The public is invited to a free history walk on Saturday, April 8, at 1:00 p.m., starting at the parking lot of Highland Park School, 395 Porter Street, Manchester. We’ll visit the area of a former textile mill, an example of the many small mills along Manchester’s streams in the early 19th century. Suburban development began in the 1930s and 40s here, blossoming into the Rockledge development, including Ferguson Road, in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Nearby Butternut Road has examples of mid-century modern houses and newer construction in the 21st century. The walk will take about one hour, with an optional informal visit to Porter Reservoir, off Ferguson Road. Rain or shine, but extreme weather cancels. This is one of the 23 bicentennial walks in 2023, celebrating Manchester’s 200th birthday.
The next two walks are
• Saturday, April 22, starting at Robertson School
• Saturday, May 20, starting at 146 Hartford Road
Illustrated booklets with details about the 23 walks are available at Town libraries and Town Hall. There’s an online version at the Events page at www.manchesterhistory.org