Bennington

Bennington was one of the camping places for the Indians who came through the Bear Lake Valley each year on their hunting and fishing trips. They camped there until the 1930s, asking/for food from the residents.

An emigrant train massacre happened at the mouth of Four Mile Canyon. The emigrants had camped off the main road for better feed and plentiful water. A band of Shoshone led by "Paughatello" killed all the members of the company except for one 15-year-old boy, who hid in a wash and made his way back to another company. He went on to Oregon or California with them. The battle spanned over 40 acres along the creek. Seven wagons, 20 people, 33 horses, and 14 head of livestock were involved. Wagon parts, bones, cap and ball pistols, swords, and other relics could be found decades later.

The first townsite of Bennington was located one block west of Highway 30 at the Cemetery and Wright Roads, where the old Amos Wright log cabin still stands. The first settlers, Jared Bullock and Jonathan Hoopes came in the fall of 1864 and settled on the south side of Bennington Creek. Then Evan M Greene, Hyrum Hoops, and Edmond Homer came. Six families spent the winter in 1864. In 1865 and 1869, more people were called to settle.

In 1866 the community was officially named after a town in Vermont where Brigham Young once lived. In 1873 the town had a meeting, and the present townsite was chosen. A church, school, store/post office, and new homes were eventually built.

Evan Green was the first presiding elder, serving from 1864 to 1865, followed by Dudley Merrill, who presided until 1870, then Alonzo Bingham. Joseph W. Moore was made the branch president and later became the first bishop. Church services were held in a vacant house until one could be built.

The first living white baby born Feb. 18, 1866, was Winnifred Rebecca Wright, daughter of Amos R. Wright. The first death was Admanza Greene who died of pneumonia at age 10. Jared Bullock's wife died of childbirth. She was buried at the end of of a haystack and then moved to the present cemetery later.

Deep snow, cold weather and primitive living conditions made living here hard. A traveling band and a dancing academy taught by John Dunn was organized to help people get through the long winter months.

In 1934 there was a terrible drought. At that time each home and building at the new town site had their own well. They all dried up except the one at the school, so people carried water from there. The WPA helped with a new water system and during 1934-35 the men of the community dug ditches and laid pipe to their homes. They had a big celebration at its completion in August 1936.

Today Bennington is a thriving town with many new homes and a big church.

Resources:

1. A letter written to Julian Maxwell of the General Land Office in Boise on Dec. 21, 1925 by Silas L. Wright.
2. Library reference 979.6 Massacres, Idaho Collections.
3. J. Patrick Wilde "Treasured Tidbits of Time" courtesy of the DUP.
4. Adelaide Wright Weaver, "The Story of Amos Wright."
5. Mavin Sparks, "A Glimpse Back in Bennington's Yesteryears."