Rock of Ages, a Barre-based granite company, has ended its quarry tours and shuttered its visitors center, effectively ending public access to its operations after more than 100 years.
The company posted a notice about the end of tours to its website last week, citing the need to adapt to “evolving site regulations and operational needs.” Rock of Ages and its Canadian parent company, Polycor, did not respond to requests for further details about the closure.
The quarry has been in operation since 1885, according to the company’s website. The granite industry played an essential role in Barre’s economy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and over a dozen granite-related companies remain in operation in the central Vermont city, according to the Barre Granite Association.
Rock of Ages has attracted visitors since at least 1924, when the company built a “Retiring Room” for guests to observe the quarry in action, according to its website. It introduced tours in 1930. The company paused its tours in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, but resumed them in 2022.
Heather Pelham, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, wrote in an email that the closure was a loss for the “entire state,” since tourism helps to fuel the state’s economy and employs thousands of workers.
“When guests come to enjoy our attractions, they visit our downtowns, eat in our restaurants, stay at our inns and collectively, they contributed $282 (million) in state and local tax revenue in 2023,” she wrote.
She added that central Vermont still has many cultural “gems,” historic sites, and recreational opportunities to offer visitors.
The Barre Granite Museum, which typically opens from May to October, remains an option for visitors to learn about the city’s granite industry. The Vermont Historical Society operates the Vermont History Museum in Montpelier and the Vermont History Center in Barre.
The Millstone Trails Association maintains several trails that pass through and around Barre’s inactive, former quarry sites.
