City Granite Vermont
Barre Downtown Historic District
The commercial and public buildings that form the Barre Downtown Historic District reflect the city's rapid transformation in the 1880s from a rural farming community to an urban, industrialized environment. The area was rich in granite, and quarries were established by the early 19th century. Granite for an early Vermont State House was provided from Barre quarries, transported by teams of horses and oxen. Until the railroad arrived, the community remained small and isolated, and the downtown area was comprised of a collection of widely spaced houses and a few businesses. The first line opened in 1875, in the center of Barre, and a second quarry line was connected in 1888. With this new ability to import and export goods, the granite industry soared, and by 1902 the city had 68 granite quarries. Consequently, Barre and its residents experienced a great period of prosperity and growth, reflected in the buildings erected during that time. ... [Read More]
Text-Only version
The Italian Baptist Church is a unique example of Vermont's vernacular architecture. Designed by the church's first minister, A. B. Bellondi, the church was built from 1906-1908 by a largely volunteer labor force of Barre's immigrant Italians. The result was a vernacular adaptation of Northern Italian Renaissance style churches that Bellondi was familiar with. Local granite and lumber were used in the construction. Brick side walls masked the building's balloon frame, constructed from local lumber. The monumental front on the building, almost entirely comprised of local granite, received the greatest amount of detail. While the polished granite Doric columns are perhaps the dominant feature, other granite elements include rusticated granite blocks, smooth granite panels for the walls, and decorative pilasters and frieze. ... [Read More]
Vermont Regional History
The historic sites of Washington County tell specific stories of Vermont history. Geographically, Washington County is located in the center of the State, home to the Capital City of Montpelier , the more industrial community of Barre , and many small towns and villages dispersed along the valleys of the Green Mountains. This region has moderate average temperatures, summer highs reach the mid 80's, autumn and spring months have highs in the mid 50s, and lows in the 20s and 30s. Washington County receives 40 inches of rain annually and has the heaviest snow fall of the State, averaging ten feet every year. This amount of precipitation has always been a challenge for Vermonters. Although it has the shortest growing season in Vermont, less than four months, Washington County was historically an agriculturally based economy, augemented by numerous small industries throughout the counties villages. Many of the sites on our tour reflect this aspect of the area's history, as well as the c ... [Read More]
City of Cleveland
The current City Hall is the last of a number of smaller structures that served as the focus of local government. In 1796 the Village of Cleveland, founded by Moses Cleveland, first held their meetings in the homes of prominent settlers. By 1814, the population of Cleveland was 125 and the first city hall was built by James Walworth between West 6th and West 3rd Street on Superior Avenue. This building remained the City's political center until 1836. By now the population had grown to 6,000 and the City began to rent nine rooms to house the local government. This "rented" government seat cost approximately $1,000,000 and was located in the Jones Building until 1875. The next move was to the Case Block which formed a lease with the City for 25 years at $36,000/yr. The City eventually purchased the property and it was the first time the City owned its own home. At this time, the population had grown to about 100,000. City Hall, in all its glory still stands proud and tall. ... [Read More]
Letter from the Governor
Welcome to historic Washington County , located in the heart of the Green Mountains of Vermont. It is the home of Vermont's capital city of Montpelier , the granite capital of the world in Barre , and eighteen other towns of architectural and historic distinction. ... [Read More]
Building Stones of Our Nation's Capital: Walking Tour Stops 28-33
Remarks: Designer Lawrence Halprin started work on the project in 1974. More than 6,000 tons of granite, enough to erect an 80-story building, is used in the construction of the FDR Memorial. That includes 75,000 square feet of granite pavers and 31,000 pieces of stone. The FDR Memorial is also the first presidential memorial to honor a First Lady. ... Building Stones: Piers, Georgia granite; facing of spans, granite from Georgia, Vermont, North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Maine ... [Read More]
Barre City Hall and Opera House
The Opera House reopened in 1982, although in need of much repair. It was renovated over the next decade, and in 1993 a grand reopening took place showcasing the theater and three nights of local talent. Many of the original interior details remain including the original balcony and ornamented boxes, proscenium arch, art glass fanlight and pressed metal ceiling. The exterior of the yellow and red brick structure, like so many in Barre, features ornamental granite. ... [Read More]
Rutland
It has been said that Rutland is to Burlington what Chicago is to New York City. In other words, if Burlington is a city for entrepreneurs, then Rutland is a working class city where family ties and the more traditional values of this country remain strong. Rutland is a popular crossroads in Vermont: Routes 4 and 7 converge here and remind us that this intersection once served as an important railroad crossing. The marble and granite industries gave birth to Rutland's economy, which today is fueled by more than just tourists who spend dollars on the way to Killington and Pico ski resorts. Rutland is the center for commerce in the Lower Champlain Valley, and it is an important national link for Vermont's economy. ... [Read More]
Montpelier
The outstanding feature of our capitol city, apart from its distinction as being the smallest state capitol in the US, is its golden domed marble state house, which was completed in 1838. The city seems an unlikely candidate for a capitol, given its size, but perhaps the friendly character of Montpelier has rubbed off positively on the sometimes less than civil affairs of government. In any case, Montpelier is truly one of the most delightful little cities in Vermont. Every year it seems that more restaurants and fascinating shops emerge, adding commerce to a city that will surely have no trouble preserving its unique character in the years to come. Montpelier is very centrally located and accessible by major roadways from all directions. It is located on the banks of the Winooski river and sits in the heart of Vermont's granite industry. ... [Read More]
Table D3. U.S. Electric Utility Plants by Utility, 2000
Farmer City City of ... Falls City City of ... Forest City City of ... [Read More]
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