Manchester, New Hampshire

Manchester is the biggest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It sits along the Merrimack River. In the year 2020, 115,644 people lived there. It is the tenth-biggest city in New England and helps a lot with the area.

The city was named by Samuel Blodget, a merchant and inventor. He wanted to build a big industrial place like the original Manchester in England. During the Industrial Revolution, Manchester grew because of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company. This company was the world's largest cotton textile plant. Even after World War II, when many textile jobs went away, new industries such as DEKA helped the city grow and change.

History

See also: Timeline of Manchester, New Hampshire

The native Pennacook people called Amoskeag Falls on the Merrimack River—the area that became the heart of Manchester—Namaoskeag, meaning "good fishing place". In 1722, John Goffe III settled beside Cohas Brook, later building a dam and sawmill at what was dubbed "Old Harry's Town". It was granted by Massachusetts in 1727 as "Tyngstown" to veterans of Queen Anne's War. But when New Hampshire separated from Massachusetts in 1741, the grant was ruled invalid and substituted with Wilton, Maine. It was renamed "Derryfield" in 1751.

In 1807, Samuel Blodget opened a canal and lock system to help boats pass around the falls. He wanted the area to become a big industrial center, calling it "the Manchester of America", after Manchester, England, which was leading the Industrial Revolution.^: 13–18  In 1809, Benjamin Prichard and others built a cotton mill on the western bank of the Merrimack River. The town was renamed "Manchester" in 1810.

Amoskeag engineers and architects planned a model company town on the eastern bank, founded in 1838. Manchester became a city in 1846 and was home to the largest cotton mill in the world. Other products made in the city included shoes, cigars, and paper. The Amoskeag foundry made many things, including rifles and sewing machines.

The city grew quickly, and many people came to work in the mills. In 1871, a dam was built on the Merrimack River to help power the mills. By 1912, the mills were making a lot of cloth very fast.

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the city grew outward. Manchester had a streetcar network, which was later replaced by buses in the 1940s.

In 1922, workers from two big companies went on strike for a period of nine months. After the strike, the textile industry began to decline. The Great Depression hurt the city a lot. The Amoskeag Manufacturing Company declared bankruptcy in 1935. During the Great Flood of 1936, the McGregor Bridge was destroyed and the city's mills and buildings were damaged. After the flood, the company reorganized and started making different products.

Manchester's economy improved during World War II, as the city was ready to help with war-time production. In 1941, Grenier Field, on the city's border with Londonderry, became a U.S. Army air base.

The city faced harder times in the 1950s and 1960s, with many mill buildings left empty. During this time, the city made changes to its downtown area. The Mall of New Hampshire opened in 1977.

The 1980s brought new interest in the Millyard and downtown. The University of New Hampshire at Manchester opened a campus there. Segway inventor Dean Kamen bought old mill buildings to use as offices for DEKA.

City Hall Plaza was built in downtown Manchester in 1992 and is the tallest building in New Hampshire.

Manchester has kept growing and changing. The city's old mills left behind beautiful Victorian buildings.

Geography

Manchester is in south-central New Hampshire. It is 18 miles south of Concord, the state capital, and 18 miles north of Nashua, the second-largest city in the state. It is also 51 miles north-northwest of Boston, the largest city in New England.

The city covers 34.9 square miles. Most of it is land, and a small part is water. The Merrimack River and its tributaries, the Piscataquog River and Cohas Brook, flow through Manchester. Massabesic Lake is on the eastern edge of the city. The highest point in Manchester is Wellington Hill, which is 570 feet above sea level.

Neighborhoods

Main article: Neighborhoods in Manchester, New Hampshire

The city has 25 different neighborhoods. Some well-known ones are Amoskeag, Rimmon Heights, and Piscataquog/Granite Square on the West Side; the North End and Janeville/Corey Square on the East Side; and Youngsville and Goffes Falls on the edges of the city.

Adjacent municipalities

• Hooksett (north)
• Auburn (east)
• Londonderry (southeast)
• Litchfield (south)
• Merrimack (south)
• Bedford (southwest)
• Goffstown (west)

Climate

Manchester has four seasons. Winters are long, cold, and snowy. Summers are warm and somewhat humid. Spring and fall are shorter and cooler. The temperature usually ranges from about 26 °F in January to about 74 °F in July. The city gets rain and snow all year, with winter being the driest season and early spring the wettest.

Demographics

Manchester, New Hampshire, is the biggest city in the state. In 2020, the city had 115,644 people. It is part of a larger area with over 187,000 people.

In 2010, Manchester had many different kinds of people. Most were White, but there were also Black, Asian, and Hispanic or Latino residents. The city has families from France, French-Canada, Ireland, England, Germany, and Italy. Many people in Manchester are young adults, with fewer children and seniors.

Economy

Manchester is the largest city in northern New England. It used to make textiles, but now it has many different jobs and places to visit. The city is called the Queen City and sometimes "Manch Vegas". A big shopping place called the Mall of New Hampshire is near where two major roads meet.

In 2001, a large place for concerts and sports called the Verizon Wireless Arena opened, and in 2016 it was renamed the SNHU Arena after Southern New Hampshire University.

Some of the biggest places that employ people in Manchester include Elliot Hospital, Catholic Medical Center, Southern New Hampshire University, and several banks and energy companies. In 2021, a website called Business Insider said Manchester was a great place to start a new business.

Downtown Manchester has some tall buildings, like One City Hall Plaza and the SNHU Arena. There are also places to watch baseball, like the Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, where the New Hampshire Fisher Cats play. Many old mill buildings are now homes or shops, making the area look nice and busy.

Manchester has three main places to shop: downtown, South Willow Street, and Second Street. The Mall of New Hampshire on South Willow Street has over 125 stores.

Arts and culture

Manchester, New Hampshire, has many interesting places to visit and explore. You can see art at the Currier Museum of Art and learn about design at the New Hampshire Institute of Art. The city has special buildings like the historic Palace Theatre and homes designed by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, such as the Zimmerman House and Kalil House.

There are also places where you can learn about nature, like the Massabesic Audubon Center and the Amoskeag Fishways Learning and Visitors Center. The SEE Science Center is a fun spot for kids to discover how things work. Manchester also has a library that has been helping people read and learn since the 1850s.

Sports

Manchester, New Hampshire, is a place where many sports teams play. The city has college teams from Saint Anselm College and Southern New Hampshire University that compete in the NCAA Division II Northeast-10 Conference.

Manchester is special because it is the only city in New Hampshire to have professional sports teams. The New Hampshire Fisher Cats play at Delta Dental Stadium. There is also a basketball team called the New Hampshire Kingz that plays in the American Basketball Association.

In the past, the city had hockey teams called the Manchester Monarchs and an arena football team called the Manchester Wolves. These teams played at the SNHU Arena.

Government

See also: List of mayors of Manchester, New Hampshire and Mayoral elections in Manchester, New Hampshire

Manchester is a city in the state of New Hampshire. It has a mayor who leads the city government. The mayor works with a group of fourteen people called the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. They make important decisions for the city. Twelve areas, or wards, of Manchester each choose one member, and two more members are chosen by everyone in the city.

The mayor also helps lead the school board. The school board has twelve members chosen by wards and two more chosen by the whole city. The school board works with the city government but is separate from it.

Manchester has three representatives in the New Hampshire Senate:

• Keith Murphy (Republican-District 16): includes Manchester Ward 1
• Victoria Sullivan (Republican-District 18): Wards 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
• Patrick Long (Democrat District 20): Wards 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12

In the New Hampshire Executive Council, Manchester is part of the 4th District and is represented by Republican John Stephen, a former mayor of the city. Manchester is also part of New Hampshire's 1st congressional district and is represented by Democrat Chris Pappas.

In presidential elections, Manchester usually supports Democratic candidates. Although George W. Bush won the city by a very small margin in 2004, more recent elections have shown strong support for Democratic candidates, with Joe Biden receiving the highest percentage of votes in recent history.

Education

Manchester has many schools for children of all ages. The city’s public schools are managed by the Manchester School District. There are four public high schools: Manchester High School West, Manchester High School Central, Manchester Memorial High School, and Manchester School of Technology. The district also has four middle schools and fourteen elementary schools.

Besides public schools, Manchester has private and charter schools. Private high schools include Trinity High School, The Derryfield School, and Holy Family Academy. Charter schools such as The Founders Academy, MC2, Mills Falls Charter School, Polaris Charter School, and Kreiva Academy offer choices for families. There are also special education and religious schools like Mount Zion Christian Schools and several Catholic elementary schools.

Manchester is also home to many colleges and universities. Over 8,000 students attend schools such as Franklin Pierce University, Hellenic American University, Manchester Community College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Southern New Hampshire University, and University of New Hampshire at Manchester.

Media

Manchester has several local newspapers, including the New Hampshire Union Leader, formerly called the Manchester Union Leader, as well as The Hippo and Manchester Ink Link.

The city has many FM radio stations. People can also listen to almost all stations from Boston, and some from nearby areas like Worcester, the Seacoast, and the Lakes Region.

Manchester is near the northern edge of the Boston television market and has several TV stations based in the Greater Manchester area.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, the fourth-largest passenger and third-largest cargo airport in New England, serves the city.

Two Interstate Highways, one U.S. Route, and six New Hampshire State Routes run through the city. The Manchester Transit Authority provides local bus routes and a Zip Line service to nearby cities like Concord, Nashua, and Salem, New Hampshire. Greyhound Lines also offers bus travel from Manchester to places in the Northeast.

In the past, many trains ran from Manchester Union Station to cities like Montreal, Portsmouth, and Boston. Today, there are plans to bring new train service to Manchester, possibly stopping at a station near the Market Basket grocery store. Ideas for a rail loop in downtown Manchester are still being discussed.

Public safety

The Manchester Police Department keeps the city safe, with its station located at 405 Valley Street. The city is also protected by the Manchester Fire Department, which has firefighters and fire stations. They respond to emergencies each year and have vehicles to help fight fires and rescue people.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Manchester, New Hampshire

Manchester, New Hampshire, has been home to many famous people. Some well-known people are actors, athletes, and writers. They have helped shape the city's culture and history.

Sister cities

Manchester has friendly connections with two cities in other parts of the world. One is Neustadt an der Weinstraße in Germany, and the other is Taichung in Taiwan. These partnerships help people learn about each other's cultures and traditions.