Old Manchester Museum
The Manchester Historical Society's Old Manchester Museum is located at 126 Cedar Street, next to Washington School driving directions. 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.
The Old Manchester Museum, located at 126 Cedar Street, Manchester, CT 06040
860-647-9742
Opening May 9 with new exhibits.
Hours of operation:
Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sundays 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Driving Directions to The Old Manchester Museum
From Hartford, eastbound on Route 84, Exit 59 to I-384 East. Take Exit 3 off I-384. Right off the exit ramp onto South Main Street. At the first light, take a left onto Hartford Road. Take the second left onto Pleasant Street. Take the first left onto Cedar Street. The museum is on the right at the end of the street.
From Providence, R.I. and Bolton, CT, westbound on I-384 West. Take Exit 3 off I-384. Left off the exit onto Charter Oak Street. Straight through first light (intersection with Main Street), and stay straight -- name of road changes to Hartford Road. Take the second right onto Pine Street. Take the second left onto Pleasant Street. Take the first left onto Cedar Street. The museum is on the right at the end of the street.
