Manly Hardy (1832-1910) was a professional fur dealer and an amateur naturalist from Brewer, Maine. During his lifetime, he assembled one of the largest private collections of North American birds. This article documents how Hardy collected his specimens, how and where he housed his collection, and the species in his collection. Also discussed is how the Hardy Collection of North American Birds came to be located today at the Natural History Museum in the Roger Williams Park, Providence, Rhode Island.