Several thousand people viewed the American Freedom Train during its two-day stopover in Manchester. Manchester was the train’s fourth stop on an 18-month trip across the United States. April 16, 1975.
Photo by Alan Jahn. Union Leader Archives
The American Freedom Train in Manchester
On April 1, 1975, the American Freedom Train embarked from Wilmington, Delaware on a tour of the 48 contiguous states in celebration of the United States Bicentennial. Inspired by the Freedom Train of the late 1940s, the 26-car Bicentennial train featured 10 display cars carrying exhibits featuring historic American political artifacts and Americana ranging from the Louisiana Purchase to a Moon rock to "Smokin' Joe" Frazier's boxing trunks.
The fourth display stop on the tour was in Manchester, New Hampshire, where it welcomed visitors for two days before chugging along to Portland, Maine. Several thousand people descended on the Queen City and Canal Street between April 15th and 16th to explore the red, white, and blue train cars.
A young Queen City resident proudly displays her American Freedom Train banner on April 15, 1975.
Photo by Alan Jahn. Union Leader Archives
The train zig-zagged its way across America before completing its journey over a year and a half later on December 31, 1976.
Manchester residents wait their turn to tour the American Freedom Train, April 14, 1975.
Photo by Alan Jahn. Union Leader Archives
These and over 250 additional classic Manchester photographs from the 1970s and '80s can be found in the Union Leader's new pictorial history book, Manchester Memores III!
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