Barre Granite Association

Barre Granite Association The BGA is comprised of Barre area granite quarriers and manufacturers of memorials and other products.

Granite, the earth’s most plentiful and durable stone, finds new and surprising applications in a modern world millions of years after it was formed deep within the earth. Granite can be used to achieve a warm or cool look; it can be rustic or refined, casual or elegant. Because it is one of the hardest materials available, it is also virtually maintenance free. Vermont’s Barre Gray – quarried in

Graniteville is the standard of the world for monumental grade granite. Its durability, strength and moisture resistance along with its consistent gray color, free of impurities makes it the most sought after stone for the fine detailed designs and patterns of the memorial and monumental industry.

06/10/2026

Much has changed since this video was recorded, but one thing that hasn't changed is the scale and beauty of Vermont's granite industry, Rock of Ages Quarry.

This video takes a simple look around the quarry, but the view tells an incredible story. Massive granite walls, deep quarry waters, and generations of craftsmanship all come together in one of the most iconic granite quarries in the world.

For more than a century, granite from Barre has been extracted, crafted, and shipped across the globe, leaving a lasting mark on monuments, memorials, and buildings, literally everywhere.

Take a moment to enjoy and share your stories in the comments below if you have any from those days in the quarries.

06/09/2026

Standing at the edge of a Barre Granite quarry, it's hard not to be amazed by the sheer scale of these operations. Just as impressive-- and humbling--are the steep ladders that generations of quarry workers climbed every day to reach their work areas deep within the quarry.

These ladders weren't climbed once in a while-they were part of daily life. Rain or shine, workers carried tools, supplies, and determination as they navigated these towering quarry walls. Their skill, courage, and work ethic helped shape both the granite industry and the community of Barre itself.

This video offers a unique perspective on the heights these workers faced and serves as a reminder of the dedication behind every piece of Barre Granite.

06/08/2026

Assembling a Channel Bar: E.L. Smith Quarry 1964
Looking back at the E.L. Smith Quarry in Barre, VT, where skilled quarry workers assemble a channel bar, a critical piece of equipment used in the granite industry to extract granite.

Long before modern technology transformed the industry, these craftsmen relied on experience, teamwork, and ingenuity to keep Vermont's granite quarries operating. Their hard work helped build the reputation of Barre Granite as one of the finest monument and building stones in the world (still holds true today).

Take a step back in time and watch a piece of granite industry history come to life.

This is a photo of JK Pirie (a quarry operator in Barre) out of one of the Pirie Quarry granite magazines. He was takin...
06/05/2026

This is a photo of JK Pirie (a quarry operator in Barre) out of one of the Pirie Quarry granite magazines. He was taking a client around Barre in his Mitchell Six Touring car. They are parked in front of the Bobby Burns statue in Barre.

For those of you who don't know: James K. Pirie of Scotland arrived in Barre in 1881 just as the granite industry was starting to take shape. Along with his partner George Lamson, he ventured into the hills looking for quality granite and purchased a small parcel of land that would become one of Barre's respected quarries.

Through his hard work and determination, and a commitment to quality. J.K. Pirie built a reputation for producing some of the finest dark Barre granite in the region. By the time of his death around 1921. he had spent nearly four decades helping to make the industry become one of the most prominent independent quarry operators on Barre Hill. His granite found its way into monuments and memorials across North America, like many of our quarries and manufacturers do today, carrying a piece of VT Craftsmanship with it.

📸 Provided by J.K. Pirie Great Granddaughter Bette Pirie: Thank you!

06/03/2026

By the summer of 1964, the E.L. Smith Quarry here in Barre was operating at a dizzying scale. Already deep, the massive pit was a sheer, stepped canyon of solid gray stone, echoing with the constant roar of jet burners, pneumatic drills, and the sharp ring of steel on granite.

That year, the Rock of Ages operators and their tight-knit crews of quarrymen--many of them multi-generational Scottish, Italian, and Canadian immigrants-were working against the immense pulling power of old wooden derrick masts.

On a clear morning in 1964, one of the master quarrymen signaled the hoist operator high up on the rim. Down in the hole, a massive block of "Barre Gray" granite, flawless and weighing upwards of 60 tons, had just been free-cleaved using precise-line drilling and a minimal black powder charge.

Down below, the crew, without missing a beat, cleared the grout and began to reset the lines, drilling the next piece to be released, continuing a hard-nosed legacy of craftsmanship that defined Millstone Hill.

06/02/2026

A Day in the Quarry: 1965
The whistle echoed across the granite sheds just as the sun began to rise over Barre. By 7:00 am, the quarry workers were already at their stations, bundled against the cool Vermont morning. The air carried the sound of drills cutting into the solid Barre Gray granite, a sound that had become as familiar as a birdsong to the men who worked there.

In 1965, quarry work was tough, physical labor. Men spent long hours operating derricks, channelling machines, and drills, carefully removing massive blocks of granite from the hills of Barre. Every cut mattered. A mistake could cost days of work, so skill and patience were just as important as strength.

Many of the workers came from families who had spent generations in the granite industry. Fathers taught sons, and experience was passed down alongside a deep pride in the stone that helped memorials, monuments, and buildings across America.

When the Lunch whistle blew, workers gathered on granite blocks or in small shelters, sharing sandwiches, stories, and plenty of good-natured ribbing. Then it was back to work, turning rough stone into something that would stand for generations.

As the day ended and the equipment fell silent, the workers headed home tired but proud. They knew they were part of something bigger than themselves - a tradition of craftsmanship and hard work that helped make Barre known around the world as the "Granite Center of the World."

06/01/2026

"That stone must be a way of life for these men. Talk about patience and persistence."

05/29/2026

Just another day in the Quarry 1965:

From Raw Block to Finish:
05/28/2026

From Raw Block to Finish:

Address

7 Jones Brothers Way
Barre, VT
05641

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 3:30pm
Tuesday 7am - 3:30pm
Wednesday 7am - 3:30pm
Thursday 7am - 3:30pm
Friday 7am - 3:30pm

Telephone

(802) 476-4131

Website

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