Welcome back to National Parks and other public lands with T! 

We visited Hubbardton Battlefield State Historic site after having lunch in the town of Brandon.

The Battle of Hubbardton►

American patriots fought Vermont’s only Revolutionary War battle at Hubbardton Battlefield in July 1777. The Battle of Bennington was actually fought in what is now New York State. At the time, both New York and New Hampshire claimed the village of Hubbardton as their territory. The Vermont Republic had not yet been recognized as an independent government.

The Battle of Hubbardton was part of the Saratoga Campaign in which the British fought for control of the Hudson River Valley. American forces abandoned Fort Ticonderoga when they spotted the British army setting up on nearby Mount Defiance. Led by General Arthur St. Clair, they retreated to Castleton. Along the way, they rested in Hubbardton.

When St. Clair ordered the troops to continue their march, he left a rear guard behind under the command of Colonels Seth Warner and Nathan Hale (not the spy – that was a different Nathan Hale.)

The British caught up with the rear guard in Hubbardton. Initially the Americans were successful in repelling the British troops, but then German reinforcements arrived. The British took 300 American prisoners back to Fort Ticonderoga, but the well-fought battle deterred them from pursuing St. Clair’s main army.

Hubbardton Battlefield State Historic Site►

The State of Vermont purchased the battlefield lands in the 1930s to create a State Historic Site. The battlefield achieved National Register of Historic Places designation in 1971.

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The small visitors center has a museum which tells the story of the historic battle through artifacts, dioramas and interactive displays. I spent a few minutes inside looking at the exhibit before joining my husband and dogs outside.

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Next, we walked the grass loop trail past 6 interpretive signs with information about the battle. The State maintains the field by mowing.
It adjoins the Hubbardton Battlefield Wildlife Area. The rolling Taconic Mountains dominate the views. The 6th stop is the obelisk-style monument erected by locals to commemorate the battle in 1859.

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Location: 5696 Monument Hill Rd, Castleton, VT 05735
Designation: State Historic Site
Date Designated/Established: 1930s
Date of my visit: 7/31/2020