"I want people to come out and see everything about Manheim," said Sharry Theal, chair of events for the Manheim Historical Society. "There is so much to see and do." Manheim is a town steeped in history, and Theal puts some of that past in the spotlight during a walking tour she leads on 1st Thursdays. Her next tour will be held on Thursday, Sept. 1. Tours last about 30 minutes and begin at 5, 6 and 7 p.m. at the Fasig House, 30 E. High St.

"We start out by going out to the sidewalk and talking about the church across the street," Theal said, noting that the tour heads up to Main Street next. "We'll talk about buildings we pass along the way, including the building where Baron Stiegel lived." A stop in the parking lot at REO Manheim Marketplace, 51 N. Main St., features information about the Brick House Cafe across the street as well as some area churches before the tour continues to Gramby Street. "I like to cover little things that people wouldn't have been aware of that happened back then in Manheim," Theal noted. "I want to give people on the tour a sense of what was happening back in the day but also help them feel like they are immersed in that history."

To prepare for the tour, Theal completed extensive research among the books, newspaper clippings and files at the Manheim Historical Society. She said she's always loved history and when she retired five years ago, she joined the society to promote Manheim's past. She noted she has learned many new things about the town during her research, and she has gotten positive feedback from tourgoers. "I had a mailman on my tour who delivered mail in Manheim, and he said, 'I thought I knew all about Manheim, but I learned so much on your tour,'" Theal recalled. "I just love sharing Manheim's history with people."

Theal noted that tours are limited to about 15 people to make it easier for people to hear information along the route and to promote safety along busy streets. People can come by the Fasig House on 1st Thursday to sign up for a tour and if it's full, there's plenty to do while they wait for the next one, she said. "There's so much going on during 1st Thursday in Manheim," she stated. "You can go shopping, have something to eat or just see what's happening in town and then come back for your tour."

For more information on the Manheim Historical Society, visit https://manheimhistoricalsociety.org. For more information on 1st Thursdays in Manheim, visit http://1stthursdays.com.