A grand reopening celebration for the Socialist Labor Party Hall in Barre was held on Sept. 2, 2000. The outpouring of help and enthusiasm from citizens from all walks of life who came to the celebration demonstrates how a modest building with a remarkable history galvanized a group of townspeople both young and old to take pride in the historic preservation of their hometown.

Barre, population 16,973, possesses the greatest concentration of high-quality gray granite in the world. In 1880, waves of immigrants — mainly Scots and Northern Italians — poured into Barre to quarry and carve the stone; bringing with them a strong tradition of trade unionism and socialism.

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Source: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/