Central Vermont was built upon the granite industry, the offspring of pure Yankee tenacity and immigrant fortitude. Rock of Ages, founded by two native Vermonters and one Scotsman, epitomizes the rich cultural heritage of Barre, Vermont. Rock of Ages represents a living industry, not a museum or showcase, but a working, breathing entity that gives rise to some of the finest artistry in stone that our guests have ever seen.

A tour of Rock of Ages begins with a stop at the Visitors Center. Here you and your family will be warmly greeted by the staff. You may choose to watch a video, explore the exhibits or browse through the gift shop while waiting for your guided tour of the quarry. The Visitors Center is open May-October (the entire attraction is closed July 4^th), Monday-Saturday 8:30-5:00, Sunday 10:00-5:00. Admission is free.

Guided shuttle tours take you to the world’s largest deep-hole, dimension granite quarry, a quarry nearly 600 feet in depth. You’ll watch from the safety of a fenced platform as the workers below cut mammoth blocks of granite from the sheer walls of the quarry. You may even chance to see a titan block of granted being lifted from the depths of the quarry by a derrick capable of lifting up to 250 tons!

Guided shuttle tours operate May 25 through October 16, 2007 (closed July 4^th), Monday-Saturday 9:15-3:35, Sunday 10:15-3:35, departing approximately every forty-five minutes. From September 15 through October 16, guided shuttle tours are available Monday-Sunday, 9:15-3:35. Please note that the quarry site is quite impressive, and we believe that you will enjoy the tour whenever you visit; however, the quarriers normally work Monday-Friday from 7:00-3:30, so workers are generally not in the quarry weekdays after 3:30 or on weekends. Adults $4.00, Seniors (62 and over) $3.50, Children (6-12) $1.50, Children (5 and under) free if they ride on a lap.

The artisans will amaze you when you visit the factory. From hand pitching to laser etching, the factory tour allows you to observe the oldest and the latest: hand-dressing and sculpting techniques that have remained virtually unchanged for centuries juxtaposed against modern circular diamond saws and laser etchers. The factory is available for free self-guided observations of the craftspeople Monday-Friday, 8:00-3:30. The factory is closed weekends, all holidays and associated vacation days.

Once you’ve seen it, you’ll want to TRY IT—the Cut-In-Stone Activity is a "blast"! Grip the gun; squeeze the trigger and feel the pulsating throb of up to 110 psi of air and abrasive leap from the nozzle as you learn to cut in stone. Make a great memory as you craft a Vermont stone souvenir with your very own hands! The selection of gift items for sandblasting is being expanded for 2007 and will feature stone souvenirs and gifts that appeal to children and to adults. Price for activity varies, depending upon gift item chosen to sandblast. Price begins at just $7.95. Our Cut-In-Stone Activity Center is open June 18-August 18, Monday-Saturday 10:30-4:30.

The Boudreau’s take pride in the fact that all of their unique attractions have been created from their own imaginations. "We enjoy trying to exceed our visitors’ expectations," Mike explains. And their newest attraction, Ultimate Laser Tag, is no exception.

The Weathervane Theatre offers live, professional theatre experiences to countless audiences, introducing children — and adults — to a consistently high level of classic and contemporary live theatre productions.

The Weathervane continues their commitment to children and young audiences not only by offering "family-friendly" Mainstage productions, but also by continuing to develop and promote a wide range of performance and learning experiences.

In addition to the Theatre proper, the facilities include workshops, residence home, and office/rehearsal space all within a three-mile radius in Whitefield. Nearby, the Mountain View Grand offers a destination resort, and the Village of Whitefield boasts a bed-and-breakfast, art gallery, restaurants and more . . . Five miles to the north is Lancaster, a busy retail district with a small-town flavor; and ten miles west is Littleton, one of America’s Ten Best, and is a growing major retail and economic development community.

Once upon a time, far away in Germany where Bob and Ruth Morrell from North Conway, NH, were stationed by the US Army during the Korean Conflict, an old woman named Frau Edith Von Arps knocked on their door. She was selling dolls she’d made based on classic children’s fairy tales. After the Morrells bought twenty-five dolls, she planted a suggestion which Bob and Ruth turned into an idea, then grew into a business, and nurtured into an enduring legacy.

She suggested they build a small village around her dolls. Their idea was to create a village where storybook animals could live and storybook characters could come to life. On a patch of land the previous owner deemed too poor even for pasture, the Morrells created a handful of colorful buildings and characters, and opened their theme park in 1954.

The idea grew into a business as they added amusement rides, live shows, and unique play areas, creating a fun place for families to make lifelong memories. The fledgling park was a risky venture and, although bankers shied away from holding a mortgage on the homes of the Three Bears & Three Little Pigs, Story Land survived and grew through perseverance, ingenuity, and continuous reinvestment in the park.

Over fifty years later, Story Land continues to be all about families with young children and still entertains generations of families every year as the park has grown to include more rides, more play areas, more shows, more characters, and more gardens. At the same time, the growth of Story Land has been carefully created to keep from outgrowing the little people (and their parents and grandparents) that the Morrells dreamed of entertaining more than half a century ago in that land far from home. It all started with a stranger’s knock at their door, and children have been playing at Story Land happily ever after.