Come for a half hour or several hours!

Live music and weaving at the Cheney Homestead, special hours, 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. (and also open the second Sunday of the other months, regular hours 1:00 to 4:00), hosted by Peter Millett and the Homestead committee. The 1785 Homestead & Keeney Schoolhouse are located at 106 Hartford Road. Textile demonstrations, sale of woven products, live string music, and activities for all. We'll welcome classical guitarist Tim Maynard and harpist Debbie Vennick. $5 donation ($10 per family) requested.

Woodbridge Farmstead open second and fourth Sunday of spring and summer months 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m., hosted by Peggy Newton and the Woodbridge committee. Located at 495 East Middle Turnpike. Tours and activities for all ages. Special message: "We plan to start reconstructing another old barn on the property some time in July. The barn was originally built about 1900 on Edward St. We don’t know what day the work will start, but do come visit us and check on how the work is progressing!" 

Old Manchester Museum open first Saturday of the month, 10:00 to 2:00, hosted by Bob Kanehl and Art Pongratz, who can help you with some research, using our collection of town directories. Located at 126 Cedar Street, the former schoolhouse's exhibits include copies of old maps, examples of Cheney silk, Pitkin glass, Spencer rifles, Case water-bottling works items. Museum open May to December. There is a small museum store with local history items: books, maps, Pitkin jewelry items, etc.

The History Center is still under construction, but the museum store and offices are open Tuesday through Friday 10:00 to 2:00. The center is located in the former Cheney machine shop, 175 Pine Street.

Help us in our planning for the Society's future. Click here to take survey.

What is this building? Location?

Hint: The building is still there, but not currently used for its original purpose.

Scroll down for answers.

The Historical Society collaborates with the Cheney Brothers National Historic Landmark District Commission to honor properties that have been renovated or maintained with an eye to historic preservation. The Commission works with the Planning department, which has posted a larger version of the illustrated summary on the Town website. Congratulations to those who won an award this year.

About 35 guests attended the "birthday" event on Sunday, July 4. Very special thanks to the Rev. Joyce Crutchfield for hospitality at the lovely Center Congregational Church, and to Town Troubadour Bill Ludwig for vintage music dating back to 1774. Town Historian Susan Barlow spoke about the history of the fountain and presented some poems commemorating events such as Paul Revere's ride and the Minute Men at Concord Bridge. The fountain was erected by Orford Parish Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. Read more in this fountain article on our website. Photos below by Paul Ofria. Left to right, the fountain in Center Memorial Park, surrounded by guests • Rev. Crutchfiled and Susan Barlow at Center Church • Town Troubadour, Bill Ludwig, with mandolin.

Sweet deal for kids and families: "From July 1 to September 6, Connecticut children age 18 and under plus one accompanying adult can visit participating museums free of charge through the Connecticut Summer at the Museum program. The program is part of Governor Lamont’s larger plan to use recovery funds to provide students and families with engaging summer enrichment and learning experiences in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. From art and children's museums and historical sites to zoos, aquariums, and science centers, here’s a list of properties participating: https://www.ctvisit.com/.../connecticut-summer-museum.... Please check each museum for online advance ticketing and reservations, as they may be required." What a list: Bushnell Park Carousel, Mark Twain House, H.B. Stowe House, Trolley Museum, CT Historical Society, New Britain Museum of American Art.Kid City Middletown, etc.

Label from Union cotton mills, formerly in the North End. The mills were downstream from the Union Dam. There's a trail there maintained by the Hockanum River Linear Park Committee. More about mills along the Hockanum.

Peruse the entire 7/9/1971 edition here.

Browse all The Heralds here.

July TV show airs at noon and 8:00 p.m. Saturdays throughout this month --"Royal Ice Cream,” a 42-minute television program recorded on Warren Street, the location of this innovative business, interviewing owner Jim Orfitelli. The business was founded in 1926, and has always been in Manchester. 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. The television show is produced by Susan Barlow, directed by Kathryn Wilson, researched by Jill Gelinas, all volunteers of the Manchester Historical Society. You can watch this month's show on the Public Access website "Royal Ice Cream, Manchester's Own Manufacturer." You can watch some of our previous shows by selecting "Manchester Program Schedule" (the second tab) on the local Public Access website and on the next screen, type Historical into the search box.

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Ongoing and new offerings, including a new SUMMER PROGRAM. Info: art classes at the History Center. Questions may be directed to Trudy Mitchell. ONGOING: Classical Drawing -- "Learn the art and science of accurate drawing based on traditional 19th-century methods." Six-week sessions on Saturdays from 9:30-12:30.

Pictured on right, art studio, lower level of History Center, a 42,000-square-foot building that used to be the Cheney Machine Shop, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The Center was built beginning in 1895, although this part of the building dates to the early 20th century.

Counting down to Manchester's 200th anniversary year, which begins January 1, 2023: 541 days.

The Manchester Historical Society is planning exciting activities for the Town's year-long bicentennial celebration. Check out the activities of the 1923 celebration, documented in this booklet on our website.

The massive "South Manchester High School" at 1146 Main Street (southern end of Downtown) is now the Bennet Apartments. Here is a September 2 1904 article about the soon-to-open school.

Enjoy the large collection of Somanhis (South Manchester High School) yearbooks on our website. In addition to photos of the graduating seniors, these books have ads for local businesses, photos of school activities, and sometimes poetry and prose by the students. Thanking our volunteers, especially Bob Gauthier, Noreen Cullen, Jim Hall, Joshua Pruden, Dick Jenkins, Susan Barlow.

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. .