This was the largest village in Barre, situated nearly in the geographical center of the original town. Jesse O'Hara erected the first log house on its site in the spring of 1817; in the summer of that year Joseph Pelow and Asa Phillips put up similar habitations, the former a half mile north and the latter a quarter mile south. Mr. Phillip's cabin stood on the site of the subsequent residence of Alvah Mattison. The first framed house was erected by Samuel Hathaway about 1822. Many of the houses in the village were built between the years 1830 and 1835. By the 1890s most of the houses were fine specimens of architecture. Stephen Skinner opened the first blacksmith shop about 1827, and was followed soon afterward by Jacob S. Flint, as a carpenter and joiner and by Asa St. Clair as a shoemaker. Until 1867 a tavern was kept here, but in that year it was burned. About 1833 a steam saw mill was erected by Skinner, Crosman & Company, and a few years afterward a grist mill was added, but this proved an unprofitable investment. The mill was burned, rebuilt and eventually sold to R. M. Tinkman who put in machinery for the manufacture of staves and heading, which soon became a prosperous business. The post office in the original town was established about 1819 and was called Barre. Oliver Benton was appointed the first postmaster and held the office for many years. Mr. Benton was also a noted tavern keeper on the Oak Orchard Road, north of the village. [1]
Street Names
Barre Road East • Maple Street • Oak Orchard Road • Route 98