Manchester Sculpture Project Announces 2024 Fundraising House Tour

MANCHESTER, CT — Seven notable Manchester homes will be open for touring in an effort to raise funds for a life-size bronze statue of Emily Cheney Neville.

Her statue will be placed in Center Memorial Park, near the Mary Cheney Library.

The tour is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Advance ticket sales at $35 start on Sept. 27 at Highland Park Market, Woodland Gardens and Manchester Town Hall. Tickets can be purchased with cash or a check only. Day of ticket sales will be $40 at a location to be announced.

This year's event is the third House Tour conducted by the Manchester Sculpture Project committee, whose fundraising produced the Joe McCluskey statue on Highland Street and the Elisabeth M. Bennet statue in front of the Main Street school that bears her name.

Homes on the tour will vary in style, architecture, landscaping and era. The location of the homes will be disclosed closer to the date of the tour, sculpture committee officials said. Homeowners and docents will be on hand to provide interesting, historic information.

Neville won a Newbery Medal on her first book titled, "It's Like This, Cat" (in 1964). Born in Manchester to Howell and Anne Bunce Cheney, Neville wrote about her life in the Silk City in her book, "Traveler from a Small Kingdom."

Susan Wakeen, an Avon-based sculptor, has been chosen to create the Neville statue.

For more information, see the Manchester Sculpture Project Facebook page.