At the end of the nineteenth century, once rail connections were established, granite quarrying boomed throughout north-central Vermont from Barre to Hardwick and Barton. In Barton, several quarries opened near Crystal Lake, but the village also thrived on wood-product manufacturing and the population grew to 1,335 in 1910. As roads were upgraded, voters approved the use of local granite for new bridges, and between 1895 and 1901 a dozen granite “slab” bridges were constructed. All are thought to have been constructed by Joseph Barton or brothers Oliver and Joseph Valley, owners of quarries near Crystal Lake. This remaining four-span example by Barton at the outlet of the lake is typical, with fifteen-foot spans resting on block piers tapered on their upstream side to deflect ice and debris and with curbs cemented to the deck.