The Big Chair (Bennington)

Bennington, Vermont, United States

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Listed, not yet checked · Oct 2026

This Big Thing is recorded as still being here.

The Bennington Banner reported in June 2023 that a refurbished and redesigned Big Chair, descended from a 19-foot ladderback chair of the late 1960s outside Haynes & Kane Furniture, was unveiled at the credit union branch at 85 Washington Avenue.

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The Big Chair (Bennington)

This pin marks the Big Thing itself. If stopping, choose a safe and legal place nearby.

Site-level location · 42.8786° N, 73.1998° W

FIELD GUIDE

The story

Bennington's Big Chair has been taken down, rebuilt, moved, broken by people climbing it and rebuilt again.

According to the Bennington Banner, the original was a 19-foot ladderback chair, billed as "The World's Tallest Ladderback Chair", erected in the late 1960s by the Haynes family in front of their furniture store at the bottom of Harwood Hill. The Banner said in 2012 that it was conceived by William Haynes and built by Ken Porter Sr. Weather damage made it unsalvageable and it stood until 2000.

In 2012 local timber framers built a recreation planned at 19 feet 1 inch tall, from knotty pine logs and cedar slats, working largely from photographs supplied by Porter's son. LaFlamme's Furniture, which had bought the store, placed it on the same corner. After a fire destroyed the building in January 2014, the chair was moved to the company's new store on Main Street; the Berkshire Eagle gave its weight as 3,000 pounds.

LaFlamme's closed in 2017. Tri State Area Federal Credit Union rescued the chair in 2018 and put it near its Washington Avenue branch, which opened in 2019. In July 2021 surveillance video showed four people climbing and jumping on it; its joints splintered and the seat came away. The credit union's chief business officer told the Banner: "It wasn't meant for climbing." A refurbished and redesigned chair, with design and framing donated by Vermont Timber Frames, was unveiled on 29 June 2023.

The Banner reported in July 2025 that the branch, which sits one block west of downtown, now belongs to Heritage Family Credit Union following a merger with Tri State Area Federal Credit Union.

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PRACTICAL

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WHAT TO EXPECT

In 2021 the credit union said people came daily to be photographed with the chair. It was placed at the credit union branch, which Heritage Family Credit Union lists open Monday to Friday 9 to 5 and Saturday 9 to noon. Climbing caused serious damage in 2021, and the owner said then the chair was not meant for climbing.

ACCESS

On the grounds of Heritage Family Credit Union, 85 Washington Avenue, Bennington, one block west of downtown, off Main Street. Business property.

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