No "frank and beans*" here, World's Largest Granite Zipper Sculpture (according to the World Record…read moreAcademy) includes perennials ready to be zipped up. It is built of blocks of native granite with the non-functioning zipper extending along the ground for 74 feet down this narrow alley. Artist Chris Miller named it "Unzipping the Earth," and maintains the flowers. For scale, it would need to be attached to a 450-foot-long pair of pants but no trousers are here. It is next to the Studio Place Arts building here in Barre (aka Granite City). The pocket park is open 24 hours but is not lit at night. The Vermont Granite Museum is nearby. [Review 1663 of 2024 - 152 in Vermont - 22686 overall] * References Ben Stiller's scene in the 1998 film "There's Something About Mary"

At the intersection of Main Street and Washington Street in City Hall Park, this large sculpture is…read morevisible to every vehicle making the turn. It is quite large, depicting a kneeling man holding a sword, with his shield behind him and his tunic over his arm and surrounded by a long semi-circular bench. It is a memorial to the soldiers of the Great War, which came to be known as World War I. The sculpture was dedicated on Armistice Day - November 11, 1924. Barre is known as Granite City and this one was carved here in town at what was then the Jones Brothers Company but is now the Vermont Granite Museum. Allegedly, it's known as the Whispering Statue - one can apparently sit at one end of the bench and be heard at the other end. I didn't have a partner to play with today, so you'll have to try it and let me know if it's true. [Review 1660 of 2024 - 149 in Vermont - 22683 overall]

Behind the shops on Main Street in Depot Square, this monument is to the first Boy Scout Troop in…read moreAmerica. Everything has to be first somewhere and this first is in Barre (pronounced like "berry") next to the former railroad depot. It is only about 8 feet tall including the base. The monument has the Boy Scouts fleur-de-lis on one side. The north side reads, "In 1909, Barre stonecutter and Scottish Immigrant William Foster Milne founded America's first boy scout troop with materials shipped directly from Europe's fledgling Boy Scout movement." "In the basement of the Baptist Church, he taught us the meaning of citizenship, patriotism, moral conduct and the proper attitude toward others" (Governor Deane C. Davis)" On the south side, "In the mid-1800's the booming granite industry brought waves of immigrants to Barre from neighboring Canada and across Europe, making it one of the state's most diversely populated cities. The beauty of "Barre Grey" granite and the craftsmanship of the city's stoneworkers earned the city the title of "Granite Center of the World"" And on the east side, "Carlo Abate was born in Italy and immigrated to America in 1896. A talented stone artist, he founded the Barre Evening Drawing School in 1911 and taught everything from freehand drawing to monument drafting. A world-renowned sculptor, his contributions to Barre include the figures at the entrance to Hope Cemetery and the concept for this monument." The monument was erected in 2018. There is metered parking. Check the signs for enforcement times. [Review 1666 of 2024 - 154 in Vermont - 22689 overall]

Before moving to Vermont, I had no idea that Barre had a large settlement of Italian Immigrants who…read morewere granite and marble workers and sculptors. Some of their work is renowned around the U.S., including in DC. I took my parents for a tour and it was such a neat museum, full of the history of both the area and the craft. The docent that was working was really knowledgeable and gave us a great map of the area with sights to see that would have the sculptures and also the quarries. PreCOVID, they do demonstrations of the sculpting. I would love to come back and see that.

This museum has a wealth of information about Barre and the granite industry in vermont. The…read morecurator there told us some incredible stories about the granite sculptors in the area as well as the history of the site. Would recommend for anyone passing through the area.

"Unzipping The Earth" by Chris Miller, billed as the largest zipper in North America. It's 74'…read morelong, situated in an alley next to the Studio Arts Building. Lion and I went to check it out recently on a clear day. I am a lover of the oddball and kitschy. This meets the bill. It's made of granite, stretches down a narrow alleyway. It was pretty cool, really looks like a zipper. Simple but effective. Definitely worth a stop when visiting Barre.

This is a sculpture--a cool piece of public art as nice as others in much larger…read morecities--confusingly sounding like a roadside attraction as it appears as "Largest Zipper in North America" if you're lucky enough to notice it by accident on Google maps. I found this on the map that way when passing through Barre, so we stopped to check it out. The surprise of seeing what it is when we got to it, and sharing the experience with other visitors to town was all well worth it. Plus, we parked the car and got to some local spots, and visited the very nice library. It was a good little visit to town. So, if you're in the vicinity of Barre, definitely don't miss this. I was thinking maybe not worth it to drive more than an hour out of your way... but then again, if it's worth it to you, why not?

I was taken to Hope Cemetery because i love the granite artistry…read more This cemetery is HUGE and each headstone tells a story in the way they're carved. Truly a beautiful eternal garden

this cemetery had been on my "to go to" list for years now, and i'm glad i finally made it to see…read morethe grand statues and headstones filled with rich history. due to the size, we drove slowly around the cemetery to do our own little tour, and i would definitely go again when the snow is gone

So far I've gone to 2 events here: a monthly movie night with an independent film and a poetry…read moreslam. The movie night was with free popcorn and film on the life of James Baldwin which I was dying to see, so I couldn't have been happier. After the movie we discussed race relations in the US which was a very fascinating dialogue. However, the age group for this event was more mature but they still had a good crowd regardless. The next event was a poetry slam with prizes. They even had free pizza! I didn't partake but it was a nice touch. The age range of participants was 15 to 83! Wow! That's really impressive. So much goes on here and I'm so glad to be part of it.

If you are looking for a quiet place to read, do work, or use the computer, I suggest looking…read moresomeplace else. Every time I have come in here I have found it to be extremely loud. The people who work here speak at full volume and chat, chat away. It's not uncommon for people to have entire conversations across a ten-foot span, from a computer to the help desk. Some of them have booming voices. In fact, I have come in here today for two reasons: 1. to look up the address of the public library in Montpelier, and 2. to leave a review about how difficult it is to concentrate in here. When the school day lets out, you'll also find that a lot of teenagers are stomping up and down the stairs, yelling, talking loudly, etc. The third floor is supposed to be a quiet area? but I have never found that to be the case. Right now, in fact, there is a singing group of some sort meeting downstairs. Never mind, I just overhead the front desk talking to a patron! It's not a group meeting, it is a concert! I am happy that this community has a public space where groups can meet, where people can get together and talk, a social space. However, I am very, very angry that as a person who needs quiet to work and be able to concentrate, I am unable to use THE LIBRARY. If I had the money, I would fix my computer and cell phone and not fuss any further about it. But I don't. As a person with limited income who struggles as a quiet person in a very loud world, I am disheartened that there is not a space for quiet in the library. Don't expect the people who work here to maintain a quiet atmosphere, either. They're part of the problem.