The Manchester Historic Association’s Research Center May Hold Your Family’s Story

Somewhere in the archives of Manchester Historic Association (MHA) sits a card with the name of a grandparent or great-grandparent who once worked in the city’s mills, what they did, and where they did it.

For descendants of the thousands who passed through the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, those employee records are among the most treasured resources the Association holds, and they are open to the public at their Research Center. A working research library at 129 Amherst Street, Manchester, where the organization houses its collection and archives, the center is open to the public on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Many know MHA through the Millyard Museum, the downtown home where its exhibits tell Manchester’s story. Fewer realize, however, the museum is only one of two places the Association operates. A five-minute drive away, the Research Center is where that same story can be traced by hand, one family and one address at a time. Together, the two form the public face of the Manchester Historic Association.

Visitors often arrive with a single question. “People will reach out and say, ‘I recently moved into this property, and I want to learn about who used to live here,’ or ‘I have family members who worked in the mills, and I want to know what they did,’” said Jeff Barraclough, Executive Director of the Manchester Historic Association.

A research staff of paid professionals and longtime volunteers helps visitors work through the collection, which reaches well beyond Amoskeag to photographs, property records, and the broader history of Manchester and the region. “It’s amazing what people can discover at the center and at the museum,” added Barraclough.

Open Tue – Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Millyard Museum is a nonprofit dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing the history of Manchester, New Hampshire. The Research Center is open Wednesdays and Saturdays. Visitors may drop in or schedule an appointment.