The Trask House Museum
Museum Hours/Tours: Guided tours of the Trask House are available Saturdays during July and August (12:00pm - 3:00pm and by appointment). There is no charge for admission.
One of Manchester’s most beloved landmarks, the Trask House on Union Street was built in 1823 by local businesswoman Abigail Hooper, who ran a thriving general store on the property. That same year, she married Captain Richard Trask, one of Manchester’s most successful merchant ship captains. Abigail outlived her husband by nearly 40 years, and at the time of her death at age 96, was revered as one of Manchester’s most enterprising and public-minded citizens.
Today, the original rooms of the Trask House contain an impressive collection of period furniture, artifacts and fine art. Included in the collection are examples of the furniture built in Manchester during the mid-19th century as well as memorabilia reflecting the town’s important maritime history, and its later prominence as a summer vacation destination for the wealthy during the Gilded Age. Young people will enjoy a visit to the “Children’s Room” with its fascinating Victorian doll-house and collection of antique toys.
Seaside No. 1 Fire House Museum
Museum Hours/Tours: Seaside No.1 is open to the public on Saturdays during July and August (12:00pm - 3:00pm and by appointment). There is no charge for admission.
It now serves as a museum and home to the town’s two antique fire engines, the Torrent, a hand pumper built in 1832 and Seaside No. 2, a horse-drawn steam pumper acquired in 1902. The first floor of the building also contains a collection of fire-fighting equipment as well as memorabilia from both the fire and police departments.
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