Main Street Bridge & F.W. Bailey Mill, Circa 1920

Main Street Bridge and F.W. Bailey Mill, Circa 1920. . , The Winooski River and other waterways were paths through the wilderness for Native Americans and early explorers. The banks along these waterways became natural settlement sites, and the falls provided water power for early industry. In 1805, Montpelier, with a population of about 1,2000, was made the permanent site of the state capital, chosen primarily for its central location and its accessibility to roads and rivers., Main Street and the Winooski River have been focal points of industrial activity since the early 19th century. Water power from the dam northwest of the bridge served mills and factories that lined both sides of the river, for the production of grains, cotton, lumber, cast iron stoves, and other goods. During the winter of 1823, the flat surface of the frozen Winooski served as an open corridor for dragging 23,000 cubic feet of granite blocks over the ice from Barre for the construction of the new State House. In 1849, the advent of the railroad in town brought increased commercial activity to the waterfront. The Montpelier and Wells River depot, located in the 1877 Murray Block (far right), was lauded as a model for taste and convenience, with separate ladies’ and men’s waiting rooms, wooden wainscotting interior details, offices, and a baggage room.