On July 3, 1863, Brigadier General George Stannard ordered 900 men of his Second Vermont Brigade to attack the right flank of the final Confederate assault at the Battle of Gettysburg. That decisive blow to Pickett's Charge, by troops untested in battle, ensured Union victory in the Civil War's largest battle and is widely regarded as its turning point. Stannard was severely wounded at Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, and Fort Harrison, where he lost his right arm.
Retiring from military service, Stannard purchased a farm in Milton to raise horses and cows. He also served as customs collector and owned area brickyards before selling this property in 1872. He lived the rest of his life in Washington, D.C.
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Dr. Calvin Deming (1774-1849) of Waterbury was elected in 1814 as the first Secretary of the Vermont Medical Society. He served as West Milton postmaster in 1837. He moved to the West Milton-Checkerberry area, where he had a wood-framed dwelling built as his home and medical office about 1840. The Greek Revival-style house stood 1½ stories on a stone foundation.
In 1866, George Stannard purchased the farm. Barns were designed to accommodate the one-armed general. The property was owned in the 20th century by the Sanderson family. The outbuildings burned in 1989 and the house was moved in 2019 to ensure future interpretation. In October 2020, the park was dedicated in celebration of Stannard's 200th birthday.
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.