HISTORY IN MOTION
The Manchester Historical Society in Connecticut boasts a video archive showcasing the town’s rich history, from interviews with residents to footage of local landmarks.
Selected YouTube Videos
Chimney remains from old Boy Scout camp at Case Mountain recreation area.
Old quarry near the Manchester-Glastonbury town line, in the Case Mountain Recreational Area. The Case Brothers Historic District is the newest Manchester region to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
How to get to Bridal Veil Falls, also known as Wyllys Falls.
The 1917 Summer house overlooking Upper Case Pond in the Highland Park section of Town is described. Originally a summer house for the Case-Dennison family, the rustic cabin was the scene of elegant parties in the early- to mid-twentieth century.
Twin brothers A. Wells Case and A. Willard Case lived in these mansions on Spring Street, Manchester, now a part of the Case Brothers National Historic District, on the National Register. The first house shown, the yellow and white mansion on the hill, was the home of A. Willard Case. The second house shown, the pink stucco mansion, was the home of A. Wells Case.
Annual walking tour of the Cheney Brothers National Historic Landmark District, 2010.
Cheney Dye House conversion to apartments, corner of Pine and Cooper Hill Streets.
Center Memorial Park in Downtown Manchester. The Manchester Historical Society opposes further encroachment on this historic park.
Our Downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Hilliard Mills Tour: On a November 14, 2010 tour, Peter Bonzani explains about the growth of the mill buildings in Hilliardville, as owners added on to existing woolen mill operations. Peter and his two partners have worked on renovating the mill during the last 4 years. They have donated old-growth lumber to the Manchester Historical Society for re-use in our 1895 Cheney building on the other side of town.
The historic Cheney Homestead was built in 1785. Generations of the Cheney family owned the residence and lived there into the 1960s. The family donated the homestead to the Manchester Historical Society, and it opened as a house museum in 1969. This video shows a November 6, 2010 work party that spruced up the outside and inside of the Homestead.
Walking tour of Hilliardville, 2009, with commentary on re-use of materials in old mills.
Cheney Office Building on the annual walking tour of the Cheney Brothers National Historic Landmark District, 2009.
At the Historical Society’s Dec. 3, 2010 Open House, harpists from the nearby MusicMakers Academy performed at the History Center. The windows in this room overlook Forest Street.
Artwork with a historical flair at Manchester’s Town Hall. In addition to the large Russell Cheney oil painting in the hearing room at Lincoln Center, there are paintings and drawings in various places throughout the building, including this second-floor conference room. The originals (of the John, Seth, and Russell Cheney artwork) are in the collection of the Manchester Historical Society. Our current town hall was designed in 1926 Frank Farley, grandson of Frank & Susan Cheney.
Annual Cruisin’ on Main event in Downtown Manchester brings out the antique cars and their fans. The Downtown Manchester Special Services District sponsors the event on the first Sunday of August.
Our State Archeologist, Nick Bellantoni, tells the legend of the Wolf Den on a Columbus Day walk in eastern Connecticut (not specifically about Manchester, but an interesting story from the 18th century).
June 2009 outdoor art show in Center Memorial Park, Downtown Main Street, Manchester CT. The free art show takes place the day after the big kickoff event in the park — the free outdoor concert.
B.C. Apel built the Opera House in 1888. It had a furniture store, undertaking parlor, saloon and of course the Opera auditorium for traveling vaudeville shows, community theater, etc. The Central CT Co-op Farmer’s Association owned it for several years until going out of business in 2016.
On May 20, 2011, developer and philanthropist Simon Konover spoke at the celebration of the new life of the Cheney Dye House as moderate-income apartments. In attendance were the governor, various town officials and members of the public, in anticipation of the start of rental of the 57 apartments in June 2011.
B.C. Apel built the Opera House in 1888. It had a furniture store, undertaking parlor, saloon and of course the Opera auditorium for traveling vaudeville shows, community theater, etc. The Central CT Co-op Farmer’s Association owned it for several years until going out of business in 2016.
June 2009 outdoor art show in Center Memorial Park, Downtown Main Street, Manchester CT. The free art show takes place the day after the big kickoff event in the park — the free outdoor concert.
B.C. Apel built the Opera House in 1888. It had a furniture store, undertaking parlor, saloon and of course the Opera auditorium for traveling vaudeville shows, community theater, etc. The Central CT Co-op Farmer’s Association owned it for several years until going out of business in 2016.
