Currier Park Historic District
Photograph by Tracey Martin, courtesy of the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce

  Individual houses within the Currier Park Historic District
Photographs courtesy of the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation

The Currier Park Historic District lies northeast of Barre's Downtown Historic District. It is a well preserved planned residential development dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Currier Park reflects the expansion of the local granite industry, made possible by the arrival of the railroad in Barre, and illustrates the town's greatest period of prosperity.

Steadman C. Chubb was largely responsible for the development of the neighborhood. The land which now comprises the Currier Park Historic District was the last large farm adjacent to the central business district, known as Currier Farm and purchased by Chubb in 1881. After briefly raising cattle, Chubb began developing his land in 1883 as a new residential neighborhood. He laid out streets and building lots, and donated to the city a two acre plot now known as Currier Park--the focus of the district, and the city's only neighborhood park. Between 1870-1890, Barre's population grew by almost 5,000 people. The large residences surrounding the park were constructed for the wealthiest of these citizens who prospered from Barre's economic growth. Currier Park Historic District is characterized by elm and maple tree lined streets and large lots with one to two and a half story frame homes with uniform setbacks. The houses are representative of architectural styles popular at the turn of the 20th century, and include many fine vernacular and high style examples of Queen Anne, Second Empire, and the Italianate, Colonial and Greek Revival styles. Of particular interest are the remaining outbuildings, primarily barn/garages. The adaptive use of the original barns as garages reflects transition in transportation from horse drawn carriage to the automobile during the early 20th century.

Currier Park Historic District is comprised of numerous private homes which are not open to the public. It is roughly bounded by Park St., Potash Brook, East St. and Academy St. Currier Park, the center of the district is a public park.


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