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For nearly a century Manchester was known as Silk City. The Cheney family built one of the largest silk-making operations in the United States here, and their brick mills, mansions and worker housing still line the streets of the Cheney Brothers Historic District, a National Historic Landmark. The town, about 10 miles east of Hartford, separated from East Hartford in 1823 and grew around the Hockanum River and its mill streams.
Today Manchester is a busy town of about 60,000 with a classic New England Main Street, a strong local history society that runs several small museums, and Cheney Hall, a 19th-century hall now used by a community theater. Every Thanksgiving morning, thousands of runners fill Main Street for the Manchester Road Race.
Green space is a big part of the appeal: Wickham Park has formal gardens and miles of paths, Case Mountain offers wooded climbs with views back toward Hartford, and Center Springs Park sits right by downtown. Hartford's museums and Connecticut's Quiet Corner are each a short drive away.
A large private park open to the public from spring to fall, with themed gardens including Japanese, Italian and English plantings, wooded walking trails, ponds, a small aviary, playgrounds and picnic areas. A modest per-car fee is charged at the gate. Spring blooms and fall color are the best times to visit.
A wooded park a few blocks from Main Street, with a pond, streams, walking paths, playing fields and a historic lodge. In winter the pond and sledding hill draw local families. It is an easy spot for a short stroll or picnic between museum visits, and parking is free.
Hundreds of acres of hilly forest on the east side of Manchester, laced with marked trails used by hikers, trail runners and mountain bikers. Climb to the lookout for a view over town toward the Hartford skyline, or loop around Case Pond. Trails are rocky in places, so wear good shoes.
A National Historic Landmark district preserving the world of the Cheney silk empire: huge brick mill buildings, many now converted to apartments, along with the family's mansions, workers' houses, schools and a former private railroad. Walk Hartford Road and Elm Street to see the scale of the 19th-century mill village.
The 18th-century farmhouse where the Cheney brothers grew up, now run by the Manchester Historical Society. Rooms hold period furniture, portraits and paintings, and a small schoolhouse and gardens sit on the grounds. Opening hours are limited, usually weekend afternoons, so check the society's schedule first.
The Manchester Historical Society's main museum, with exhibits on the Cheney silk mills, local industry, schools and everyday life, including silk ribbons and fabrics woven in town. Volunteers are happy to share stories and research help. It is open limited hours, mostly on weekends.
Set in an early 1900s brick firehouse near the Cheney mills, this small museum displays antique hand-drawn fire apparatus, leather buckets, helmets and firefighting equipment from the 1800s onward. It is run by volunteers and is a hit with children. Check the limited seasonal hours before visiting.
A long-running children's museum with hands-on science and play exhibits plus a room of live animals such as reptiles and small mammals. It also manages the nearby Oak Grove Nature Center, with trails and a pond. Best for children under ten; plan about two hours for a visit.
Built by the Cheney family in 1867 as a cultural hall for the town, this restored brick building is now home to the Little Theatre of Manchester, which stages musicals, plays and concerts through the year. The ornate interior is part of the show. Book ahead for popular musicals.
A Manchester institution since the late 1940s, known for its cheeseburger with slices of cheese left to fry into crisp golden wings around the patty. Pair it with homemade ice cream at the counter. Expect a wait at lunch, and save room for a sundae.
Held every Thanksgiving morning since the 1920s, this 4.748-mile race draws elite runners and thousands of costumed amateurs to Main Street, with huge crowds cheering along the route. Registration fills ahead of time, but watching is free. Arrive early to find parking and a good spot.
Manchester's regional mall, with department stores, national chains and a food court, surrounded by big-box shops and restaurants in the busy Buckland Hills area. It is the main shopping stop for much of eastern Hartford County. Weekday mornings are the quietest time to go.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: Kenneth C. Zirkel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
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Photo: Marty Aligata, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
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Photo: Hine, Lewis Wickes; National Child Labor Committee Collection, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Hine, Lewis Wickes; National Child Labor Committee Collection, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Hine, Lewis Wickes; National Child Labor Committee Collection, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Hine, Lewis Wickes; National Child Labor Committee Collection, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Hine, Lewis Wickes; National Child Labor Committee Collection, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
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Photo: JJBers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: JJBers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: JJBers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: JJBers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
