Manchester Historical Society

Cheney Homestead open house
2025-10-05 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Cheney Homestead, 106 Hartford Road, Manchester, CT, 06040, United States
Visit the 1785 Homestead, rich with history, art, furniture, tools, and kitchenware. This cozy house was the residence of Cheney family members from 1785 to the 1960s. The family donated the house and grounds to the Manchester Historical Society in 1968, and it has been a house museum since then. Its usual open house schedule is 1:00 to 4:00 on the first and third Sunday of May through October, except holidays. It’s also open by appointment, 860-647-9983, and for special events, such as the December holiday open house. The Keeney schoolhouse, also on the grounds, is open in the warmer months. Come for 10 minutes or three hours! Free. Donations welcome. Always free to members.

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.

North End exhibit opening reception
2025-10-19 12:00 - 17:00 | Manchester History Center, 175 Pine Street, Manchester, 06040, United States
Free — come visit and travel back in time through the history of the North End via photos, artifacts, and audiovisual presentations. Meet the volunteers who have spent two years researching, designing, and constructing the exhibit, which includes schools, churches, industries, mills, Depot Suare, and 135 years of the history of the Manchester Fire Department, 8th District.

Woodbridge Farmstead open house. Costumes are welcome.
2025-10-26 13:00 - 16:00 | Woodbridge Farmstead, 495 Middle Tpke E, Manchester, CT, 06040, United States
Celebrating the harvest season and Halloween. Costumes are welcome. This is our last open house until spring. The 1830s-era farmhouse and grounds welcome visitors, young, old, and in between! Take a guided tour of the house and a self-guided tour through our 18th-century barn. Check out the displays inside our Visitor Center Barn showing some of the history of Manchester Green. The Farmstead committee organizes events on many of the open house days — farm animal visits, antique farm tool exhibits, duck races. The Farmstead is located near the intersection of East Middle Turnpike and Woodbridge Street. Visitors can park at the municipal lot behind the Senior Center or along the street between the Senior Center and the Farmstead itself. From the street, walk to the back yard using the grass driveway between the house and Woodbridge Pizza. The Woodbridge Farmstead is on the National Register of Historic Places. The farm was donated to the Manchester Historical Society by Raymond and Thelma Woodbridge in 1998. Open houses are usually held on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, through October (except May, when holidays fall on those dates and we’re open the first and third Sundays). Free, donations welcome.

Old Manchester Museum open house
2025-11-01 10:00 - 14:00, 2025-12-06 10:00 - 14:00
The former Cheney School, built in 1859, houses permanent and special exhibits, maps, school information, Pitkin glass, Cheney silk, etc. Hosts Bob Kanehl and Art Pongratz can help answer local-history questions, and there’s a museum shop to browse — books and maps about local history, as well as gifts for yourself or others. Free admission, donations welcome. Generally open the first Saturday of each month, except holiday weekends, May through December, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Drop by for a visit of 10 minutes or 4 hours! More about the museum here.

Meaning, Memory, Legacy of the Declaration of Independence
2025-11-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Manchester History Center, 175 Pine Street, Manchester, 06040, United States
Kicking off our events commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with a free lecture by noted historian Dr. Matt Warshauer, who will present “The Declaration of Independence: A Minute Reading,” exploring the questions, “What did the Declaration actually declare? Why…and to whom? What was the actual point, and, in the long stretch of history, where does the document stack up in our contemporary world?” This is one of a series of four lectures by Dr. Warshauer, sponsored by local historical organizations, with the support of the America 250 CT Commission. The other three lectures will be in March, April, and May 2026.

Holiday open houses at the Homestead
2025-12-06 11:00 - 15:00 | Cheney Homestead, 106 Hartford Road, Manchester, CT, 06040, United States
Very special occasions at the 1785 Homestead, decorated for the holidays by the Manchester Garden Club. Kick off the holidays with a glass of mulled cider, and visit the exhibits, furniture, and artwork with the help of our volunteer guides. Parking available on the lawn (head-in please, for maximum room). Think about a self-guided walking tour on the Saturday, when you can add visits to the Old Manchester Museum at 126 Cedar Street (open 10:00 to 2:00) and the History Center at 175 Pine Street (open 12:00 to 4:00). Make it a hands-on history day. The Homestead’s Sunday opening also includes refreshments and holiday décor. Free. Donations welcome.

Holiday Open house, day 2
2025-12-07 11:00 - 15:00 | Cheney Homestead, 106 Hartford Road, Manchester, CT, 06040, United States
Very special open house at the 1785 Homestead, decorated for the holidays by the Manchester Garden Club. Kick off the holidays with a glass of mulled cider, and visit the exhibits, furniture, and artwork with the help of our volunteer guides. Parking available on the lawn (head-in please, for maximum room). Free. Donations welcome.

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.
