Porter Street area history hike

A unique neighborhood with historic and modern houses, reservoirs, a Nature Center, and the home of Hart Porter (1812-1891), whose house, built about 1820, is on the Connecticut Freedom Trail, as a secret stop on the Underground Railway. Little remains of the Porter Mill, except Porter Brook. Before today’s Highland Park School, the wooden Porter Street School was located at this site. It closed in 1928, and the new Highland Park School opened that same year; it was one of five schools built in the 1920s, and the last to be built in Manchester until 1950, when Manchester undertook an extensive school building program.  It was threatened with closure, but recently enjoyed a renovation and expansion. Park anywhere in the school parking lot. Meet at corner of Porter Street and Ferguson Road. No dogs, please. Free. We plan to visit a unique and artistic house, which recently won a preservation award.