Historical Images, Barre-Montpelier Road

Description

When the road was dirt, near Cody Chevrolet

This collection is part of a larger collection documenting the development of US Route 302 between Barre and Montpelier, Vermont, known as the Barre-Montpelier Road. What was once a country road linking the two cities through the town of Berlin, Vermont, became a commercial strip during the mid- 20th century.

The collection also includes images of Barre's North Main Street and Montpelier's River Street, which are located at either end of Berlin's Barre-Montpelier Road. Historic images of these roads are paired with photographs taken in 2021 by intern Emma Norman.

The larger collection is divided into three parts: the 1975 black-and-white photographs of Kenneth Brown, postcards of motels and restaurants along the strip, and other historic images of the road.

This section of the collection features postcards from the collections of the Vermont Historical Society that show commercial enterprises, primarily motels, along the Barre-Montpelier Road.

This section of the collection includes various historic images -- and a few printed items -- from the Barre-Montpelier Road.

Contributor(s)

  • Leahy Library, Vermont Historical Society, 60 Washington Street, Barre, Vermont 05641

Collection Tree

Barre-Montpelier Road Looking East
View of the Barre-Montpelier Road looking east toward Barre from the approximate location of today's Burger King at 1331 Barre-Montpelier Road. The stacked lumber is near where a large building that houses the Vermont Lottery Commission and Express…

Barre-Montpelier Road, 1990
View of the Barre-Montpelier Road looking toward Montpelier, 1990. Many traffic lights and directional signs hang overhead. Sings for McDonald's, Firestone, Harry's, Burger King, and a Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge dealer can be seen.

Traveler's Rest Motel Building Damaged by Explosion
This photograph is of the damaged “Cement House” that was, along with the five cabins, the Traveler’s Rest Motel. The building was damaged by a large dynamite explosion in a state storage shed in 1932. Photos of the crater caused by the explosion…