The second Bennington lies about a mile west, off Route 9 and separated from the downtown's four corners by a stretch of sprawling businesses that typically mark the outskirts of a town: gas stations, car dealers, and so on.
The second Bennington, which is also known as Old Bennington, is a quiet neighborhood of elegant 18th-century houses. Robert Frost is buried in a graveyard behind the Old First Congregational Church. The Bennington Battle Monument, a limestone obelisk, marks the district from afar. And nearby, the Bennington Museum offers more varied fare for history buffs.
My husband and I started out in the first Bennington, at the South Shire Inn on Elm Street, a splendidly maintained Victorian bed-and-breakfast. (For skiers, there are many choices of lodgings just outside of town, including some with cross-country skiing on the premises.)
We arrived before check-in, and the inn's proprietor suggested breakfast at the Blue Benn Diner. One of those classic railroad-car types, it offers a variety of pancakes, sophisticated omelets, and some Mexican fare. The pancake special - pumpkin pecan ($4.50) - was heaven on a plate.
We struck out for Potter's Yard, a barnlike complex that houses the showroom for Bennington Pottery and other shops. The pottery has operated since 1948, and its fine-textured stoneware fills two buildings. Attractive displays and some bargains (mug seconds could be had for an average price of $9.75, compared with $12 to $13 for first-quality specimens) make this a worthy shopping destination.
We ventured downtown to the South Street Cafe for fine midmorning cappuccino. (The cafe also serves soup, sandwiches, and desserts, averaging about $3.) This old storefront space, with its enormous windows, provides a light-filled venue for the striking art on its walls.
