Colonial Houses

The Colonial Houses were part of the original Bennington campus and make up First and Second Streets. They include Bingham, Booth, Canfield, Dewey, Franklin, Kilpatrick, Leigh, McCullough, Stokes, Swan, Welling, and Woolley. Students enjoy the variety of floor plans and room layouts—some feature porch swings or courtyards, and others open onto Commons Lawn.

Copy to share:

Barnes Houses

The Barnes Houses make up half of Third Street and boast some of the biggest rooms on campus. They include Fels, Noyes, and Sawtell. They are closest to the tennis courts and soccer field, and feature central skylights, a quad suite upstairs (four single rooms with a common living space), and actively used living rooms.

Copy to share:

Woo Houses

The Woo Houses, built in 2001, make up half of Third Street. They are Merck, Paris-Borden, and Perkins. The Woo Houses feature multiple common spaces with fireplaces, comfy chairs, and large windows perfect for watching sunsets and thunderstorms. These award-winning houses have been featured in Architectural Record magazine.

Copy to share:

Co-op and Other Houses

Longmeadow, the on-campus “eco” house, gives students the opportunity to explore environmentally conscious ways of day-to-day living, such as recycling, eating habits, and composting.

Welling Town House is the College’s only off-campus student house. A 20-minute walk to Commons, the Town House has large bedrooms and numerous hidden nooks.

Copy to share:

Housing

Housing is personal at Bennington—students live not in dorms but in houses of generally 30-45 people each, with architectural styles ranging from modern design to clapboard houses reflecting 1930s New England. Bennington student houses consistently top the rankings in Princeton Review’s “Dorms Like Palaces” list.

Each house offers kitchens and comfy common areas (most with fireplaces), where students relax, study, and hold weekly Coffee Hours to discuss campus and house issues together. All houses are co-educational. There are co-ed bathrooms for every four to five rooms, all with showers, and many with bathtubs. Depending on where you live, you might find yourself enjoying a patio or porch overlooking great views of the mountains, a piano, or a second living room.

House communities are made up of continuing students, transfer students, and first-year students. Some of the current students will have lived in your house for many terms, while others will be new to the house. Through your housemates, you’ll discover new inspiring ideas and influences, and express your personality and passions.

House Chairs are undergraduate students who serve as community leaders to house residents. There are two House Chairs in each house. They are knowledgeable about resources available on campus, serve as a liaison between campus services and your house, and run Coffee Hour, the weekly house meeting.