Seven Days, the Vermont independent news organization reports:
Rock of Ages, which last summer celebrated 100 years of welcoming visitors to tour its world-class granite quarry and stone-sculpting operation in Barre, Vt., will no longer be open to the public.
“After more than a century as a cherished Vermont tourist destination, we have made the difficult decision to close the Rock of Ages Visitors Center and end public access to our quarries and self-guided tours,” Polycor, the Québec City company that owns Rock of Ages, posted on its website. The company said its decision was related to visitor safety concerns, evolving regulations and its operational needs.
It’s a good story with lots of background and detail. Read it here.
This is a real shame because working quarries are very cool. One of my favorite reporting assignments was going to Swensons Quarry in Concord (story here), although it was never open to the public. Polycor bought that quarry, too, and has closed it down, although the company says it will reopen this year.
Return to the Concord Monitor