| About
Us Manchester Historical Society The Manchester Historical Society was founded in 1886 as a private organization with the following objectives: • To encourage, maintain and foster an interest in historical matters pertaining to the town of Manchester • To establish and maintain within the town a library and museum to collect and preserve objects which illustrate the history of the town. Today, the Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution with open membership. The Society maintains the Trask House Museum, an extensive archival collection of documents and photographs, and provides educational programming to the membership, the community and the local schools. The Trask House Museum In 1925, the Manchester Historical Society acquired the Abigail Hooper Trask House for use as their headquarters and museum. Built in 1823, it is the former residence of Abigail Hooper Trask, a prominent businesswoman, and her husband Captain Richard Trask, one of Manchester’s foremost 19th-century sea captains. The museum features Trask family belongings, fine and decorative arts, artifacts and furniture manufactured in Manchester during the 19th century. Seaside No. 1 Fire House Constructed in 1885 to house the town’s first horse-drawn fire engine, this building later served as police headquarters. It was eventually preserved and restored by the efforts of the Manchester Historical Society. It now serves as a museum and home for the town’s two antique fire engines as well as equipment and memorabilia related to both the fire and police departments. |
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Postcard, c1880, MHS |
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