Barre Italian Life 1890-1920

During the late 19th to early 20th Centuries, the small town of Barre, Vermont grew exponentially. This was due, in part, to the emerging granite Industry, which attracted immigrants from all around the world with promises of better pay and opportunities. Thousands of men from Northern Italy, already having experience with similar stone and carving work, emigrated to the United States hoping to find work in Barre’s granite quarries. This exhibit details a bit about what life would have been like for these Italians living and working in Barre from roughly 1890-1920. It details what work in the granite industry would have been like, as well as what life was like outside of work such as at home or school, different social activities, and the politics of the time. 

This exhibit was created by McKenna White, 2023 Lorenzini Fellow