 10 1791 r ratified the constitution of ot the United States by the signatures of 1 O out of oC preparing tin the way ay for tor the ad admission admission mis- mis mission sion of Into the union a as a the first state after the original thirteen The first fIt meeting house stood until 1806 when hen It was replaced by a church which Is still standing The monument will stand on the village green a few feet from the present chur church h |