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Bennington, VT. [Cover title: Folded Bird’s-Eye View of Bennington, Vt. Showing All Points of Interest].

Troy, New York: L. R. Burl[e]igh; Charles H. Potter, [1891?]. Lithograph, 12.5” x 28.875”, plus margins, folded into printed brown wrappers (5.5” x 3.5”). CONDITION: Light wear to wrappers. Map good, separations along old horizontal folds but no losses to the map, a few short separations along vertical folds.

A scarce bird’s-eye view of Bennington, Vermont by the prolific view-maker L. R. Burleigh, likely published around the time of the dedication ceremony for the Bennington Battle Monument, the tallest structure in Vermont.

Based on Burleigh’s larger view of Bennington published in 1887, this view shows the town situated on the Walloomsac River, which appears in the foreground. Seen at the center top is the 300-foot Bennington Battle Monument, begun in 1887 and completed in 1889. The lines of the Bennington & Rutland Rail Road and the Glastenbury Rail Road pass through the town, and many streets and roads are identified. The key at lower-left (a reduced version of the key to the 1887 view) identifies twenty-four points of interest such as churches, hotels, houses, monuments, military sites, railroad stations, library, court house, battle ground, and more. Perhaps the most notable detail in this view is a military encampment shown just to the right of center, which was not included in the 1887 version, and is most likely related to the 1891 Battle Monument dedication ceremony. One group of tents is identified as the “West Point Cadets’ Camp” and a large tent nearby is identified as the “Banquet Tent.” Lead by President Benjamin Harrison, the dedication ceremony was attended by tens of thousands. This pocket version of Burleigh’s view was likely published for sale to those visiting the town for the dedication or to view the monument subsequently.

Born in Plainfield, Connecticut, Lucien Rinaldo “L. R.” Burleigh Jr. (1853–1923) was an artist, lithographer, and publisher based in Troy, New York who specialized in bird’s eye views, operating under the firm names of Burleigh Lithograph Co. and Burleigh Lithograph Establishment. A graduate of the Worcester County Free Institute of Industrial Science (today’s Worcester Polytechnic Institute), Burleigh published views of some 280 locations, 120 of which have been identified as his own. Listed in an 1883 city directory for Troy as a civil engineer, he is known to have been working as a lithographer and view publisher by 1885, producing views until 1892, most of them between 1885 and 1890.

OCLC records two copies, at the Library of Congress and Vermont Historical Society. Reps records a single copy held by the University of Vermont.

REFERENCES: “Lucien R. Burleigh (1853-1923)” at Library of Congress online; Reps #4036.

Item #7604

Price: $750.00