Manchester Historical Society

Manchester (Images of America) Manchester Historical Society

From a frontier town in the wilderness to a four-season resort, Manchester retains much of its original character, and many of the earliest buildings are still in use. The broad main street in Manchester Village, once canopied with enormous elm trees, has homes that date back to early 1800s. The Equinox, visited by Mary Todd Lincoln and her two sons during the Civil War, is still welcoming guests. In Manchester Center, known as Factory Point until 1886, small manufacturing businesses and mills were thriving into the 20th century. The third center of civic activity, Manchester Depot, appeared after the arrival of the railroad and became an important transportation hub for traveling visitors and the shipment of marble.