What and where is this building? Is it still there? Bonus, in what year was the image created?

Scroll down to the bottom of this e-newsletter for answers.

Saturday, September 5, and continuing on the first Saturday of the month, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Hosts Bob Kanehl and Art Pongratz welcome you to visit the exhibits, shop in the museum store, chat about local history. Visit the WWII exhibit, during this 75th anniversary year. Social distancing and face masks required. Free. Donations welcome.

Pictured above, the 1859 former Cheney school, 126 Cedar Street. Click the image for more info.

Dick Jenkins sent along this John Knoll photo, which shows the large crowd that came to the 11/11/1920 dedication ceremony at Manchester Memorial Hospital, an event we featured in last week's e-newsletter. Later in 1920, The Manchester Herald reported:

"Preparing to Receive Patients December 1 -- At a meeting of the full board of trustees at the Memorial Hospital last evening plans were advanced for the opening of the hospital to patients, Dec. 1. There is already a long waiting list and the indications are that the hospital will be filled to the limit soon after it is opened." The article went on to say that the hospital would concentrate on acute cases, not chronic cases. Here's the November 23, 1920 edition of The Herald.

Click the picture above to read a 1996 history of the hospital.

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Recently featured on Facebook, the news from Hillstown, (section of Manchester at Hillstown Road, Hill Street), including who is visiting/traveling, and whose horse won at Woodland Park race track. Also in this 5/11/1895 Herald edition, an ad for "Public Stations" (we'd say phone booths) with locations in Manchester, Talcottville, etc. Here's the whole Herald edition of May 11, 1895.

You can browse The Herald archive here.

The Pohlman family had a cigar business in the North End of Manchester. The late Bernice "Bunny" Pohlman Lacroix (11/12/1917 - 2/7/2012) loved to talk about the old days, especially in the North End, which was "such a friendly community." She remembered fondly "the cigar store Indian that stood in front of the cigar store to advertise the wares inside." Her grandfather operated a cigar business from 1869 to 1872, when he went back to New York, returning to Manchester in 1881, and operating the business eventually with his son Frederick. The old North End's Depot Square area was demolished in an urban renewal project in the 1960s, but the cigar store had already closed. More: Pohlman family and the cigar store. Bunny also talked about her job as a hairdresser. She did "Marcel" waves, a type of permanent curl using heated wires.

Jigsaw puzzle. Click the image above for the jigsaw puzzle. For previous puzzles, look in the Town of Manchester e-newsletter and blog Better Manchester.

Celebrating the harvest, and always plenty of games and activities for all ages. Most Sundays, you can visit the interior of the house itself.

Sundays 9/13 and 9/27 • 10/11 and 10/25, weather permitting.

Woodbridge open houses continue throughout the summer and early fall on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, from noon to 2:00 p.m. Details and directions. Come for 10 minutes or 2 hours!

Host Peggy Newton and the Woodbridge committee welcome you to visit the grounds, gardens, barn, and enjoy activities for the whole family. These outdoor events require social distancing and face masks.

Watch the Town Troubadour sing the vintage "She's Good Enough to be Your Baby's Mother," which he has sung at Cheney Hall and at the Woodbridge Farmstead, as part of our celebration of 100 years of Votes for Women.

Ongoing and new offerings --

Info: art classes at the History Center.

Questions may be directed to Trudy Mitchell.

Sunday, September 13, from 1:00 to 4:00, at 106 Hartford Road. Peter Millet, Homestead Committee Chairperson and a Director of the Society said, "Plan to come to the September 13 open house -- stay for 10 minutes or 3 hours. Enjoy the gardens and talk to our gardeners and docents." Social distancing and face masks required. Click the image above left to learn more about this 1785 house.

Social distancing required at all our properties.

Special report from Bettylou Sandy at the Homestead -- "It has been a long hot summer with Covid, as well. We have been doing the best we can this season, spending less time out at the gardens than in previous years, but the gardens have fared well. This Saturday, September 5 from 8:30 to noon, volunteers are welcome to a work day, including cleaning:

We will also be at the Homestead Wednesday, September 9 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

For the next monthly Homestead Open House, we need some docents and guides. Please let me know if you come to help. Call me, 860-268-6270, or email me Bettylou Sandy Also, on Thursday, September 10, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., I am teaching a free class about “Dividing Perennials”, at the Spruce Street Community Garden. This is free, a hands-on class, using the varieties of perennials at 153 Spruce Street, where you get to take the extra plants home! I look forward to hearing from you. See you at the Homestead!"

Floyd Welch, Pearl Harbor survivor -- an interview with Floyd Welch, who died last month at the age of 99. You can watch the show on the Public Access website: "Floyd Welch" show. The show airs at 12:00 noon and 8:00 p.m. on Cox cable channel 15 on Saturdays, and runs on all the Saturdays of the month. The show changes each month. This Channel 15 broadcasts in Manchester, Glastonbury, South Windsor, Wethersfield, Rocky Hill, and Newington. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, the cable TV studio and equipment are unavailable indefinitely, so we will not be able to make new TV shows for a while.

Think about how life has changed, how we've been negatively affected, what benefits we've noticed. School e-newsletter editor, Jim Farrell, is calling upon us to write a 200-800 word essay, and if it's published in the newsletter, it will also be printed in a hard-bound book to be donated to the Manchester Historical Society and displayed at our museum. More info: Manchester essays wanted. Send contributions to Jim Farrell, communications director of the school district at [email protected]."

Good news -- our new heat and air conditioning (HVAC) system is in the works, along with some exhibit space construction. Our two staff members, Gerry Gallo and Sonya Owens say, "With the HVAC project materials being delivered on site and the project in full swing, we need to limit traffic and tours at the History Center at least through Labor Day. Please phone ahead if you are planning to visit." 860-647-9983

Social distancing and face masks required.

Click the image above for more info about the History Center, the former Cheney Machine Shop. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Click the 1914 image above to read more about the Odd Fellow building.

Consider a gift membership for a friend or loved one. Why join a local historical society, even if you don't live in that town? Some reasons: • support education about the history of the town • support preservation of artifacts and vintage photos • join in advocating for preservation of historic buildings and parks that make Manchester charming.

Print this online donation form and mail to 175 Pine Street. Or drop by the History Center, Tuesdays through Fridays from 10:00 to 2:00. Direct questions to 860-647-9983.

Additional ways to donate: Employer matching gifts! Direct United Way donations to the Society. Sign in to Amazon via Amazon Smile and have a percentage of your purchases go to the Society. .