Vermont Granite Museum facts for kids
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| Location | 7 Jones Bros Way Barre, Vermont |
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| Type | Granite industry museum |
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Jones Brothers Granite Shed
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | 7 Jones Bros Way, Barre, Vermont |
| Area | 14 acres (5.7 ha) |
| Built | 1895 |
| Architectural style | Straight Granite Shed |
| NRHP reference No. | 02000413 |
| Added to NRHP | April 26, 2002 |
The Vermont Granite Museum is a special place in Barre, Vermont. It teaches visitors all about the city's important history with granite. Granite is a very hard rock that was dug up and shaped here for many years.
The museum is located at 7 Jones Brothers Way. It's inside an old building called the Jones Brothers Granite Shed. This building used to be a factory where granite was processed. It's so important that it's even listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum also runs the Stone Arts School. This school helps people learn how to become sculptors and work with stone.
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What the Museum Does
The main goal of the museum is to keep and share the story of Vermont's granite industry. This industry was a huge part of Barre's economy, especially since the late 1800s. It helped the city grow and thrive.
You can visit the museum for tours between June and October. If you want to visit at other times, you might be able to arrange a special tour. There is a small fee to get in.
Learning at the Stone Arts School
The museum also offers workshops through its Stone Arts School. In these workshops, artists can learn different ways to work with granite. They learn both old and new techniques for shaping this strong stone. It's a great way to learn about sculpting!
The Museum Building's History
The museum is located just northwest of downtown Barre. It sits between North Main Street and the Stevens Branch of the Winooski River. The building itself, the Jones Brothers Granite Shed, was built in 1895.
This shed is an early example of a "straight shed." Before this, many granite sheds were shaped like a horseshoe. In this building, large blocks of granite were cut and shaped into finished products. Most of these products were markers for cemeteries.
The Jones Brothers Company
The Jones Brothers company started in 1870. It was the oldest granite business still working in Vermont when it closed down in 1975. The shed you see today is the main building left from what used to be a much larger group of buildings. The museum bought the shed in 1997 to turn it into the museum we know today.
See also
