Barre is a city in central Vermont, about 5 miles southeast and in the same county as the capital city, Montpelier. The population is around 8,500.
Barre is known as the "Granite City". The city became the granite capital of the United States after railroads were built or extended to the granite quarries in the nearby area. Until then, granite from Barre had been hard to transport anywhere, including to nearby Montpelier (which used Barre granite for the state capitol building), because of the steep hills and difficult terrain.
The transport of granite from the town's hillsides led to significant growth of the city. Immigrants with experience with stone, such as Italians and Scots, emigrated to Barre to work in the quarries or the stonecutting sheds. The population increased by around 7,000. Churches were built around the town common, and buildings utilizing the local granite were built along Main Street. Sale of granite for commercial purposes declined during the Great Depression and World War II, but a market for granite for funerary purposes remained. After World War II, Barre became tied with Montpelier as a small metropolitan area.
Barre City Hall, on Main Street at Prospect Street. The city hall was built in 1899, and features an opera house on the upper floors that was popular with the Italian immigrants who came to work in the quarries and granite sheds.
The U.S. Post Office, on S. Main Street. The post office was built in 1912.
Barre Unitarian Universalist Church, on Church Street. The church was built in 1852, with the corner towers added in 1884.
Blanchard Block, on N. Main Street overlooking the town square. The structure was built in 1904.
The Aldrich Building, on N. Main Street at Elm Street. The structure was built in 1910.
Buildings on Washington Street. On the left is the old City Hotel Barre, built in 1915 and now apartments. In the center is First Baptist Church, built in 1894.
Hedding United Methodist Church, on Washington Street at Church Street. The church was built in 1895.
Barre Congregational Church, on Church Street. The church was built in 1840, and remodeled to a Romanesque design in 1887.
The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, on Church Street at Washington Street. The church was built in 1895.
The old Spaulding School, on Academy Street at Washington Street. The school was built in 1892, and is now the Vermont History Center. In front is the Robert Burns Memorial statue. The statue was dedicated in 1899, and was financed by Scottish stonecutters to remind Scottish students of their heritage.
Houses on East Street.
Maplecroft, on Washington Street. The house was built in 1887 by Scottish immigrant George Mackie.
The Granite Block, on N. Main Street. The structure was built in 1888.
Buildings on N. Main Street. L.J. Bolster's Block, ion the right, was built in 1891.
The Miles Building, on N. Main Street. The structure was built in 1898.
Buildings on N. Main Street. On the left is the Quinlen Block, built in 1894 and noted for its stamp metal surface. On the right is the Eastman Brothers Building, built in 1895.
Buildings on N. Main Street. On the left is the Wheelock Law Office, built in 1871. On the right is the Worthen Building, built in 1890.
The Commercial Block, on N. Main Street. The structure was built in 1909.
Buildings on N. Main Street.
A view up N. Main Street.
The Morse Block, on N. Main Street at Creamery Court. The structure was built in 1898.
The old Socialist Labor Party Hall, on Granite Street. The assembly hall was built in 1900. The Socialist Labor Party was popular with Italian immigrants working in granite sheds, who had brought their ideas about labor relations and social welfare with them.
The Merlo Building, on Granite Street The apartment building was constructed in 1904.
Buildings on N. Main Street.
Barre District Court & State Office Building, on N. Main Street at Merchant Street. The courthouse was built in 1982.
The old Central Vermont Railroad Depot, on Depot Square. The former train station was built in 1908.
Barre City Place, on N. Main Street. The office building was constructed in 2014.
The old Barre Fire Station, on S. Main Street. The fire station was built in 1904, and is now a restaurant.
A house on S. Main Street.
A house on S. Main Street, at Circle Street. The house was built in 1813.
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