What is going on in this John Knoll photo of Downtown? Approximately when was the photo taken? What are those lines on the road in the left front of the picture? Bonus: have you tried the jigsaw puzzle (click on the image for the jigsaw)?

Saturday, October 3, 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 of the war's end. 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.

We know this building today as a part of the Bennet Academy, on the southern end of Downtown Main Street. It was originally part of Educational Square. Historical Society member Dick Jenkins provided this John Knoll picture with these comments: "Judging by the attire, I’d guess this photo was taken in the fall of 1915. The school opened in April of that year and older photos show the campus to be lacking sidewalks and curbing. Some of the children are wearing gloves and a few of the second floor window are partially open. You can see the lime deposits in places along the brickwork that would be later washed off. What little of Wells Street that can be seen shows trees minus their leaves." Thank you, Dick.

Sunday, October 11, 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.

Sunday, October 11 from noon to 2:00 -- Pumpkin Sunday: • Decorate a pumpkin • Guess the weight of the giant pumpkin • Go on a pumpkin hunt; tiny pumpkins hidden all over the Farmstead; prizes awarded • Pumpkin tastings for all.

Sunday, October 25 from noon to 2:00 • Halloween costumes encouraged • Hayrides • Tricks and treats.

Always plenty of activities for all ages. Most Sundays, you can visit the interior of the house itself. Details and directions. Host Peggy Newton and the Woodbridge committee welcome you to visit the grounds, gardens, barn. All Historical Society events require social distancing and face masks. For all our open houses -- come for 10 minutes or 2+ hours! Open houses are weather permitting.

Click the image above to try the jigsaw puzzle. For more jigsaw puzzles, visit our Facebook page.

Mr. Jones had a silk mill nearby. The house was demolished in 1977. Read more: W.H. Jones memoir.

was mailed to members. It's also available to read online.

On page ten of the 10/2/1935 edition, you'll find The High School World, a special feature produced by high school students with news and occasional artwork. Miss Helen Estes was faculty advisor.

You can browse the old Heralds to find out more about Everything Manchester -- sports, government, police news, schools, births, deaths, marriages, opinion, and more, more, more. To see what was happening 85 years ago, go to the 10/2/1935 edition of The Herald.

Find us on Facebook!

Ongoing and new offerings --

Info: art classes at the History Center.

Questions may be directed to Trudy Mitchell.

Share your Manchester COVID reflection! Details about contributing...

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]."

Adeline Gray and her Jump Into Fame -- a 46-minute television show about Adeline Gray (1917-1975) presented by Jim Reuter, describing Adeline's life and times as well as parachute history. Adeline began parachute jumping in 1935. She was Connecticut's first true skydiver, jumping from 8,000 to 10,000 feet, free-falling to 1500 feet before opening her parachute. Adeline was nationally famous for being the first person to test-jump a parachute made from nylon rather than silk, which she did in June, 1942. Pioneer Parachute began in the Cheney mills in the 1930s when parachutes were made from silk. Our thanks to Jim Reuter, an engineer, retired from Pioneer Parachute after 52 years. The show airs at 12:00 noon and at 8:00 p.m. on Cox cable channel 15 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. Some previous local-history shows can be borrowed at Mary Cheney Library. You can watch this month's show on the Public Access website "Parachutist Adeline Gray" show.

More about

the 20-mule team visit to Manchester.

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. .