Table of Contents
The town of Barton embarked on a series of locally led community redevelopment projects which included a "Visual Analysis". The goal of this Visual Analysis was to develop and recommend an overall plan for physical improvements to Barton Village which were in agreement with the community's vision as developed through the Take Charge downtown visioning process. The steps which were involved in achieving this goal were 1) conducting historical research, 2) analyzing the natural resources, 3) determining the physical and cultural characteristics of Barton Village, and 4) proposing improvements to the village.
"The identity of a community is largely dependent on the visual
character of its environment...... Understanding the basic structure and
pattern of this landscape is a critical first step toward preserving its
scenic beauty." (Cotton, p.32, 1995)
The history of Barton was researched in terms of its natural resources,
infrastructure, and social organizations. The local historical museum,
several state agencies such as the Agency of Natural Resources, the Center
for Rural Studies at the University of Vermont, Northern Vermont Development
Association (NVDA), and the Bailey Howe Library were our resources for
historical information. Sanborn maps, GIS maps provided by Microdata, and
contour maps were critical to gathering data on the physical character
of Barton.
Simultaneously, current activities of the town, including Take Charge/Recharge, the Main Street Assessment, and the other NVDA Block Grant-related activities were reviewed. Several meetings were arranged for discussion and coordination with the local leaders of these activities. Input from the community was an essential component in developing an analysis which would reflect the village's concept of itself.
The third step of the Visual Analysis was a photo survey of the sites and buildings. The photo survey went hand in hand with analyses of Barton's history, natural resources, infrastructure, transportation, and the topographic maps. Four areas were identified as key components of the village to focus on. They are the gateways coming into the village, the Village Green, the Crystal Lake outlet, and the Brick Kingdom.
Part four of the Visual Analysis was the development of proposed design solutions for Barton. Discussion of proposed improvement to these areas occurs under Part III: Recommendations. The design work consists of presentation boards, a photographic survey analysis, and this publication.
Comments to: crs@uvm.edu Reviewed on 3/28/97