Southern Vermont College has its roots in Saint Joseph College which was established in downtown Bennington by the Sisters of Saint Joseph in 1926. In 1974, the Sisters of Saint Joseph turned the College over to an independent board of trustees and the College moved to its current location on the Everett Estate. Within a few months the name of the College was changed to Southern Vermont College and it became a private, independent college no longer having a religious affiliation. Southern Vermont College is a career-oriented liberal arts college, offering 14 bachelor and 8 associate degrees. The College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

In 1910, Edward Everett bought 500 acres of farm land from the John S. Holden Estate. Work began on the Estate in 1911 and was completed in 1914. The Estate served as his summer residence. Mr. Everett died in 1929 at the age of 77. However, a few months after his death the stock market crashed, depleting much of his fortune. Everett's second wife, Grace, used the mansion as her primary residence until 1952 when she sold the Estate to the Order of the Holy Cross for use as a novitiate. It sold for the remarkably low price of $65,000. In 1974, Holy Cross exchanged properties with St. Joseph College in downtown Bennington.