Molly Stark State Park

Welcome to Molly Stark State Park, named for the famous wife of General John Stark of the Revolutionary War. The park is located along theMolly Stark Trail Scenic Byway (State Route 9), the main east-west route in Southern Vermont that connects Brattleboro, Wilmington and Bennington.

The Starks hailed from New Hampshire, where John Stark was a respected and successful road builder.  Stark was moved to join the cause of American Independence, and received a commission in the First New Hampshire Regiment.   Stark was influential and persuasive enough to recruit many men to fight for the Continental Army.  He attained the rank of General by early 1777.  Stark inspired his New Hampshire Volunteers the eve before the Battle of Bennington, fought on August 16, 1777, by proclaiming “Now, my men, yonder are the Hessians!  Tonight, the American flag flies over yonder hill or Molly Stark sleeps a widow!”