14 resources

• George H. Gilbert Co. Records - Finding Aid
  
  In 1841, George H. Gilbert and Charles A. Stevens formed a partnership to manufacture broadcloth and cloakings in Ware, Massachusetts. The partners acquired a mill building on the Ware River and expanded in 1846-1847 erecting several new factory buildings and a number of tenements to house the growing population of workers. The records have been arranged into seven series, as follows: Legal and Property, 1844-1879, 1 box, Executive, 1848-1882, 15 boxes, Financial, 1848-1929, 2 boxes and 17 volumes, Sales, 1842-1909, 5 boxes and 1 volume, Labor, 1851-1931, 1 box and 53 volumes, Production, 1846-1930, 1 box and 54 volumes, and Miscellany, 1848-1920, 1 box and 1 volume.
• Stove Pipe City manuscript
  
  Original manuscript of a memoir and history written by Andre J. Dupré about life in "Stove Pipe City," a section of Barre, Vermont, near the granite quarries in the village of Websterville, during the years 1890 to 1930. The manuscript describes daily life of the inhabitants, mostly French Canadians, and their work in the granite quarries. It includes original drawings, maps, photographs, and floor plans of the workers' housing.
• Lavin/Rousse Graniteville genealogy collection
  
  This collection consists of genealogical and other historical files compiled by Jeanne Rousse and Louis Lavin to document the Graniteville section of Barre, Vermont. While the donors thought that Louis Lavin had created this collection, inspection of its content suggests that it was actually primarily created by his companion, Jeanne Rouse. Evidence within the collection suggests that Ms. Rouse intended to write a history of Graniteville. Although no manuscript history has been found, she was granted permission by Rock of Ages to reproduce photographs from 1912 for a history of Barre that she was writing. At some point Jeanne Rousse conducted a survey of Graniteville residents. The bulk of the files in the collection contain genealogical and biographical information about individuals and families in Graniteville, mostly in the form of clippings and notes. Additionally, many photographs (or reproductions of photographs), capturing a wide variety of subjects from family and individual portraits to businesses, are included in Ms. Rousse's files. Ms. Rousse's skill as a photographer allowed her to reproduce high-quality copy photographs of the family photos of her subjects. Ms. Rousse also created files documenting the people of different blocks, streets, and neighborhoods in Graniteville as well as the owners and employees of various businesses and quarries. In most cases, the contents of these files is biographical and is similar in nature to the files focused on entire families, but with an often greater focus on specific individuals and events. Several churches and schools are also documented.
• Ainsley family photographs
  
  The collection consists of photographs, many undated and unidentified, including one album, all previously belonging to Eva Ainsley. The album contains photos dating from around 1919 to 1930, including World War I and the 1927 flood in Barre. The bulk of the World War I photographs are of the parade on September 12, 1919 in Washington, D.C., and include several snapshots of General John J. Pershing. The album also includes photographs of Cutler Corners in Orange, Vermont, including the Ainsley farm, and Lake Memphremagog and Lake Willoughby, as well as other lakes in Vermont.
• Bilodeau-Grenier paper
  
  This collection consists of many photographs of the Bilodeau family, the J. O. Bilodeau granite company, the granite industry in general, and Barre monuments. Of special interest is a group of photographs documenting the J. O. Bilodeau & Co. granite shed between 1951 and 1957 (folder 4) and another folder containing publicity photographs for the Barre Granite Association, also from the 1950s (folder 5). As well, there is a speech, possibly written by Lucien J. Bilodeau, and typescripts and publications by other authors concerning granite, the granite industry, and Barre's history and composition.
• Interview with Martha Pellerin
  
  Consists of a transcription of a 1997 interview with Martha Pellerin. This interview and another with her sister Suzanne Pellerin Santamore were the basis for the article published by Gregory L. Sharrow in 2001.
• Philip A. and Leola M. Giroux papers
  
  This collection contains household receipts and other documents kept by Philip A. and Leola M. Giroux of Barre, Vermont, during the period 1952-1982. Included in the collection is a selection of receipts that document everyday living expenses of the couple. The collection includes insurance policies and car loans, property taxes and an income tax withholding form, G.I. bill education documentation and personal notes. Mr. Giroux's apprenticeship agreement with two Barre companies, Lawson Granite Company and Anderson Friberg Company, are also included, as are unemployment compensation forms for Mrs. Giroux before she was married. The collection also includes receipts for utilities, telephone service, appliances, radio and television, food and clothing.
• Veterans' History Project oral history interviews
  
  This collection consists of VHS video tapes and DVDs of oral history interviews with veteran Vermonters between 2002 and 2005, primarily conducted by Julie Schafer of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Interviews were conducted with residents of the Barre-​Montpelier area in Central Vermont. These interviews were recorded as part of the Veterans' History Project, which was created by legislation in the United States Congress in 2000, and charged with collecting, preserving, and making accessible the stories of American War veterans. The veterans interviewed served in the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, as well as the Women's Army Corps and the Vermont National Guard, during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Interviewees also include several former prisoners of war. Many of the recordings in this collection were produced by CVTV at 386 North Main Street, Barre, Vermont. CVTV recordings also include several other events ranging from panel discussions to rallies, parades, and other ceremonies, all with the unifying theme of military service. An inventory in the full text finding aid includes lists both interviewees and other programs in the collection.
• Leo J. Blais monument design book collection
  
  This collection contains 27 printed items about the carving of memorial monuments collected by Leo J. Blais (1931-1997), a memorial draftsman from Barre, Vermont. These publications were presumably used by Blais in his work as a draftsman in the granite industry in Barre, Vermont. Some of the items were published in Vermont, while others originate from national firms, and one is from Carrara, Italy. The collection includes publications from the following Vermont companies or organizations: Kenerson Design Studio, Barre, Vermont; Barre Granite Association; Elmo Peduzzi and Alfred J. Comi, Barre, Vermont, Ryegate Design Studios, South Ryegate, Vermont; and The Troup Studio, Barre, Vermont. A complete listing of all publications included in the collection can be found in the full finding aid for the collection.
• Barre, Vermont Heritage Festival collection
  
  The collection includes a variety of materials relating to the planning and execution of the 1970 Barre Heritage Festival. Formats of collection materials vary widely, including programs, pamphlets, tickets, passes, certificates, news clippings, and a scrapbook. In addition to documenting the Festival, the collection also includes information on the history of the town and city of Barre, Vermont. The story of the Goldsbury family, early settlement of Barre, the history of churches in Barre, arrival of immigrant groups and the flood of 1927 are all touched on in the collection. The impact of the Civil War, the Spanish-​American War, World War I, and World War II are briefly explored. Dated items are all from 1970.
• Barre (Vt.) Ethnic Heritage Studies Project records
  
  This collection contains the organizational records of the Barre Ethnic Heritage Studies Project for the two years of its existence, 1977-78. It includes meeting minutes, bibliographies, publications, teacher workshop records and audio recordings, staff information, and information about the grant award. The original arrangement of the collection as it was set up for the Project's office has been retained.
• Barre (Vt.) Ethnic Heritage Festival collection
  
  The collection includes materials relating to the Barre Ethnic Heritage Festivals of 1978 through 1982, and 1984. Most of the materials are programs and news clippings relating to each festival. Photographs and negatives from a few of the festivals are also included. The festivals focused on the history of many of the immigrant groups that settled in Barre, primarily as granite workers, including Scottish, Irish, Italian, French Canadian, German, and Polish immigration to Barre, Vermont. Dated items range from 1978 through 1984.
• Francis Jacques [sound recording]
  
  The interview begins with Gardner McNaulty talking about growing up on Jones Brook Road in Moretown, Vt. The interview then focuses on Francis Jacques, a more recent resident of Moretown. Discussed are "kitchen junkets"(farmho​use square dancing and hard cider get-togethers), clearing the roads of snow with roller and horses, people helping each other, and other life philosophies. Jacques also talks about fixing up a bus in the early 1950's and traveling the country with his wife and mother-in-law, riding up Camel's Hump on a horse, being struck by lightning three times, and varied other aspects of Vermont life, and life in general, that he thinks have gone wrong in these more modern days. Further in the interview Jacques is joined by Percy Manning. All agree that life was better in the "old days." Last section of the interview has Jacques and Hubbard riding around the area visiting the "Sleeper place" (a 200-year-old farmhouse), an area called the "Lost Nation, " and "Party Hill."
• Martha Pellerin [sound recording]: an interview
  
  Martha Pellerin, a dedicated advocate and teacher of Franco-American culture and organizer of Franco-American cultural events, talks with Kim Chase about Franco-American culture in Vermont. She talks about her French-Canadian background and why she feels it is important to keep traditional aspects unique to this culture, such as the traditional soirées and music, alive, and why it is also important to eliminate the generational gap in Franco-American culture. Martha also talks about the musical trio she formed, Jeter le Pont, bi-lingualism, Québec secession, performing for audiences and at soirées in Canadian clubs, and the Barre French Heritage Festival in the early 1990's, which she was instrumental in organizing. Good quality recording.