Bennington, a township including the three villages of Old Bennington, Bennington, and North Bennington, in the southwest corner of Vermont, U.S., between the Taconics and Green mountains; the seat of Bennington County. It was chartered in 1749, settled in 1761 and named for Benning Wentworth, the governor of New Hampshire who issued the grant. The settlers were led by Samuel Robinson, who had camped in the valley on the Walloomsac River on his return from the French and Indian War.

The settlers first difficulties were with the absentee landlords of New York, who claimed rights to Bennington lands, but through successful resistance at the Breakenridge Farm in North Bennington, the independence of Vermonters was soon established.

These vigorous and independent settlers were already experienced fighters when, as Green Mountain Boys under the leadership of Ethan Allen and Seth Warner, they organized in August 1777 to resist British General John Burgoyne and his loyalists and Hessians on their march to capture the Bennington stores of arms and supplies.

The patriots set forth from the Catamount Tavern under Gen. John Stark and defeated the British at the Battle of Bennington August 16, 1777, a battle which was a turning point in the American Revolution.