The Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce, through the Gateway Communities Initiative (GCI), sponsors tours encompassing the agricultural and historic German heritage of the Manchester area. The GCI is a regional eco-tourism program involving local Chambers of Commerce, convention and visitor bureaus, land preservation agencies and conservancies, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, within the three county area encompassing Washtenaw, Jackson and Livingston Counties. GCI promotes the mutual goals of balancing preservation and sustainability of these natural and historic areas, while also stimulating commerce in the small villages which serve as the “gateways” to regional parks and historic sites.
Manchester GCI Rolls Out First Self-Guided Bike Tour
The Manchester Tour de Barn Quilts is the first of a group of eco-tourism activities being planned featuring the Village of Manchester and surrounding natural areas.
This self-guided bike tour is on rural roads beginning and ending in the parking lot at Manchester High School. The tour travels bucolic byways to look at barn quilts, which are large, colorful quilt blocks on the sides of barns, as well as other historic barns and churches, a farm stand, a Ford mill, and the charming Village of Manchester. The route is 14 to 26 miles long. Included too is an optional 6 mile loop. Click below for the tour brochure.
Tour de Barn Quilts Brochure
Manchester – Gateway Communities Initiative, working with the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce, sponsors tours encompassing the agricultural and historic heritage of the Manchester area. The GCI is a regional eco-tourism program promoting the mutual goals of balancing preservation and sustainability of natural and historic areas, while also stimulating commerce in villages and small towns.
