This is Our Home: The story behind the World's Tallest Filing Cabinet in Vermont

The 40-foot tower has been a staple of Burlington's South End for decades

The 40-foot tower has been a staple of Burlington's South End for decades

The 40-foot tower has been a staple of Burlington's South End for decades

On Flynn Avenue in Burlington’s South End, a filing cabinet stands over 40 feet tall, with 38 drawers and a whole lot of history.

Built in 2002 by local artist and architect Bren Alvarez, the sculpture was originally meant to highlight the years of delay surrounding the Southern Connector project, now known as the Champlain Parkway. Each drawer represents a year that passed between 1965 and 2002 without the road being completed.

“There was a lot of division,” Alvarez said. “Some people were interested, and some thought it was the worst idea in the world.”

What started as a creative protest has since taken on new meaning.

“For me, this has become a monument to public process — that we all have a voice,” she said.

Today, the “World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet” draws visitors from all over; some discovering it online, others by chance. Its base is now covered in stickers left by people from across the country.

And while the Parkway is finally under construction, Alvarez hopes the sculpture continues to spark conversation and community connection.

“I’d love to think of this as a starting point,” she said, “where awesome things can happen in both directions.”