Around We Go! - 156 Main Street Roundabout

So now we’re here at Keck Circle, installed in the year 1995. It is not just Montpelier’s first roundabout, but the first modern roundabout on a state road in the entire country! How about us, huh?! At first the traffic got backed up because we weren’t quite sure how a roundabout worked, so we acted like it was just a really big and circular 4-way intersection, but we eventually got the hang of it.

On the north side of the circle is the Montpelier Health Center, which was originally built as a Masonic Temple. Before its construction, the house standing here was that Greek Revival of Roger Hubbard that we just saw on Franklin Street.

We are going to cross at the crosswalk in front of the bridge and make our way past the candy-colored house on the other side, another example of the festive Queen Anne-style “Painted Lady” architecture mentioned in our first tour. Across from it is an apartment building operated by the Montpelier Housing Authority. Next to that is the privately operated Gary Residence. It was built in the 1940s with a gift from the estate of Dr. Clara Gary, who was the first woman in Vermont to enter the medical profession. It started as a senior residence for women but now includes male residents.

You can continue down Main Street on either side of the street as I’ll be highlighting a few buildings on both sides. Our next stop will be in front of the Inn at Montpelier.