Old Bennington in Bennington County, Vermont — The American Northeast (New England)

The "Corkscrew" Railroad

Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, October 24, 2008

1. The "Corkscrew" Railroad Marker

Inscription. When wealthy North Bennington resident Trenor Park purchased the Bennington-Rutland Railroad, he found that the railroad "barons" of the Troy and Boston Railroad refused him access to the New York lines. Rather than fight this monopoly, Park built a rail line from Bennington to Lebanon Spring, NY, where he could transfer his trains to southbound rails while bypassing Troy. The dozens of turns over 40 miles of hilly terrain gave this stretch of railroad the name "Corkscrew." Passenger service was canceled in 1931 and the line was officially abandoned in 1953. Remnants of the old rail bed can be seen where it crossed the highway at this point.

Erected 2003 by Vermont Division for Historic Preservation.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation Markers series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1931.

Location. 42° 52.982′ N, 73° 12.539′ W. Marker is in Bennington, Vermont, in Bennington County. It is in Old Bennington. It is on Main Street (Vermont Route 9), on the right

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when traveling east. The marker is located beside the parking lot of the Bennington Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 77 Main St, Bennington VT 05201, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southern Vermont. It is also in the American Northeast

and in New England.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Vermont (within shouting distance of this marker); Bennington Civil War Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Vermont's Colonial Shrine (approx. 0.2 miles away); William Lloyd Garrison (approx. 0.2 miles away); Ethan Allen (approx. ¼ mile away); Site of the Catamount Tavern - 1767 (approx. ¼ mile away); Bennington Battle Monument (approx. ¼ mile away); Captain Samuel Robinson (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bennington.

Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, October 24, 2008

2. The "Corkscrew" Railroad Marker

Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, October 24, 2008

3. The "Corkscrew" Railroad Marker

The Bennington Museum is in the background.

The "Corkscrew" Railroad R.O.W. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, October 24, 2008

4. The "Corkscrew" Railroad R.O.W.

The old Corkscrew railbed Right of Way crossed VT 9 at this point, right behind the automobile in the photo, as described on the marker.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 12, 2010, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. This page has been viewed 3,231 times since then and 107 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 12, 2010, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.