The Manchester Historical Society's Old Manchester Museum is located at 126 Cedar Street,
next to Washington School. From 1859-1914, the building rested on a hill west of Pine Street
and north of "School Street" (now called Cooper Hill Street). The building was known as
Cheney School, built by the Cheney family, whose name garnered world-wide fame for its silk.
The school had two rooms on either side of a central hall with the boys' entrance on the right and
the girls' entrance on the left.
In 1914, the entire building was lifted up and moved onto new
foundations on Cedar Street to make room for Cheney Brothers' new dye
house. The building has been used at various times
for a day care center, storage building, paint shop, emergency
three-level school with a kitchen/cafeteria in the basement, and a
children's museum. In 1985, after hundreds of hours of volunteer labor,
it became our Museum of Local History.
Inside the museum, visitors learn that Manchester was not just Cheneyville, but
rather a historically diverse community with widespread commerce and
industry. Our exhibits reflect the diversity of
Manchester, including maps with Native American trails; Cheney exhibits; mid-1800s
dresses and furniture; "School House" corner; silverware and china; a pharmacy and medicine exhibit;
the Manchester Sports Hall of Fame; Spencer and Springfield Rifle exhibits; and changing exhibits.
The Museum also houses a research facility with over 75 separate
collections and master files where researchers can view historic paperwork on particular subjects;
war records from the Revolutionary, Civil and Spanish wars, WWI and WWII, and Vietnam war; as
well as many genealogy records. The research facility is not open on Sundays.
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
Manchester Historical Society's
History Center
175 Pine Street
Manchester, CT 06040
(860) 647-9983
Email: manchesterhistory@juno.com
MAILING
ADDRESS Manchester Historical Society
106 Hartford Road
Manchester, CT 06040
The Manchester Historical Society's Old Manchester Museum is located at 126 Cedar Street,
next to Washington School. From 1859-1914, the building rested on a hill west of Pine Street
and north of "School Street" (now called Cooper Hill Street). The building was known as
Cheney School, built by the Cheney family, whose name garnered world-wide fame for its silk.
The school had two rooms on either side of a central hall with the boys' entrance on the right and
the girls' entrance on the left. 
Inside the museum, visitors learn that Manchester was not just Cheneyville, but
rather a historically diverse community with widespread commerce and
industry. Our exhibits reflect the diversity of
Manchester, including maps with Native American trails; Cheney exhibits; mid-1800s
dresses and furniture; "School House" corner; silverware and china; a pharmacy and medicine exhibit;
the Manchester Sports Hall of Fame; Spencer and Springfield Rifle exhibits; and changing exhibits. 