Moments Project – Plaza Park
Plaza Park (1924). Brattleboro Vermont.
Plaza Park was created making a pleasant view for disembarking train passengers. Visitors had their first glimpse of Brattleboro when they departed a train and walked into town. Also greeting them was a fountain placed in May of 1924 crowned with sculptor Daniel Chester French’s ‘Spirit of Life’ bronze statue.
The ledge on this site originally came right to the edge of Whetstone Brook. It was dynamited away in 1802 to make Bridge Street. The first known industry on this site was the Hinsdale Arms Machine Shop, probably powered by steam. In 1857 Jacob Estey built an organ factory here. The Brattleboro House Hotel had been located here. In 1913 Brattleboro House was torn down and for ten years this was a vacant lot. In 1924 Lyman Holden gave the lot to the town.
There were over 2,500 people in attendance when the ‘Spirit of Life’ was unveiled. The main speaker said, “We have tonight a vision of Main Street with new pavement and ornamental lights, so that from the Common to the Plaza it will be a thoroughfare of which we may justly be proud.”
The Brattleboro Vermont Historical Society- https://bhs802.org/
