Manchester Historic Society Sets Goals For Upcoming Year

On a Friday afternoon, the less-than-a-mile stretch of Manchester Road between the Highway 141 overpass and Baxter Road is nothing but asphalt, packed with bumper to bumper, honk-happy cars. But more than 100 years ago, that stretch of Manchester was also a busy place.

“The joke is that it used to take a day in horse to go from Manchester to St. Louis,” Ward 3 Alderman John Diehl said. “Today, it still takes a day.”

Manchester Road, historically known as Route 66, was the primary path for those passing through Missouri from the east, some seeking fortune in the Wild West’s gold rush. What is today the city of Manchester was the last resting stop for many leaving the city of St. Louis as they headed west. Just like its road, the city of Manchester has a number of homes and structures that date back as late as the 1700s and are still standing.

Alderman Diehl, who is a member of the city's historic review commission, told Town and Country-Manchester Patch he and the commission have set several goals for the future to enhance Manchester’s Historic District and make use of those old structures to attract residents to the area. They are focusing not only on the stretch along Manchester Road, but also other areas north and south of the road included in the city's historic district.

“The commission and I think we probably need to do something to get this thing rolling,” said Diehl in reference to their goal to make the Manchester Historic District a place where people can walk freely, shop and dine.

Diehl, however, said there are many issues with transforming the area, for example parking, which is scarce along Manchester Road and behind buildings.

The Historic Review Commission has helped restore and repair certain structures, such as those along Henry Avenue.

Director of Planning and Zoning Franz Kraintz, who works with and advises the historic review commission, said the idea, however, is to figure out how to make the historic district attractive throughout the area.

“A lot of what we’ve talked about is, ‘Can you recreate that Main Street look?” Kraintz said. “As we contemplated projects, we always have that in mind, ‘How do we give that look to it? Without developers, it is somewhat hard to do.”

In order to rejuvinate the historic district, the Historic Review Commission has several goals for the near future. Among those goals, Diehl said members would like to visit other cities to see their historic redevelopments, as well as beginning a dialogue with the building owners and tenants of the district “to educate them about the benefits of the investing in fixing up their properties.”

This is not the first time Manchester has made a push to restore its historic district. A Manchester document titled “Master Plan for Historic Manchester,” published in 1983, talks about the importance of restoring Manchester’s historic district.

The document contains guidelines and proposals as to how to beautify the area, deal with traffic and make it more attractive. The document, however, warns that the city alone cannot make it happen.

“If the Manchester historic area is to be restored successfully, the city will have to take the lead in the project,” the document reads. “But the city cannot do it on its own. The businessmen and property owners of the historic district will play a major role. In fact, the entire business area along Manchester road and within the city has a stake in the future of the historic area.”