Known as the "Granite Capital of the World," Barre remains one of the largest manufacturers of granite gravestones and monuments in the United States with more than 20 granite companies. Hope Cemetery, off Vermont 14, features an impressive collection of granite sculptures and memorials crafted by local artisans. Immigrants from Scotland, Italy, Scandinavia, and Canada who came to work in the granite industry helped shape Barre'sblue-collar character. A hotbed for radical trade unionism around the turn of the century, Barre today is better known for its beautifully restored opera house and thriving commercial center.
