Manchester, Connecticut

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Town of Manchester
Official seal of Town of Manchester
Seal
Nickname: "Silk City"
Motto: City of Village Charm
Location in Hartford County, Connecticut
Location in Hartford County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°46′31″N, 72°31′27″W
NECTA Hartford
Region Capitol Region
Founded 1672
Incorporated 1823
Government type Council-manager
General Manager Scott Shanley
Board of directors Josh Howroyd (D), Mayor
Joseph S. Hachey
Lisa Paggioli O'Neill
Matt Peak
Cheri Ann Pelletier
David M. Sheridan
Louis A. Spadaccini
John D. Topping
Kevin L. Zingler
Area  
 - City 71.7 km²  (27.7 sq mi)
 - Land 70.6 km²  (27.3 sq mi)
 - Water 1.1 km² (0.4 sq mi)
Elevation (at Town Hall)
82.9 m  (272 ft)
Population  
 - City (2005) 55,572
 - Density 786/km² (2,036/sq mi)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 0604x
Website: http://www.townofmanchester.org

Manchester is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 54,743 [1].

Contents

[edit] History

Manchester was settled by colonists around 1672 as a farming community. The many rivers and brooks provided power for paper, lumber and textile industries, and the town quickly evolved into an important industrial center.

In 1838, the Cheney family started what became the world's largest silk mill. Eventually, Manchester became an ideal industrial community. The mills, houses of the owners, and homes of the workers are now part of a National Historic Landmark District.

Many of the buildings on Main Street and Hartford Road reflect the rich industrial and cultural heritage of the silk age.

Visit the Historical Society of Manchester, CT for more information about the rich history of the community.

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 71.7 km² (27.7 mi²). 70.6 km² (27.3 mi²) of it is land and 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²) of it (1.52%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 54,740 people, 23,197 households, and 14,010 families residing in the town. The population density was 775.4/km² (2,008.2/mi²). There were 24,256 housing units at an average density of 343.6/km² (889.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 82.77% White, 8.42% African American, 0.20% Native American, 3.15% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.12% from other races, and 2.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.54% of the population.

There were 23,197 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $49,426, and the median income for a family was $58,769. Males had a median income of $41,893 versus $32,562 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,989. About 6.0% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005[1]
Party Active Voters Inactive Voters Total Voters Percentage
Democratic 10,612 584 11,196 33.86%
Republican 6,249 374 6,623 20.03%
Unaffiliated 14,150 1,069 15,219 46.03%
Minor Parties 25 2 27 0.08%
Total 31,036 2,029 33,065 100%

[edit] Places of interest

Main Street (looking South from Center Street)
Enlarge
Main Street (looking South from Center Street)

Manchester is home to one hospital, the Manchester Memorial Hospital. MMH is a member of the Eastern Connecticut Health Network, the main office of which is also in Manchester.

Manchester is also famous for Manchester Community College, a two-year community college that offers general education classes during the summer. The town also has a highly rated private school, East Catholic High School ECHS.

Manchester is also known for The Shoppes at Buckland Hills, an enclosed shopping mall, and the nearby strip mall, Buckland Plaza. In the last decade, the area surrounding the mall, which extends into the town of South Windsor, has been blanketed with numerous shopping outlets and plazas and quickly transformed into a shopping hub for the state's residents.

Manchester is also the home of several technology companies including Smith Aerospace.

Bissell Street (looking East of Main Street)
Enlarge
Bissell Street (looking East of Main Street)

As a center of the silk industry in America from the late 19th through the mid-20th Century, the "Cheney Family" historic district [2] showcases mills refurbished as apartments and includes nearby museums.

Manchester is also the home of the Manchester Silkworms collegiate wood-bat summer baseball team, which plays in the New England Collegiate Baseball League from early June to early August.

Manchester is perhaps most famous for its incredibly popular Manchester Road Race[3] which is held every Thanksgiving Day. This race has over 10,000 participants yearly, as well as thousands of spectators, and is considered the second-largest road race in New England, behind only the Boston Marathon.

Manchester is also home to the world-known Shady Glen Dairy Stores, known best for their Cheeseburgers and home-made ice cream. Shady Glen was opened in 1948 by John and Bernice Reig of Manchester. This smalltown restaurant is also known for holding on to the traditions of restaurants of the 1950s.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Roads

[edit] Interstates

Manchester has parts of three interstate highways located within its borders.[2]

All three interstates share a complicated interchange near the town's border with East Hartford.

[edit] U.S. highways

The U.S. Highways Route 6 & Route 44 together constitute Manchester's principal East/West arterial.[2]

Route 44 enters town from the West at the border with East Hartford on West Middle Turnpike. Less than a mile from the town line, Route 44 is joined by Route 6 which enters Manchester concurrently with I-84. Routes 6 & 44 run concurrently through town along West Middle Turnpike, Center St., East Center St., East Middle Turnpike, and New Bolton Rd. The Routes exit town to the East at the Bolton town line.

[edit] Connecticut state highways

There are two signed Connecticut state highways that go through Manchester.[2]

  • Connecticut Route 30 is an East/West arterial in the Northern section of town. Route 30 enters town from South Windsor as Deming St. Then as Tolland Turnpike, it junctions with and runs concurrently with Route 83 to the Vernon town line.
  • Connecticut Route 83 is Manchester's principal North/South arterial. Starting as South Main St. at the Southern border with Glastonbury, Route 83 becomes Main St. through the center of town, then turns East for 350 yards as North Main St., turns North again as Oakland St., then finally combines with Route 30 at Tolland Turnpike and exits town at the Vernon line.

[edit] Public transportation

Manchester is served by the Hartford division of Connecticut Transit. The B, YM, and Z routes connect Manchester directly to the city of Hartford.[3]

[edit] Rail

No passenger service currently exists in town. Freight service from Hartford is provided by Connecticut Southern Railroad.[4]

[edit] Airports

[edit] Bicycling

Manchester has several on and off-road bicycle routes. The two most popular routes are the Charter Oak Greenway and the Hop River State Park Trail. Portions of each of those routes have been designated as parts of the East Coast Greenway.[5]

[edit] Notable people

[edit] References

  1. ^ Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 25, 2005 (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Retrieved on 2006-10-02.
  2. ^ a b c Google Map of Manchester
  3. ^ Connecticut Transit Hartford Routes & Schedules; Updated November 20, 2006
  4. ^ Connecticut Southern Railroad Railmap; Railamerica.com
  5. ^ Connecticut Department of Transportation Index to Trails in Connecticut by Town

[edit] External links

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