Manchester, Connecticut

Manchester is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 58,241.[3] The urban center of the town is the Manchester census-designated place, with a population of 30,577 at the 2010 census.[4] The town is named after Manchester, in England.[5]

Manchester, Connecticut
Town
Town Hall
Flag
Nickname(s): 
Silk City
Motto(s): 
"City of Village Charm"
Coordinates: 41°46′31″N 72°31′27″W
Country United States
U.S. state Connecticut
CountyHartford
Metropolitan areaHartford
Founded1672
Incorporated1823
Government
 • TypeCouncil–manager
 • General ManagerScott Shanley
 • Board of DirectorsJay Moran (D),
Mayor;
Sarah Jones (D),
Deputy Mayor;
Yolanda Castillo (D),
Secretary;
Peter Conyers (R);
Ellen Dougan (R);
Brian Marois (R);
Tim Bergin (D);
Pamela Floyd-Cranford (D);
Dennis Schain(D)
Area
 • Total27.7 sq mi (71.7 km2)
 • Land27.3 sq mi (70.6 km2)
 • Water0.4 sq mi (1.1 km2)
Elevation
272 ft ((at Town Hall)
82.9 m)
Population
 (2010)[1]
 • Total58,241
 • Density2,133/sq mi (825/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
06040–06042, 06045
Area code(s)860
FIPS code09-44700
GNIS feature ID208693[2]
Major highways
List of auxiliary Interstate Highways
Websitewww.townofmanchester.org

History
Cheney Brothers Mills, South Manchester, 1920
A child laborer at Cheney Brothers Mills, 1924. Photo by Lewis Hine.

The area known as Manchester began its recorded history as the camping grounds of a small band of peaceful Native Americans known as the Podunk tribe. The area was settled by colonists around 1673, some 40 years after Thomas Hooker led a group of Puritans from Massachusetts Bay Colony to found Hartford.[6]

At the time it was known just as Orford Parish, a name that can still be found on the memorial to the Revolutionary soldiers from the town. The many rivers and brooks provided power for paper, lumber and textile industries, and the town quickly evolved into an industrial center. The town of Hartford once included the land now occupied by the towns of Manchester, East Hartford, and West Hartford. In 1783, East Hartford became a separate town, which included Manchester in its city limits until 1823.[7]

The Pitkin Glassworks operated from 1783 to 1830 as the first successful glassworks in Connecticut. The owner of the glassworks, Captain Richard Pitkin, was given a 25-year monopoly on glass as recompense for providing gunpowder to the Continental Army during the American Revolution.[8] The Pitkin Glassworks Ruin has been preserved by the town's historical society.

Weiss Center, listed on the National Register of Historic Places

In 1838, the Cheney family started what became the world's largest silk mill. Eventually, the Cheney family employed a quarter of residents and actively recruited immigrants to work in the mills. The manufacturing presence in the town made Manchester an ideal industrial community. The mills, houses of the owners, and homes of the workers are now part of the Cheney Brothers Historic District, a National Historic Landmark.

Also of note are the E.E. Hilliard Company Woolen Mills. Founded ca. 1780 by Aaron Buckland and later sold to the Hilliard family, the Hilliard Mills are the oldest woolen mill site in the country.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 27.7 square miles (71.7 km2), of which 27.4 square miles (71.0 km2) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.7 km2), or 1.00%, is water.[9] The Manchester census-designated place consists of the urban center of the town and has a total area of 6.5 square miles (16.8 km2), or about 23% of the town's total area. 6.4 square miles (16.7 km2) of the CDP is land, and 0.039 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.56%, is water.[4]

Demographics
See also: List of Connecticut locations by per capita income
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18502,546—
18603,29429.4%
18704,22328.2%
18806,46253.0%
18908,22227.2%
190010,60128.9%
191013,64128.7%
192018,37034.7%
193021,97319.6%
194023,7998.3%
195034,11643.4%
196042,10223.4%
197047,99414.0%
198049,7613.7%
199051,6183.7%
200054,7406.0%
201058,2416.4%
2014 (est.)58,106[10]−0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]

As of the census of 2000,[3] there were 54,740 people, 23,197 households, and 14,010 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,008.2 people per square mile (775.4/km2). There were 24,256 housing units at an average density of 889.9 per square mile (343.6/km2). 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. Of all households, 31.1% 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.

Economy

Top employers

Top employers in Manchester according to the town's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.[12]

# Employer # of Employees
1 Town of Manchester 1,681
2 Prospect ECHN 1,680
3 Paradigm Precision 350
4 Big Y 350
5 The Home Depot 330
6 Allied Printing 330
7 Macy's 300
8 Walmart 300
9 Manchester Community College 280
10 JCPenney Distribution Center 250

As home to the Cheney family silk fortune, Manchester was a center of the American silk industry from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, and was an integral component of not only the economy but success of the town. Today, the Cheney Brothers Historic District[13] showcases mills refurbished as apartments and includes nearby museums.

Manchester posted a total revenue, as of 2017, of $202,901,000, with total expenditures of $199 million, including $133 million towards education.[14] The median rent between 2013-2017 was $1,181, higher than both the county and state medians. The top employing industries are retail trade, health care and social assistance, manufacturing, and government; and the top employers are the Town of Manchester, the Board of Education, Eastern Connecticut Health Network, Inc., and Allied Printing.[15]

The town is home to The Shoppes at Buckland Hills, as well as Shady Glen, a restaurant recognized by the James Beard Foundation in 2012 as an American classic, and has been featured on Food Network.[16][17]

Arts and culture

Stemming from a heritage of Scottish culture, Manchester is home to the second-oldest continuously operating pipe band in the United States, the Manchester Pipe Band, a grade 2 pipe band, which was founded in 1914.[18] Cheney Hall is the home of The Little Theater of Manchester, a 60 year old community theater group. The city is also home to a nonprofit orchestra, the Manchester Symphony Orchestra and Chorale, which has been performing and educating youths in music in the community since 1960.[19]

Manchester hosts four museums. The Fire Museum is housed in a restored 1901 firehouse building. The museum's firefighting equipment and memorabilia include leather fire buckets used in colonial times, a display showing the evolution of sprinkler systems, a horse-drawn hose wagon, a 1921 Ahrens-Fox fire pumper, and a 105-foot (32 m) 1911 water tower.[20] The Lutz Children's Museum has participatory exhibits covering art, history, science, nature and ethnology. The museum's permanent collection includes small live animals.[21] The Old Manchester Museum, focusing on local history, is operated by the Manchester Historical Society. Permanent exhibits include examples of Cheney silk, Pitkin glass, and Spencer Repeating Rifles; the museum also houses the Manchester Sports Hall of Fame.[22] The Cheney Homestead Museum is an eighteenth-century house of the founders of the Cheney Brothers Silk Company. On exhibit are examples of period furniture and artwork.[23] Also on site is the one-room Keeney Schoolhouse dating from 1751.[24]

Wickham Park, a non-profit private foundation, is located on Manchester and East Hartford property. The 53-acre (210,000 m2) Oak Grove Nature Center is a nature preserve with rivers, ponds, and hiking trails and hosts educational nature classes aimed at children.[21] Case Mountain Recreational Area, located in the less populated southeast corner of Manchester, is popular for hiking, mountain biking, and has a great view of the Hartford skyline to the west. Charter Oak Park, located in downtown, is popular for basketball, softball, and tennis, and includes four community soccer field. The park underwent a $2 million renovation in 2017 which improved existing infrastructure in addition to adding a musical garden, jogging tracks, bathrooms, and an upgraded playground.[25]

The annual auto show Cruisin' on Main Street is held every August and is one of the largest shows of its kind in the northeast, showcasing over 14,000 vintage and rare vehicles and attracting over 400,000 visitors since its inception in 2001. The event has also endowed an annual scholarship for local area high school students pursuing further education.[26][27]

Sports

Manchester Country Club opened in 1917 and was originally designed by Tom Bendelow and Deveroux Emmet. In 1935, it was redesigned in by A.W. Tillinghast. The golf course features a classical New England design and holds an annual open tournament.[28]

Perhaps the most enduring sports legacy of the town is the Manchester Road Race, a 4.748 mile footrace which is held every Thanksgiving morning. It is the second most popular race in New England, behind the Boston Marathon. The event attracts over 10,000 participants, including Olympians, world record holders, and international athletes, in addition to thousands of spectators.[29] The race was first run in 1927, and benefits muscular dystrophy research as well as over a dozen other charities.[30]

The Manchester Silkworms, named for the town's storied past as a silk producer and the world's largest silk mill, were a collegiate summer baseball team founded in 2000. Several former players continued their career to the majors leagues, including former Red Sox catcher and veteran Ryan Lavarnway. The team relocated to Laconia, New Hampshire after the 2009 season.

Government and politics
Presidential vote by party[31]
Year Democratic Republican
2016 60.83% 15,109 33.65% 8,358
2012 65.21% 15,565 33.35% 7,961
2008 66.85% 17,782 31.79% 8,457
2004 59.58% 15,269 38.82% 9,949
2000 58.70% 14,184 35.34% 8,541
1996 54.39% 13,003 31.33% 7,490
1992 43.39% 12,266 32.30% 9,132
1988 51.33% 12,891 47.82% 12,009
1984 40.07% 10,023 59.48% 14,878
1980 38.39% 9,459 43.99% 10,839
1976 47.56% 11,690 51.79% 12,728
1972 42.23% 10,413 56.96% 14,044
1968 50.74% 11,052 44.65% 9,725
1964 68.79% 14,548 31.21% 6,601
1960 48.99% 10,454 51.01% 10,885
Manchester, Connecticut Probate Court

The town was governed in the old New England tradition of town meeting until 1907, when the town adopted a new charter, creating a more efficient method of governing, with a Board of Selectmen charged with the responsibility of running the town. In the mid-twentieth century, Manchester adopted a new charter constituting a council-manager government that is still in use today.[6]

The legislative function is performed by a bipartisan Board of Directors consisting of nine board members, who are elected biennially for two year terms. The Board of Directors elects a Mayor from its membership for the two year term, and also appoints the General Manager.[32]

Manchester is represented in the Connecticut General Assembly by State Representatives Geoff Luxenberg (D-12) and Jason Doucette (D-13), and by State Senator Steve Cassano (D-4).[33] At the federal level, Manchester is part of Connecticut's 1st congressional district and is represented in the House of Representatives by John Larson, in addition to being represented in the U.S. Senate by Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy.

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 29, 2019[34]
Party Active voters Inactive voters Total voters Percentage
Democratic 12,682 1,338 14,020 39.82%
Republican 5,177 506 5,683 16.14%
Unaffiliated 12,826 2,000 14,826 42.11%
Minor parties 601 79 680 1.93%
Total 31,286 3,923 35,209 100%


Education

Public schools

Traditional district schools

  • Manchester High School (grades 9–12)
  • Howell Cheney Technical High School (grades 9–12)
  • Bentley Alternative Education School (grades 9–12)
  • Arthur H. Illing Middle School (grades 7–8)
  • Manchester Middle Academy (grades 5-8)
  • Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy (grades 5-6)
  • William E. Buckley Elementary School (grades K-4)
  • Bowers Elementary School (grades K-4)
  • Highland Park Elementary School (grades K-4)
  • Keeney Street Elementary School (grades K-4)
  • Martin Elementary School (grades K-4)
  • Verplanck Elementary School (grades K-4)
  • Waddell Elementary School (grades K-4)
  • Manchester Preschool Center (Pre-K)

Magnet schools
  • Great Path Academy (grades 9–12)
  • Discovery Academy (grades Pre K-5)

Private schools
  • Saint Bridget School (grades Pre K-8)
  • Saint James School (grades Pre K-8)
  • East Catholic High School (grades 9–12)
  • The Cornerstone Christian School (grades Pre K-12)
  • Asamoah Society School (grades Pre K-12)
  • Pierre B. Arthur School (grades K-8)

Post-secondary education

Media

Newspaper

Manchester is home to a local newspaper, the Journal Inquirer, which serves all of Manchester and the surrounding areas. The Hartford Courant also has a facility in Manchester and can be delivered anywhere in town.

Emergency services

Ambulance service

Ambulance Service of Manchester (ASM) is a private, for-profit company that operates out of a station on New State Road in Manchester, and provides basic life support-level transport service. ASM also provides intercept and transport paramedic service to a number of towns in Hartford, Tolland, and Windham counties. ASM will provide advanced life support when fire department paramedics are unavailable.[35]

Fire departments
Manchester fire station

Manchester Fire Rescue EMS

The Town of Manchester Fire-Rescue-EMS Department was organized in 1897 after a fire destroyed the Weldon business block. It is a full-time career department that operates from five fire stations. The department staffs four engine companies, one truck company, and a shift commander vehicle with a minimum of 17 on-duty personnel (five Lieutenants, eleven Firefighters, and one Battalion Chief). All five companies provide a range of services including fire suppression, fire prevention, rescue, hazardous material response, and Advanced Life Support (paramedic level) medical care.[36]

Manchester Fire Department-Eighth Utilities District

The Manchester Fire Department-Eighth Utilities District is a combination paid and volunteer fire department, established in 1888 as a separate fire department within the northwest corner of the town. It is not affiliated with the town and is governed by the board of directors of the Eighth Utilities District, which is a separate taxation district. Four firefighters are on duty Monday-Friday daytime, and one Firefighter is on duty on Saturday and Sunday, from 6am to 6pm. During the week, the career firefighters staff headquarters with 2 and Station 3 with 2. Volunteers provide coverage during the remaining times and whenever available. The department provides fire suppression, fire prevention, rescue, hazardous material response, and Basic Life Support (EMT level) medical care.

Police department

The Manchester Police Department was established in 1896. It is staffed by approximately 120 officers.

Infrastructure

Roads

Manchester has parts of three interstate highways (I-84, I-384, and I-291) and Route 6 and Route 44 together constitute Manchester's principal east/west arterial. Connecticut Route 30 is an east/west arterial in the northern section of town. Connecticut Route 83 is Manchester's principal north/south arterial. Starting as South Main Street at the southern border with Glastonbury, Route 83 becomes Main Street through the center of town.

Public transportation

Manchester is served by the Hartford division of Connecticut Transit. Routes 80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 88, and 121 connect Manchester directly to the city of Hartford.[37]

Rail

No passenger service currently exists in town. Freight service from Hartford is provided by Connecticut Southern Railroad.[38]

The closest Amtrak service is available at Hartford's Union Station, approximately 10 miles west.

Airports

Bradley International Airport, in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, is twenty minutes north of downtown Hartford. It features over 150 daily departures to over 30 destinations on nine airlines. Other airports serving the Hartford area include:[39]

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.[40]

Notable people

See also

References
  1. U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "GNIS Detail - Manchester". geonames.usgs.gov.
  3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Manchester CDP, Connecticut". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  5. The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly. Connecticut Magazine Company. 1903. p. 333.
  6. "Manchester Historical Society". www.manchesterhistory.org. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  7. Goodwin, Joseph Olcott (1879). East Hartford: Its History and Traditions. Hartford, Connecticut: Case, Lockwood, and Brainard Co.
  8. "Pitkin Glass Works". Manchester Historical Society. manchasterhistory.org. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  9. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Manchester town, Hartford County, Connecticut". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  10. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  12. "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Town of Manchester Connecticut Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2019" (PDF). Town of Manchester. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  13. ManchesterHistory.org Archived 2005-03-08 at the Wayback Machine
  14. "TOWN OF MANCHESTER, CONNECTICUT BUDGET".
  15. "CERC Town Profile 2019" (PDF). 2019.
  16. "Shady Glen". Food Network. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  17. Winners 2012 James Beard Foundation
  18. Jensen, Cindi (May 16, 1996). "Manchester Pipe Band First Stepped Out In The World War I Era". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on December 3, 2015. The Manchester Pipe Band is the second-oldest pipe band in continuous existence in the United States -- and one of four in Manchester. As the story goes, it began 'with 20 students and a dream in those dark days prior to World War I.' When Pipe Major Alex Scot and the Holyoke Pipe Band paid a visit to Manchester in 1913, their traditional bagpipe music set the imaginations of this area's Celtic population on fire.
  19. About us, Manchester Symphony and Chorale
  20. Fire Museum website, retrieved October 12, 2011
  21. Connecticut, Massachusetts & Rhode Island Tourbook 2007 Edition. (2007) pp 58–59. AAA Publishing, Heathrow, Florida
  22. Old Manchester Museum". Manchester Historical Society. manchasterhistory.org. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
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  24. Keeney Schoolhouse website, retrieved October 12, 2011
  25. Inquirer, Joseph T. O’Leary Journal. "Manchester celebrates reopening of Charter Oak Park". Journal Inquirer. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
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  27. King, Peter; One Fine Day- Aggravating/Enjoyable Travel Note of the Week; Monday Morning Quarterback December 2, 2002; Sports Illustrated Online; retrieved December 29, 2006
  28. "Course History – Manchester Country Club". Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  29. "More Than 11K Runners Participate in This Year's Manchester Road Race". NBC Connecticut. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  30. "Manchester Road Race Giving Out $68,000 In Donations". Manchester, CT Patch. April 2, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  31. "General Elections Statement of Vote 1922". CT.gov - Connecticut's Official State Website. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
  32. "Board of Directors - Board of Directors". bod.townofmanchester.org. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  33. "Find Your Legislators".
  34. "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 29, 2019" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  35. "Ambulance Service of Manchester". www.ambulanceservicemanchester.com.
  36. "Professional Firefighters of Manchester, CT". www.local1579.com.
  37. Connecticut Transit Routes & Schedules—Hartford Local; Updated July 15, 2015
  38. Connecticut Southern Railroad Railmap; Railamerica.com
  39. "Destinations". June 4, 2012. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  40. Connecticut Department of Transportation Index to Trails in Connecticut by Town
  41. "Hollywood Roundup". Belvidere Daily Republican. Illinois, Belvidere. United Press. January 19, 1937. p. 7. Retrieved January 15, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
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  43. "GenoAuriemmaCamp.com". genoauriemmacamp.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  44. Yost, Earl (October 18, 2002). "SPORTS HALL OF FAME TO INDUCT ELMORE GAVELLO, 5 OTHERS". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  45. "Daniel C. Burbank (CAPTAIN, USCG)". NASA. Retrieved March 17, 2009.
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  49. "Jean Marzollo | author of I SPY | Contest". www.jeanmarzollo.com. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
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