Walking Tours

Walk through parts of Manchester's Cultural District, designated in 2024 by the State of Connecticut. Led by Susan Barlow, Town Historian, this 2.5-mile walking tour through historic districts, will emphasize the work of artists and architects, noting their contributions to the culture and economy of Manchester. Terrain is somewhat hilly on this moderately paced walk. […]

Moderately paced 1.25-mile urban walk around the pond. Somewhat hilly, paved terrain. Led by the Town Historian, the walk takes about 75 minutes and includes historic and botanical commentary. The Cheney family donated the 55 acres for a park to the Town of Manchester in the 1920s, when the pond was built. The Town has […]

Moderately paced one-mile scenic walk on the loop trail, starting at the parking lot of Salter's pool, Lydall Street, Manchester -- plenty of parking. Salter's Pond got its name from Lorenzo T. Salter who, in partnership with Mr. Strong, founded the Salter and Strong paper mill, which became Lydall paper mill. Many North End residents […]

This free history walk features the "Great Lawn" and proceeds along streets and lawn to view historic mansions and the nine acres purchased by the Town in 2005 for open space and historic preservation. Cheney district commission members Tom Ferguson and Susan Barlow will comment on the historic landscape and buildings. There is some steep […]

Strenuous 4.25-mile walk over rough terrain to visit a charcoal mound on the east side of Case Mountain. We will also visit the Adirondack-style summer house at Upper Case Pond, and hikers can choose to end their hike without the charcoal visit. That option would cover about one mile. More charcoal info here. Meet at […]

Hikers will have an easy, fairly flat, walk along 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 freight-and-passenger railroad in the United States. We will hike at a moderate pace along the one-mile portion owned […]

Free history walk in the Cheney Brothers National Historic Landmark District, co-sponsored by the District Commission, and the CT State Community College Manchester Institute of Local History. This two-hour walk visits the former silk mills, and related buildings and streets, with commentary on silk manufacturing, labor relations, and the South Manchester Railroad. This will be […]