Furnace Grove, built over the course of the 19th century, stands as an outstanding example of one of Vermont’s earliest industries and a late 19th century gentleman’s farm and summer home. Furnace Grove is the site of one of Vermont’s early iron processing facilities, the Bennington Iron Company. At the peak of its production in the 1830s, the Bennington Iron Company employed over 150 people and produced over 7 tons of pig iron a day. Furnace Grove is significant under Criteria A for its contribution to the growth of the community of Bennington and the iron industry in Vermont. Furnace Grove is also significant for its use as a summer home and gentleman’s farm by a wealthy family from Troy, New York. During the late 19th century, much of Vermont was marketed as the best place for city people to escape the pollution and chaos of urban living. Furnace Grove takes its place along other Vermont summer homes and gentleman’s farms of the same era such as the Bennington’s Park-McCullough House and Woodstock’s Billings Farm. With its large homes, farm outbuildings and spacious grounds, Furnace Grove is significant under Criteria A for its illustration the life styles and rural aspirations of wealthy part-time residents of the late 19th century. The buildings are also eligible under Criteria C as good examples of Federal, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival style architecture. Furnace Grove retains its integrity of design, setting, feeling and association.
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