Posts Tagged ‘Bennington’

As an “official” soccer widow and soccer mom, I feel well qualified to expound on the many opportunities the Bennington, Vermont area offers for anyone of any age who is interested in participating in or simply watching the Beautiful Game!

Both of my sons (now 13 and 16) began their soccer careers while in kindergarten by participating in the Norshaft Youth Soccer program, a member of the Southwestern Vermont Youth Soccer League.  The Norshaft team is for students from North Bennington and Shaftsbury.  Other towns participating in the league include Arlington, Bennington, Londonderry, Manchester, Cambridge NY, Greenwich NY and  Hoosick Falls, NY.  In addition to allowing elementary school children the opportunity to learn the game of soccer, the league provides adults the chance to volunteer by coaching, lending administrative support or sometimes just running the snack bar!

Once out of elementary school, the Mount Anthony Union Middle School provides fall soccer for both boys and girls in grades 7 and 8 for students attending from the towns of Pownal, Bennington, North Bennington and Shaftsbury.  Mount Anthony Union High School fields Freshmen, JV and Varsity boys and girls teams.  One of the highlights of the soccer year at MAUHS is the John James Tournament.  It is the longest running two-day soccer tournament in the country.  The 2010 tournament, scheduled for September 16 and 18, will be the 42nd annual.  The tournament is named in memory of John James who was the school’s first soccer coach and was a technical education teacher at MAU.

In spite of winter weather, the Bennington area does provide the determined soccer player with a means to play virtually year round.  For the “die hard” soccer player there are several indoor soccer facilities just over the border in the Half Moon and Latham NY areas and beginning in March, indoor soccer is available at the Riley Rink in Manchester.  These facilities offer soccer programs not only for students but for adults as well.  In fact, my husband is a member of an over 40 men’s soccer team in Half Moon and makes the weekly trek almost without fail!

If you are looking for spring soccer, the Monument Soccer Club of Bennington fields teams for boys and girls for ages from U-8 up to U-19.  The Monument Soccer Club is a member of the Capital District Youth Soccer League (CDYSL), a group with 62 member teams, which offers players the opportunity to participate in highly competitive leagues and tournaments.  Also a member of the CDYSL, the Bershire Ajax Soccer Club makes its home on the soccer fields at Williams College in nearby Williamstown, MA.  Helmed by Coach Mike Russo, coach to the Williams College Men’s Soccer team, this is a Premier soccer club for the serious soccer student player with participation in several regional soccer tournaments including the Nordic Cup Soccer Tournament hosted by the Nordic Soccer Club of Burlington, Vermont.  This tournament is open to highly qualified teams in the Premier girls and boys categories of U-11 to U-19.

The Vermont Soccer League’s Olympic Development Program is now offering training in Manchester and Rutland.  The ODP affords players the privilege to pursue Regional and National recognition as youth soccer players.

So you can see, if you are a fan of the Beautiful Game, opportunities abound to play or watch in the Bennington area! And if you do decide to take in a match, you’ll probably see me there!

Before anyone had ever heard of McDonald’s, Burger King or other fast food outlets, 1950’s Downtown Bennington, Vermont had its own selection of luncheonettes, snack bars, soda fountains, lunch counters and other places you could get a quick bite.

The list is long (and in no particular order):  The Village Nook, Peter’s Ice Cream Shop, The Sweet Shop, The Dinette, The Maple Sugar Bowl, Century Ice Cream Shop and The Chef Sandwich Shop.  This doesn’t even include full fledged restaurants such as The Paradise, Richards or the Vermont Restaurant.

Almost all of these quick eateries had two things in common:  a counter and a soda fountain.  They also opened earlier than the rest of the Main Street stores and closed later so that the people who worked on Main Street could stop by on their way to or from work.

To jog your memories for those of you from Bennington, here is where they were located:

The Village Nook was where today’s Madison Brewery is located at 428 Main Street and Peter’s Ice Cream Shop was located were Allegro’s Restaurant stands today at 520 Main Street.  In between these two shops was the Chef Sandwich Shop approximately where Tofel’s Jewelers is now located.  Across the street between Hoisington Realty and Shaffe’s Men’s Shop is where The Sweet Shop was and on North Street The Dinette was were A Kind Place is now located.  A bit further down North Street The Maple Sugar Bowl was where Beltone Hearing Aids is.  Finally, the Century Ice Cream Shop was where Greenberg’s parking lot is now situated.

The kids from BennHi would usually stop at the Nook ,Peter’s or The Sweet Shop because they were on their way home from school.  Some of these shops, like Peter’s, made their own ice cream while others had the well known brand of Sealtest Ice Cream.

I worked at the local music and photography store, Noveck’s, after school every day and on Saturdays.  Working in the music store had definite advantages because most of the attractive high school girls would come in at least once a week to buy the latest Elvis Presley or Ricky Nelson record.

On Friday, the stores would stay open until 9:00 in the evening.  Friday is also when Mr. Noveck paid his employees and after getting paid I would go out to one of these eateries for supper.  One time I went to Peter’s Ice Cream Shop because I loved their sandwiches.  I ordered a Western.  Then I ordered a tuna salad.  Then I ordered a grilled ham and cheese.  (Teenage boys can eat a lot).  After I finished the third sandwich John Geannelis, the proprietor, said “You order a fourth sandwich, and the fifth one is on me!”  Teenage boys also love a challenge.  I had a ham salad and then an egg and olive – compliments of John, of course.

Those places are all gone now as Main Street, and the world for that matter, has changed.  And I’m still a teenage boy at heart, enjoying John Geannelis’ sandwiches.

I moved to Bennington in November of 1952 and one of the first things I had to do was get a haircut.  I lived on School Street at the time so I just walked toward Main Street.  The YMCA was on the corner of School and Main and just before that on the right, directly across from the Second Congregational Church Parsonage was the tonsorial establishment of Slick the Barber (there is a barber there to this day).  So I went in and got my first Bennington haircut from Slick the Barber.

Slick’s real name was Roland Nesbigle.  He was a card carrying character and loved to talk, alot.  As I got into the big leather and chrome chair Slick immediately, realizing I was new in town or at least to his chair, started telling me of all the famous people he knew.  Every few minutes Slick would leave the room where he was cutting my hair and go into another room in the back.  He was only gone for a moment but when he came back to resume cutting my hair he had very distinctive breath.  I was only 12 years old but I knew booze when I smelled it.

When he finished cutting my hair I paid him and left, feeling that I had been in the presence of a Very Important Person.  I had just met the man who had taught Ted Williams how to hit a baseball and Johnny Weismuller how to swim!

As I got to know Bennington, I discovered other barbershops in the downtown area.  At 520 Main Street, right next to Peter’s Ice Cream Shop, there was Toomey’s Barber Shop, owned and operated by one Bill Toomey.  R.T. Martins Real Estate is presently located at this spot.  Toomey’s had three chairs and many local barbers who would someday go out on their own worked there.  Barbers like Roger Rowe and Andy Mattison.  Roger Rowe took over Slick’s spot on School Street after Slick had gone on to that great barbershop in the sky.  And later, Any Mattison established his own shop on the second floor of what is now Hoisington Realty.

I liked Toomey’s because of the distinctive barber shop smell of witch hazel and Barbasol.  That and the chatter of the customers with the barbers when they were waiting to be served on a busy Saturday morning.

Another popular barber shop was on the other end of town in the Putnam Hotel Block.  It was located at 357 West Main Street and was the shop of Bob Cummings.  Bob’s son (also Bob) is a longtime practicing attorney here in Bennington.  This shop is presently operated by Gary Jones.  Being the Hotel block was important to business because customers could walk from the lobby of the hotel (right past the Western Union desk) to Bob’s shop.  In those days Bob would stay open until 11:00 on a Saturday night to serve his customers.  Bob took over the shop in 1922 when it was in the American Hotel down on North Street.  And Gary Jones, who started working for Bob in 1971, took over ownership of the shop in 1978.  At one time, this shop had five chairs.

Other barber shops in downtown Bennington in the 1950s were Ray Crosier’s at 110 North Street; Pearly Gates at 731 East Main Street (at the corner of Morgan Street); Ernie’s (Rousseau) at 133 North Street and Ketchum’s at 620 Main Street.  Also over Pleasant Street in the Leader Block was the shop of George Foucher.  George (who I have also heard referred to as “Georgie Hogan”) was, as far as I know, the only barber who made house calls.  You could see him walking along the streets of Bennington with his little black bag in one hand and a stool in the other hand.  The stool was necessary because George was quite short.  Also, there was Merrill Pleasant who was located on School Street and Union Street over the years.

And now, you can count the Barber Shops of Bennington on one hand.  Times have changed.

I wish to thank Gary Jones for his input for this article.

Grab your sweetheart and stop by one of our Open Houses this Sunday!

 5 Stonehedge Drive, Bennington:  This elegant home is a rare find as featured in Taste of Home magazine.  Offering every convenience and comfort, you will be charmed by the large, bright kitchen, formal dining room, living room with gas fireplace, main level master bedroom and more!  Click here for more information.

Directions:  In Bennington from South Street/Route 7 South, turn west onto Elm Street then turn left onto Jefferson Avenue.  Continue up the hill where Jefferson becomes Stonehedge Drive.  Look for Open House sign on the right.

13 Greenview Drive, Bennington:  This great family home is located on a dead end street and features 4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, spacious living room with brick hearth and woodstove, large back deck and more!  Click here for more information.

Directions:  From South Street/Route 7 South in Bennington turn west onto Weeks Street then turn onto Jefferson Heights.  Take a left onto Greenview Drive and look for Open House sign.

We were very pleased this Spring when John Cilla of hte Bennington Area Habitat for Humanity contacted our office to see if we would be willing to lend a hand with their most recent project on Asa’s Way in North Bennington.  Hoisington Realty sent a group of four volunteers in May when the project was just getting under way and another group of volunteers in August.  As one of our agents remarked “We not only sell houses, we help build them!”  Many folks from near and far have pitched in to make the dream of home ownership come true for a local Bennington area family and we here at Hoisington Realty are honored to be among them!

For some of us, the opportunity to be the owner and caretaker of an historic property is exciting and irresistible.  Add to that the idea of taking something and giving it new life through a new use and we’re hooked!  Such an opportunity presents itself in the former Harwood Hill School House of Bennington that we currently have listed for sale.  Built in 1829, this brick one-room school house was in use until 1960 when it was purchased by Stanley and Marguerite Burnham and converted to their home.

Harwood Hill School was a one room school house for first through eighth grade.  From the late 1930’s through the mid 1940’s there were between fifteen and twenty students enrolled, mostly from nearby Bennington farms.  The school was heated by a coal stove in the back of the room and there were two outhouses, one for boys and one for girls.  A hand operated pump in front of the building provided water.

The property is now a charming two bedroom, one bath home with hardwood floors, exposed beams and a fireplace.

We are hosting two open houses in Bennington this Sunday from 12:00 to 2:00.  Click on the addresses below for additional information.

2 East Street hosted by Listing Agent Tracy Desautels

Directions:  From Main Street/Route 9 East turn onto Burgess Road then turn right onto Center Street; from Center Street turn left onto East Street and look for Open House sign on the right.

304 Chester Knoll hosted by Listing Agent Todd Vosburgh

Directions:  From South Street/Route 7 South turn west onto Elm Street. From Elm Street turn right onto Chester Knoll and look for Open House sign.

Over the years, I have been privileged to have ben the listing agent for several of Old Bennington’s historic homes including the Jedediah Dewey home (the first minister at Old Bennington’s First Congregational Church), the Governor Robinson manse the Govenor Tichenor residence.  I have also been involved in the sale and listing of both Robert Frost properties in Shaftsbury and many, many other prominent and non-prominent historic properties, all of which have been amazingly sound and historically preserved.  It is a joy to work on these properties from the 18th and early 19th century and to share our knowledge of them with new buyers.

Bennington’s Victorian homes are truly splendid, although many of them were built not far from the industry of their original owneres and as time has progressed, have become a part of our business district.  You will see some of these fine homes now converted to law offices, professional buildings, convalescent centers and Bed & Breakfast use. If built a little later in the 20th century, they may still be in use as residences although they may be situated on a surprisingly small lot for the size of the home.  They remain very popular.  The Arts & Crafts cottages are easily spotted in our fist settled village residential areas and they offer tremendous character and solidly built frames.  They add grace and history to our oldest residential streets.

I could go on and on about the summer homes in Old Bennington built at the turn of the century, including “The Priory” that belonged to Mary Sanford on Monument Circle.  I sold this property in 2001 and the new owners have lovingly restored the entire 3-story home along with returning the gardens to their original splendour – they are spectacular!

Every single historic home has a story; why wouldn’t I love to represent these properties and their very special buyers and sellers?

There are many such fine homes listed in the Bennington area. For more information click here.

Part of our mission at Hoisington Realty is to give back to the Bennington community through volunteerism.  One of our agents, Dorothy Halvorsen, has quietly done a remarkable job in this area since before she joined our company in 1999. 

Let me tell you a little bit about Dorothy.  She raised four children as a single mother and at the same time returned to college after a successful when she owned her own Bennington real estate company, Town and Country Real Estate.  She earned both her B.A. in English and a Master’s Degree in Education and Counseling.  She put her degrees to use first as an English teacher then as a Guidance Counselor at Mount Anthony Union High School before retiring in 1998. 

After retiring from education and before joining us at Hoisington Realty, Dorothy became a guardian ad litem representing the best interests of Bennington area children in the southwestern Vermont judicial system.  She has been doing this for over fifteen years and fits this into a very busy real estate career.  She also volunteers at the Bennington Museum where she assists with the Senior Tea at Christmas and other social functions.

She is an inspiration to all of us with her quiet, steadfast devotion to the Town of Bennington and its children.  Thank you,  Dorothy, for your work and example to all of us.

One of the great things about living here in Southern Vermont and specifically in the Bennington area is the number of opportunities we have to stay active and healthy, just by getting up and going outside!  The Green Mountains offer us the opportunity for some challenging mountain biking as well as its portion of the Long Trail for some great hiking.  For those who prefer a “kinder, gentler” type of walk there is the walk at the Mile Around Woods at the Park McCullough Mansion in North Bennington as well as Hadwen’s Walk at the Bennington Museum.  There are walking tours of both Old Bennington and Downtown Bennington and there is the lovely Bennington Pathway which winds along the Walloomsac River from School Street over to the Bennington Station on Depot Street.  Of course, all throughout Bennington County there are scenic country roads that provide a wonderful place for walking and jogging. 

We are so health conscious here in our little corner of Vermont that our local hospital, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, sponsors the Trek for Health each year.  Thousands of participants from Bennington and its surrounding communities take part in an eight week event tracking their steps and activities in an attempt to get folks up and moving!  I’m proud to say that Hoisington Realty has had a team participate in the Trek for Health every year!

So get up, get outside and go stretch your legs – you’ll be glad you did!