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Walking Tours, Lectures, Fundraisers, and Other Activities
Lectures take place at the Manchester History Center at 175 Pine Street. Parking is available along Pleasant
Street and along Forest Street next to the building; parking for people with disabilities is available in the small lot next to (north of) the History Center. The building is
accessible. The costs for lectures and walking tours varies; some events are free; many of our walks are free for children under 16 accompanied by parents or other adults. Donations are always welcome.
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information on becoming a member!
Historical Society received a $4999 grant from Connecticut Humanities to create the exhibit, which showcases the history of Manchester from pre-Colonial times to the present, and illustrates Manchester�s contributions to the arts and industry. The exhibit tells the story of how people from around the globe and from diverse backgrounds came to call Manchester home. The goal of this exhibit is to illustrate how Manchester�s past relates to the present day. Visitors will be invited to consider how today's choices can shape the future. The Society is grateful to the Connecticut Humanities and our private donors for supporting this professionally designed and installed exhibit. Free. NOTE: Holiday closing -- The History Center will be closed on Saturday, December 23, reopening on Wednesday, January 3.
recorded beginning in February 2003. Four retirees talk about the beginnings of the parachute industry, and changes in parachute operations over the years. Martha Seavey, Grace Tedford, Fred Ware, and Jim Reuter describe their jobs, including administration, sewing, supervising, and engineering. Susan Barlow also visits Fred Towle, a former pilot, who used his Pioneer parachute in 1944 to bail out of a B-17 over Germany.
The show airs at 12:00 noon and 8:00 p.m. on Cox cable channel 15 on Saturdays, and runs on all the Saturdays of the month. The show changes each month. This Channel 15 broadcasts in Manchester, Glastonbury, South Windsor, Wethersfield, Rocky Hill, and Newington. Some previous local-history shows can be borrowed at Mary Cheney Library. The television show is produced by Susan Barlow, directed by Kathryn Wilson, researched by Jill Gelinas, all volunteers of the Manchester Historical Society. You can watch some of our previous television shows online at the the Cox Cable website. You can watch this month's show at any time RIGHT HERE on the Public Access website Pioneer show on Public Access TV. Also the very special LIVING HISTORY PROJECT 34-minute video by Zack Carroll, with commentary from Manchester residents about the Town's past, present, and future. Watch this bicentennial special by clicking here at any time.
both amateur and more experienced genealogists, as we explore topics in genealogy, helping each other with research and in overcoming roadblocks. Meet at the Manchester History Center, 175 Pine Street. Roundtable discussion, possibly with a guest speaker. The Genealogy Group consists of Historical Society members, but non-members are also welcome ($3.00 fee for non-members). The group usually meets on the second Wednesday of the month. Visit Reprints webpage for resources such as Town directories, high school yearbooks, Almshouse records, Beekeepers Register, etc.
Meet at the office steps, Fuss & O'Neill, 146 Hartford Road, Manchester. Hikers will trace the route of the former railroad, built in 1869 to connect the Cheney silk mills to the
main rail line in the North End. At 2.5 miles, it was the shortest private freight-and-passenger railroad in the United
States. We will start our hike in the South End, heading north toward Center Springs Park. We will see the town of Manchester improvements at the Park Street bridge and trestle over Center Street. Some of the hike will be along roads. About 3 miles round trip. Extreme weather cancels. No dogs, please. FREE. 1900 photo at right shows the depot of the South Manchester Railroad, located at that time just to the east of Cheney Hall. The depot was moved farther north in 1910, and is no longer in existence.
Click here to see information about the history of the Cheney Railroad. To enjoy the trail on your own, print a copy of this railroad map.
the Manchester History Center, 175 Pine Street. One of a three-part series, which follows the history of the original settlers on the land where Manchester is today. The March 24 lecture focuses on pre-European contact, the initial contact with the Europeans, and the Pequot War. The second, on April 14, focuses on the 40 years between the Pequot War and King Philip�s War, when the Narragansetts and Mohegans battled over control of the former Pequot land. The third, on May 12, is about King Philip�s War and its devastating consequences for the tribes of Southern New England, including our local tribe, the Podunks. Come to one, two, or three of the illustrated talks. Manchester attorney Steve Penny has conducted research on this topic, and has spoken throughout the area. Free for Historical Society members; $5 for non-members. Parking available along Pleasant Street and in the small lot north of the building. Do you have Native American artifacts to share? We can display them in glass cases during this series. You can bring them to the History Center during regular hours: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 10:00 to 2:00 and Saturdays noon to 4:00. Or phone 860-647-9983.
the Manchester History Center, 175 Pine Street. Second of a three-part series, which follows the history of the original settlers on the land where Manchester is today. The April 14 talk focuses on the 40 years between the Pequot War and King Philip�s War, when the Narragansetts and Mohegans battled over control of the former Pequot land. The third talk, on May 12, is about King Philip�s War and its devastating consequences for the tribes of Southern New England, including our local tribe, the Podunks. Come to one, two, or three of the illustrated talks. Manchester attorney Steve Penny has conducted research on this topic, and has spoken throughout the area. Free for Historical Society members; $5 for non-members. Parking available along Pleasant Street and in the small lot north of the building. Do you have Native American artifacts to share? We can display them in glass cases during this series. You can bring them to the History Center during regular hours: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 10:00 to 2:00 and Saturdays noon to 4:00. Or phone 860-647-9983.
Preservation Connecticut and Jane's Walk, Inc., encourage cities and towns to host neighborhood walking tours where residents can meet and talk to each other about their experiences living in Manchester, or in their hometown. The free, citizen-led tours are inspired by Jane Jacobs (1916-2006), writer, urbanist, and activist who championed a community-based approach to city-building. The walks get people to tell stories about their communities, explore their cities, and connect with neighbors. Meet at the office steps, Fuss & O'Neill, 146 Hartford Road, Manchester. About one hour; moderately paced half mile. Rain or shine. Led by Susan Barlow, Town Historian, and Jessee Mu�iz-Poland, elected member of the Town Board of Directors. Click here to see information about the Jane's Walk project.
the Manchester History Center, 175 Pine Street. Third in a three-part series, which follows the history of the original settlers on the land where Manchester is today. The May 12 talk focuses on King Philip�s War and its devastating consequences for the tribes of Southern New England, including our local tribe, the Podunks. Come to one, two, or three of the illustrated talks. Manchester attorney Steve Penny has conducted research on this topic, and has spoken throughout the area. Free for Historical Society members; $5 for non-members. Parking available along Pleasant Street and in the small lot north of the building. Do you have Native American artifacts to share? We can display them in glass cases during this series. You can bring them to the History Center during regular hours: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 10:00 to 2:00 and Saturdays noon to 4:00. Or phone 860-647-9983.
with two members
of the Cheney Brothers National Historic District Commission: Tom Ferguson and Susan Barlow. This walk takes about 90 minutes over somewhat bumpy and hilly ground. A great opportunity to hear about the lawn, mansions, and residents. Tom grew up in one of the mansions and will share his experiences from the 1960s and 1970s. Several of the mansions were designed by internationally known architect Charles Adams Platt, a member of the Cheney family. Two of the mansions are no longer in existence. For more info: Great Lawn map. Rain or shine, but extreme weather cancels.
Our offices are open Wednesday through Friday 10:00 to 2:00; located in the former Cheney Machine Shop, 175 Pine Street at the corner of Forest Street -- our museum store sells local-history items such as books on local history, copies of vintage maps, Kage company plastic decorations, Manchester Herald cookbooks, t-shirts with historic scenes of Manchester, copies of high school yearbooks, vintage business directories, mugs, notecards, and limited-edition ceramic tree ornaments with images of Cheney Homestead and other landmarks. Questions: 860-647-9983.