Guide by Cell Technology Casts its Spell Over Barre with Hope Cemetery Tour 

 Artistry + Technology = One Cellsational Tour

The magic begins at Rock of Ages when a large block of premium Barre gray granite is shipped from the quarry to our factory in Graniteville, Vermont. 

You’re in our factory watching the artisans, your Guide by Cell Rock of Ages Factory & Hope Cemetery Tour map in hand.  The granite wizards below manipulate the mysterious force of artistic alchemy, transforming solid stone into awe-inspiring works of art. But how? 

You’d relish chatting with each artist as s/he casts a spell over the stone to inquire about each transformative step from block, to slab, to final incanted inspiration transfixed in igneous rock. 

Your cell phone springs to life, telling the tales of the sorcerer’s art, as though you were chatting with each artist on the factory floor below you…

You drive, map in hand, to nearby Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont, to view the sorcerers’ stones. Your eyes feast on one memorial and then another and another… a racecar, a biplane, a soccer ball, a couple in bed... 

What muse? What magical inspiration unleashed such artistry upon the mortal world? 

Your cell becomes the time portal that transports you to the moment of conception, the “story behind the stone” that gave impetus to the granite wizard’s art. Your ocular feast takes on an auditory dimension. Your ears feast on a banquet of narration and dramatization as you learn the sometimes poignant, sometimes tragic, sometimes quirky and occasionally humorous tales that gave rise to each artistic creation.

Experience Rock of Ages and Hope Cemetery as never before with our new Guide by Cell Tour. 

Tour maps available for sale at the Rock of Ages Visitors Center, 558 Graniteville Rd., Graniteville, VT, 802-476-3119

Vermont Granite Museum of Barre - The Vermont Granite Museum of Barre has purchased and renovated an 1895 straight stone shed that serves as the home of a stone arts school. Although the museum is not yet open to the public, the Vermont Granite Museum operates the Visitor Information Bureau in Barre, which also houses ongoing stone exhibits and a gift shop. http://www.granitemuseum.org/

Hope Cemetery - One mile north of Barre on Rte 14. Opened in 1895, this is the premier showcase of Barre's granite and sculptural heritage. Highly personalized, unusual monuments of surpassing beauty!

The Vermont Historical Society - The Vermont Historical Society operates the Vermont History Center in Barre and the Pavilion Museum in nearby Montpelier, Vermont. http://www.vermonthistory.org/

Millstone Hill Touring And Recreation Center - Millstone Hill Touring And Recreation Center features over 30 miles of scenic hiking and biking trails, providing access to dozens of historic quarry sites. www.millstonehill.com/touringcenter.html

Studio Place Arts - Studio Place Arts occupies three floors of the historic Nichols Building in Barre and features an art gallery, artists in residence and offers a variety of art classes. www.studioplacearts.com

New England Cooks - New England Cooks is the regional cooking show that is filmed right here in Barre, Vermont. To attend a taping of the show while visiting Barre, please visit their website for calendar of events and ticket availability. www.newenglandcooks.com

Bragg Farm Sugar House - Located in East Montpelier, Vermont, this traditional sugar maker offers a free tour. www.braggfarm.com

Morse Farm Sugar House & Country Store - A great place to learn about the gathering and boiling of maple sap to make Vermont's famous maple syrup. Offers charming folk art dioramas and a country store that boasts the finest selection of Vermont-made foods in Central Vermont. www.morsefarm.com

The Vermont State House in Montpelier, Vermont - Vermont's beautiful State House was the first commercial building to be constructed from Barre granite.www.vtstatehouse.org

Covered Bridges - Vermont is noted for its many historical covered bridges. The nearby community of Northfield Falls boasts four of them. www.vtonly.com/brdgindx.htm

The Floating Bridge - The floating bridge is in Brookfield, VT, just off Rte 14, south of Williamstown, VT. It is the Yankee answer to a perplexing problem. Inhabitants of Brookfield could cross the ice in the winter, but they could not drive carriages over the pond in the summer. To drive around the pond took too much time. In 1820 the townspeople created a bridge of logs to connect the two sides. Each year water-soaked logs were replaced with new ones until 1884 when Orlando Ralph devised a bridge that rested on tarred kerosene barrels that floated on the water. In 1978 the wooden barrels were replaced with plastic containers filled with Styrofoam. Come fish off it, swim near it or drive your car over it. Your tires will get wet, but the bridge will get you safely across. NO trucks please! www.central-vt.com/web/floating/

Knight's Spider Web Farm - Knight's Spider Web Farm in nearby Williamstown, VT, is the only spider web farm in the world. Webs are harvested and used in the creation of unique art. Not your ordinary attraction! www.spiderwebfarm.com

Porter Music Box Company - The only company in the world that still manufactures the disc-style music boxes like the Regina music boxes of the Victorian era. www.portermusicbox.com

Cabot Cheese Factory Tour - Maker of world championship cheeses! Visit their factory for a tour or their Annex in Stowe. www.cabotcheese.com

Adams Apple Orchard & Farm Market - On-line store with a variety of Vermont specialty products. ww.upickvermont.com

For more information about other fine attractions to visit in Vermont, please visit the Vermont Attractions Association: www.vtattractions.org

HOTELS & MOTELS

Something suitable for all tastes and budgets

Best Western Inn & Suites Rutland/Killington .... 1 US Route 4, Rutland 802-773-3200

Budget Inn ....573 N. Main, Barre 479-3333

Comfort Inn & Suites...Exit 7 of I-89 213 Paine Turnpike N, Montpelier, VT 223-5258

Capitol Plaza Hotel ....100 State St., Montpelier 223-5252

The Comfort Inn ....I-89, exit 7, Berlin 229-2222

Days Inn ....Rte 14, Barre 476-6678

Economy Inn & Suites...238 South Main Street, Rutland  773-2784

Hollow Inn & Motel ....278 So. Main, Barre 479-9313

Inn at Montpelier ....147 Main, Montpelier 223-2727

Hilltop Inn ....Airport Rd., Berlin 229-5766

Pierre Motel ....362 N. Main, Barre 476-3188

Twin City Motel ....Barre-Mont. Rd., Barre 476-3104

Vermonter Motel ....Barre-Mont. Rd., Berlin 476-8541

BED & BREAKFAST AND LODGES

Beaver Pond Farm & Inn ....Golf Course Rd., Warren, VT 583-2861

Betsy's B&B ....74 E. State St., Montpelier, VT 229-0466

Gibson House B & B ....341 Dartmouth College Highway, Haverhill, NH 603-989-3125

Inn at Montpelier ....147 Main St., Montpelier, VT 223-2727

The Lodge at Millstone Hill ....59 Little John Rd., PO Box 44, Websterville, VT 479-1000

May Farm B&B ....Stowe, VT

Moose Meadow Lodge ....607 Crossett Hill, Waterbury, VT 244-5378

The Woods At Wihakowi...Northfield

West Hill House...1496 West Hill Road, Warren Vermont 05674  (800) 209-1049  

Barre Homecoming
Held the last Friday and Saturday in July. Come join us in downtown Barre City for this annual festival. http://www.barrecity.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B4B837633-65D5-4965-B5F8-2A0727DE19FF%7D

Barre Granite Festival
This annual event is held on September 10, 2011 to celebrate Barre's rich granite heritage. www.granitemuseum.com/festival.htm

For many other Barre events, please visit: (click here) and select the - Entertainment, Events, Shopping section.

For a more comprehensive listing of the events in the Barre-Montpelier area, please visit the Vermont Chamber of Commerce or visit the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce

For additional information on biking, horseback riding, canoeing, fishing, etc., please visit the Vermont Outdoor Guide Association.

Burlington International Airport, in Burlington, Vermont, is located about 45 miles from the Barre area. It is the closest international airport. Smaller prop and commuter planes may fly into Knapp Airport, located in Berlin, Vermont, about eight miles from Barre.

If you fly into Burlington and need to rent a car:
Thrifty.......802-863-5500

Should you be in the Barre area and need to rent a car:
Enterprise...........Barre-Mont. Rd. 802-479-5400

Taxi Services in Barre and Montpelier:
K C Taxi...............802-476-0882
Payless Taxi.........802-476-4097

If illness should arise or an emergency occur while in Central Vermont: Central Vermont Medical Center Berlin, Vermont 802-371-4100. It provides complete emergency services.

Lazy Lions Campground on Middle Road, Graniteville, VT. The closest campground to Rock of Ages Quarries. Offers water, electricity and sewer. 802-479-2823

Limehurst Lake Campground on Rte 14, Williamstown, VT. 70 sites with full hookups. Lake with sandy beaches, giant water slide. 802-433-6662.

Barre Opera House...N. Main, Barre 476-8188
The Barre Opera House is host to a variety of performances each season. Come see the best of professional and community theater.

Lost Nation Theater...Main, Montpelier 229-0492
Lost Nation is Vermont's own award-winning professional theater group in Montpelier.

Paramount Movie Theater...241 North Main Street, Barre 479-9621

The Savoy Theater...26 Main Street, Montpelier229-0509

Capital Theater...93 State Street, Montpelier  229-0343