Manchester, New Hampshire

Manchester, the “Queen City,” is the largest city in northern New England, with a population of around 110,000. It is the commercial and industrial hub of New Hampshire.

Originally called Derryfield in colonial days, the city was named Manchester in 1810 to reflect the vision of the city’s becoming an industrial center like that of Manchester, England. And so it did, with the opening of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company in 1838, which grew to be the largest cotton milling operation in the world with sixty-four mills situated along the banks of the Merrimack River.

The city was hard-hit by the Great Depression with the mills eventually closing in 1936. For a number of years thereafter, jobs and population declined, but a rebuilding process was begun and by the mid-1990’s, Manchester became a true Renaissance city, vibrant and culturally diverse. Today, the city is one of the fastest growing in the nation, spurred in part by the redevelopment of the mill complex, which now houses a mix of large and small businesses, offices, restaurants, museums, and the urban campus of the University of New Hampshire.

 Manchester has been hailed by a number of publications as one of the best places to live in America. The economy is strong, and the quality of life is exceptional.  The extensive public school system offers an early learning program and a technology school in addition to traditional K-12 education. The downtown area has been revived and is home to a number of exceptional restaurants and the recently restored Palace Theater, which offers a wide variety of performances in theater and music year-round.

Also in the downtown area is the Verizon Wireless Arena, a 10,000-seat facility offering concerts, ice shows, and professional ice hockey (the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League) and professional arena football (the Manchester Wolves). Just down the street from the Arena is a recently completed minor-league ballpark, home to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, a double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Manchester is home to several colleges and universities, and the city boasts several excellent healthcare facilities. Also, as one would expect, shopping options are plentiful and diverse.

Sources:

www.manchesternh.gov/CityGov/MED/econinfo/taxes.html

www.manchesternh.gov/CityGov/MED/FAQ.html

www.manchesterchamber.org/visitors/regional_overview.asp

www.nhliving.com/towns/manchester/index.html