Barre Historical Society
A Brief History
of Barre
Barre, a town set among the hills and valleys of central Massachusetts, started out as a rural farming community that has grown to almost 5,000 residents. Before Barre became a town in 1774, it was called the Northwest District of Rutland. As more settlers populated the area, the town became gradually autonomous, earning its own name-- Rutland District. The name was changed to Barre in 1776 in honor of Col. Issac Barre, a member of the British Parliament who embraced the colonists' cause of independence.
As the Industrial Revolution reached Barre, many villages flourished. Textiles, gunpowder, and wood products were all lucrative industries for a time until the twentieth century, when the Charles G. Allen Company and the Barre Wool Company were the main industrial forces. Today, the ares is a tourist mecca where visitors can appreciate the display of autumn foliage, the sports of fishing and hunting, local shops and lush fertile farmland.
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This was the first item manufactured by the Chas G. Allen Company, it was assembled from 1874 to 1930.
