Editing Benson, Vermont (section)

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|45.5|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|44.0|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1.5|sqmi}}, or 3.36%, is water. Benson has {{convert|53.4|mi|km}} of town roads.

The Benson Sycamore Tree is a local institution, located on Stage Road at the former estate of [[Lieutenant Colonel]] John Trutor.<ref>"Remembering Benson, p. 10</ref>   Before Lieutenant Colonel Trutor purchased the property on Stage Road, it was a local inn that served tourists who trekked through the state's roads and railways.  Two of the most famous individuals who stayed at the inn were [[John Blackburn (songwriter)|John Blackburn]] and [[Karl Suessdorf]], who wrote the song "[[Moonlight in Vermont (song)|Moonlight in Vermont]]" while staying at the inn.<ref>Sheila Davis (1984) ''The Craft of Lyric Writing '', Writer's Digest Books, Cincinnati {{ISBN|0-89879-149-9}}</ref>   Blackburn and Seussdorf memorialized the Sycamore tree, a massive [[wikt:specimen|specimen]], in the song's lyrics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vtbmwmov.org/rides/RAT/Find+these+trees.pdf|title=vtbmwmov.org|website=www.vtbmwmov.org|access-date=March 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323042258/http://www.vtbmwmov.org/rides/RAT/Find+these+trees.pdf|archive-date=March 23, 2018|url-status=usurped}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://fpr.vermont.gov/forest/vermonts_forests/big_trees#searchlist|title=Vermont's Big Trees - fpr|website=fpr.vermont.gov}}</ref>   A small plaque makes reference to this historical moment of musicianship on Stage Road, opposite the home.