May 29, 2025

1 Fire Truck Day

2 Now on Exhibit: "All Bottled Up!"

3 2024 Annual Report

4 2025 Historic Preservation Awards

5 World War II - Letters from Home

6 Lecture: Manchester Fizz - the City's Proud History of Soda Bottling

7 New Hampshire Fisher Cats Discounted Tickets

8 Manchester Trivia Questions

Join us this Saturday at the Millyard Museum for fun family activities, including touch-a-truck with the Manchester Fire Department!

Now on Exhibit:

"All Bottled Up! The History of Bottling in Manchester"

Bottling was a prominent industry in Manchester for many years. In the early twentieth century, wines, liquors, and beers were bottled and sold at over twenty businesses in the Queen City, including Quirin Brothers, P. Harrington Sons, and N. J. Pichette. By the 1940s, larger companies like Lafayette Beverages and Silver Brothers/Cott Beverages operated bottling plants in the city, bottling millions of cases of soda a year.

With over 200 glass bottles from Manchester on display, this exhibit looks at the history of the many liquor, soda, dairy, and other bottling businesses in the city over the years.

In the Millyard Museum’s Henry M. Fuller State Theatre Gallery

On exhibit through August 17, 2025

2024 Annual Report

2024 Annual Report

The Manchester Historic Association's 2024 Annual Report is now available! Please click on the above link to view or download the report.  

Print copies of the report are also available at the front desks of the Millyard Museum and Research Center and can be mailed upon request.

We hope you enjoy reading about some of the highlights from the past year!

2025 Historic Preservation Awards

The 33rd Annual Historic Preservation Awards, held on May 20 at Manchester Community College, was a great event. Thank you to everyone who came and to all of our sponsors for making the event possible!

Our Amoskeag sponsor was RBC Wealth Management – The Boulanger Wealth Management Group and Stark sponsors were St. Mary's Bank, Eastern Bank, the Elliot, Sheehan Phinney, and Just Flow Events and Marketing. Please click here to see the Program Book and a complete list of sponsors.

If you missed it, please click here to watch a video of the awards presentation, compliments of Manchester Public TV.

This year's event recognized the following award recipients for their contributions to the historic preservation of Manchester:

Homeowner’s Award

Richard Soares for his home at 443 Bridge Street

Conservation of Natural and Structural Resources Award

City of Manchester Department of Public Works for the Cohas Brook Trestle

Conservation of Cultural Resources Award

Antiques on Elm for their business at 321 Elm Street

Stewardship Award

Lucia Merritt Carlisle for her home at 35 Oak Street

City Landmark Award

First Baptist Church, 536 Union Street

Congratulations to all the honorees!

World War II

Letters from Home

Thursday, June 12, 2025

5:30 p.m.

Millyard Museum

Join us for this exciting new program where guests will enjoy dramatic readings from costumed actors retelling the riveting events on World War II from the perspective of Isabel Morse, a longtime Manchester resident.

Taken from actual diaries in the MHA collection, Isabel dictates everyday life amidst the turmoil of WWII. She recalls news of D-Day, frustration over rations and the pain only a mother can feel having her son deployed across the ocean. Accompanied by the musical stylings of Jeff Rapsis, this is sure to be an evening to remember!

Tickets available for advance purchase by visiting our website. $15 MHA Members, $20 non-members. Reserve your spot today!

Purchase tickets here!

Lecture:

Manchester Fizz - the City's Proud History of Soda Bottling

Saturday, June 21, 2025

11:00 a.m.

Millyard Museum

In connection with our special exhibit “All Bottled Up!”, join us at the Millyard Museum for a special talk by historian Dennis Sasseville, author of “Granite Fizz: The Untold Story of Spring Water and Flavored Tonic in New Hampshire.”

Dennis will speak about the soda bottling industry in Manchester by companies including Lafayette Beverages, Silver Brothers/Cott Beverages, and many others that bottled millions of cases of soda a year.

COST: Included with Regular Admission

Please RSVP by calling 603-622-7531 or emailing history@manchesterhistoric.org

New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Discounted Tickets

The Manchester Historic Association is proud to partner with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats to offer discounted tickets to any Fisher Cats game you would like to attend during the 2025 season!

Follow the discount ticket link below and enjoy discounted tickets with a portion of every ticket being donated back to the MHA!

By purchasing tickets through this link, you'll not only enjoy a fun night at the ballpark, but also support the preservation of Manchester's rich history. Don't miss out on this opportunity to make a difference while cheering on the Fisher Cats!

Purchase tickets here!

Last Month's Trivia Question:

Moxie, Orange Kist, Frostie Root Beer, and Lemmy Lemonade were all soft drinks bottled in Manchester by what company?

ANSWER:

Lafayette Beverages

The Lafayette Bottling Company, or Lafayette Beverages, began operations in Manchester in 1924. 

In 1936, the company began bottling Pepsi-Cola products. In addition, the company bottled their own Lafayette Ginger Ale, Orange Kist, 7-Up, Dr. Pepper, Uptown, Frostie Old Fashion Root Beer, and Lemmy Lemonade. Moxie was also a strong seller, especially through the 1950s, with about half a million cases sold annually. 

Learn more about Lafayette Beverages and other Manchester bottling companies at the Millyard Museum’s special exhibit, “All Bottled Up!”

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This Month's Trivia Question: What dairy business operated at 1444 Candia Road, near Lake Massabesic, from the 1920s until the early 1970s?

The answer will appear in the next newsletter (and in the upcoming exhibit!).