Equinox House Historic District, Historic district in Manchester, Vermont.

The Equinox House Historic District covers the village center of Manchester at the junction of Main Street (Vermont Route 7A) and Union Street, which runs east toward the Battenkill River. The Equinox Hotel, one of Vermont's few surviving 19th-century grand hotels, anchors the west side; across Main Street stand civic and commercial buildings all built before 1872, including the 1871 First Congregational Church, the 1822 Bennington County Courthouse and the Orvis Building.

The district gained recognition on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, with an expansion in 1980 that added more buildings to the protected area. This official status marks the neighborhood's role in preserving the region's past.

The Orvis Building from 1856 marks the birthplace of a company that changed how people fish with flies around the world. Walking through the district, you can see how a local business grew into something that shaped an entire sport.

The district is easy to explore on foot since the main buildings are arranged along two streets. Visitors should plan to walk at a relaxed pace to observe the details of the facades and structures throughout the neighborhood.

Mary Todd Lincoln and her son Robert stayed at the Equinox Hotel; Robert later built the Hildene estate south of the village. Ulysses S. Grant also stayed there. The hotel is one of Vermont's few surviving 19th-century grand hotels.