Barre City Hall and Opera House facts for kids
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Barre City Hall and Opera House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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City hall is at the far right in this photo
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | 6 N. Main St., Barre, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1899 |
| Built by | Mason & Company |
| Architect | Adams, George G. |
| Part of | Barre Downtown Historic District (ID73000198) |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000198 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 18, 1973 |
| Designated CP | September 4, 1979 |
The Barre City Hall and Opera House is a really old and important building in downtown Barre, Vermont. It was built way back in 1899. This building is special because it's home to the city's main offices. It also has a beautiful opera house on its upper floors. For many years, this opera house has been a place for shows and performances. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Discovering Barre City Hall and Opera House
The Barre City Hall building is located in the heart of Barre's main business area. You can find it on the west side of Vermont City Park. This park is shaped like a triangle. The building itself is made of brick and stone. It has four stories and a fancy design style called Beaux Arts.
What Makes the Building Special?
One of the coolest parts of the building's front is a large arch. This arch goes up three stories! It has tall, flat columns on each side. At the very top, there's a triangle-shaped roof section. The main entrance is inside this arch. It has cool iron designs and a row of arched windows above it. Higher up, there's a curved iron balcony. The top of the arch has a big, half-circle window.
Inside the building, the ground floor is where the city offices are. This is where important city business happens. The top three floors are dedicated to the opera house. This part of the building is designed for plays, concerts, and other performances.
A Look at the Opera House's History
The city hall was built in 1899. It was designed by an architect named George Adams. He was from Lancaster, New Hampshire. The theater inside was very popular until World War I. People used it for all kinds of performances, meetings, and talks.
However, when movies became popular, the theater started to lose its audience. Even though it was changed to show films, fewer people came. The theater eventually closed in 1940.
But the community really missed it! People worked hard to bring it back. Thanks to their support, the theater reopened in 1982. By the 2000s, it had been fully fixed up and made modern. Today, it's one of the best-preserved old theaters in northern New England. It's a great example of theaters from the early 1900s.
