Manchester Historical Society

Walking Tour and Community Conversation
2025-05-03 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | 146 Hartford Road, Manchester, 146 Hartford Rd, Manchester, CT, 06040, United States
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 intend for 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 Muñiz-Poland, elected member of the Town Board of Directors.

Center Springs Park ramble
2025-06-07 13:00 - 14:15 | Center Springs Park, 39 Lodge Drive, Manchester, CT, 06040, United States
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 installed fountains and other welcoming features. No dogs, please. Rain or shine, but extreme weather cancels. This walk and 100+ others are promoted by Connecticut Trails Day, a program of the Connecticut Forest and Park Association.

Salter's Pond loop walk
2025-06-08 13:00 - 14:00 | Salter’s Pond, 123 Lydall Street, Manchester
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 learned to swim at Salter’s Pond before the town swimming pool was built. Our walk will include some historic and botanical commentary. The path has stairs, hills, bumpy terrain, and some wet spots — please wear sturdy footwear/sneakers. The pond and adjacent land is owned by the Manchester Land Conservation Trust. No dogs, please. Rain or shine, but extreme weather cancels. This walk and 100+ others are promoted by Connecticut Trails Day, a program of the Connecticut Forest and Park Association.

Walking tour on the Great Lawn
2025-06-28 11:00 - 12:30 | 146 Hartford Road, Manchester, 146 Hartford Rd, Manchester, CT, 06040, United States
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 and uneven ground, so participants should wear sturdy shoes or boots. Extreme weather cancels, but the walk will be held in light rain, so please bring an umbrella.

Charcoal hike at Highland Park
2025-07-12 13:00 - 15:30 | Birch Mountain Road parking lot, 78 Birch Mountain Road, Manchester, CONNECTICUT
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 the kiosk in the parking lot on Birch Mountain Road, near its intersection with Camp Meeting Road, across from West Carter Street. Closest GPS is 78 Birch Mountain Road, Manchester.

Tour of West Cemetery
2025-07-13 14:00 - 15:30 | 271 Spencer Street, Manchester ct, 271 Spencer St, Manchester, 06040, United States
Walking tour plus stone-cleaning demonstration at the West Cemetery, which was laid out in 1740, when the land was part of East Hartford. It became part of Manchester in 1823, and is our first cemetery. It’s located on Spencer Street near the entrance ramp to I-384, accessible just beyond the I-384 on-ramp, which enters the cemetery’s northwest corner on the right. Park either at the commuter lot, or drive into the cemetery. Gravestone Network founder, Ruth Shapleigh-Brown, says, “The families buried here have connections and history that go back to our early settlement times and the Revolutionary era. In a listing done by Mrs. Kingsbury in the 1930’s, here are totals of family members buried here: • Forbes, 13, • Bidwell, 13, • Brewer, 11, • Kennedy, 26, • Keeney, 46, • Olcott, 30, • Spencer, 74, • Marsh, 16, • Case, 21, •Hills – the winner with 130.” Co-sponsored by the Historical Societies of East Hartford and Manchester.

Railroad history walk
2025-08-16 13:00 - 14:30 | 2 main street manchester ct, 2 Main Street, Manchester, CT, 06042, United States
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 by the Manchester Land Conservation Trust and then on to the bridge overlooking Center Springs Park and Bigelow Brook, about three miles round trip. Participants will hear about the history of the railroad. Meet at the north end of Main Street in Manchester, in the parking lot of the strip mall on the north (right) side of the tracks, across the tracks from the former Farr’s Sporting Goods store at 2 Main Street, Manchester, CT 06042. Park at the southeast end of the strip mall or at the former Eighth Utilities District office building, 18 Main Street. A special favor will be given to children who attend the hike. We will hike if light rain — bring an umbrella — but extreme weather cancels. No dogs, please. Free.

Walking tour in Center Memorial Park
2025-09-20 13:00 - 14:15 | Town Hall, 41 Center Street, Manchester, CT, 06040, United States
We’ll visit the monuments in the park, noting the memorials to soldiers who fought in the American Revolution, Civil War, and Spanish American War. About one hour, and about one mile. Meet at the front steps of Town Hall, 41 Center Street. Rain or shine, but extreme weather cancels.

Landmark District walking tour
2025-10-11 13:00 - 15:00 | 146 Hartford Road, Manchester, 146 Hartford Rd, Manchester, CT, 06040, United States
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 the 50th such walk in the mill district. All welcome. Rain or shine; extreme weather cancels. No dogs, please.

History Hike of Highland Park
2025-12-27 13:00 - 15:00 | Case Parklet at Highland Park, 670 Spring St, manchester, CT, 06040, United States
Explore the Case Brothers National Historic District in the Highland Park section of Manchester. Includes history walk, visit to the 1917 cabin, and an optional climb to the lookout with its scenic view of Hartford and beyond. Meet at the small parking lot near the picnic tables, GPS 670 Spring Street. Those who want a short history walk may end their walk at the dam at Case Pond near Spring Street. For those who want a more strenuous event, we will continue uphill along steep, bumpy, and rocky terrain. Please wear sturdy sneakers or hiking boots, and bring water. No dogs, please. Rain or shine; extreme weather cancels. Please check the street signs carefully before parking to avoid parking tickets. Town Historian Susan Barlow will lead the moderately paced walk.

New Year's Day walk on the Great Lawn
2026-01-01 13:00 - 14:30 | 146 Hartford Road, Manchester, 146 Hartford Rd, Manchester, CT, 06040, United States
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 and uneven ground, so participants should wear sturdy shoes or boots. Extreme weather cancels, but the walk will be held in light rain or snow flurries, so please bring an umbrella.

Cheney Railroad history walk
2026-01-10 13:00 - 15:00 | 146 Hartford Road, Manchester, 146 Hartford Rd, Manchester, CT, 06040, United States
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 foot-bridge over Bigelow Brook. Some of the hike will be along roads, and some along the rail trail. About 3 miles round trip. Extreme weather cancels. No dogs, please. Free. C. 1900 photo of the South End depot.

History Hike of Highland Park
2026-04-11 13:00 - 15:00 | Case Parklet at Highland Park, 670 Spring St, manchester, CT, 06040, United States
Explore the Case Brothers National Historic District in the Highland Park section of Manchester. Includes history walk, visit to the 1917 cabin, and an optional climb to the lookout with its scenic view of Hartford and beyond. Meet at the small parking lot on Spring Street near the historic bridge and waterfall, not far from the intersection of Spring Street and Glen Road. Those who want a short history walk may end their walk at the dam at Case Pond near Spring Street. For those who want a more strenuous event, we will continue uphill along steep, bumpy, and rocky terrain. Please wear sturdy sneakers or hiking boots, and bring water. No dogs, please. Rain or shine; extreme weather cancels. Please check the street signs carefully before parking to avoid parking tickets. Town Historian Susan Barlow will lead the moderately paced walk.
