:Manchester, Maryland

The Town of Manchester, officially incorporated in 1833, was originally known as "Manchester Germantown". However, the name Germantown referred to a community west of Manchester that was later incorporated with the town.{{cite book| last=Schkichter| first=Harvey G.| title=Two Centuries of Grace and Growth in Manchester| year=1984| page=227}} The town was originally laid out in Baltimore County and remained a part of that county until the creation of Carroll County on January 19, 1837.{{cite web| title=Manchester History| url=http://www.manchesterconnection.com/history/| access-date=July 29, 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100217003144/http://www.manchesterconnection.com/history/| archive-date=February 17, 2010| df=mdy-all}}

Prior to European colonization, the Susquehannock people occupied the territory now within the borders of Manchester.{{cite book| last=Sarah Trump, Adda L. Trump, Kathryn L, Riley| title=Two Hundred Fortieth Anniversary of Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church| year=2000| page=31}} At the center of town stands an intersection of what were once two important Native American trails.{{cite web| last=Ashcraft| first=Mary Ann| title=Manchester a Strategic Travel Location| date=March 23, 2009| url=http://www.carrollcounty.com/articles/2009/02/23/features/in_focus/columns/carroll_yesteryears/yester955.txt| access-date=July 29, 2009}} One part of the trail connected the Potomac and Susquehanna rivers, and the other ran from the Conewago River to the Patapsco River (Hanover, Pennsylvania to Baltimore, Maryland).{{cite book| last=Schkichter| first=Harvey G.| title=Two Centuries of Grace and Growth in Manchester| page=222| year=1984}} The latter trail was laid out in 1737 as the first public road in what is now Carroll County by Robert Owings.{{cite book| last=Baty| first=Catherine| title=Carroll County| location=United States| year=2006| page=7| isbn=978-0-7385-4302-4 }}

The first land grant in the area, a tract of {{convert|150|acre|km2}} known as "Steven's Hope", was given to Samuel Stevens, and was laid at the intersection of present-day Lineboro Road.{{cite book| last=Schkichter| first=Harvey G.| title=Two Centuries of Grace and Growth in Manchester| year=1984| page=223}} The first European settlers were English but later immigration brought people of German descent. There were many early land grants; the first one touching the present confines of town was made in 1758, issued to "German Churche".{{cite book|author1=Nancy M. Warner |author2=Ralph B. Levering |author3=Margaret Taylor Woltz | title=Carroll County, Maryland: a history, 1837-1976| location=United States| year=1976| page=27}} In 1765 Captain Richard Richards was granted a tract of {{convert|67|acre|km2}} of land which was named "New Market", adjoining the existing land grant of "German Churche". Richards laid out the town of Manchester, naming it after his home town in England.{{cite book|author1=Nancy M. Warner |author2=Ralph B. Levering |author3=Margaret Taylor Woltz | title=Carroll County, Maryland: a history, 1837-1976| location=United States| year=1976| page=35}}

Image:North Main St. Manchester, Maryland circa 1900.jpg

From the 18th century until the earliest parts of the 20th century, the primary languages spoken by the residents was German, or Pennsylvania Dutch. The custom of the German residents of making noodles and stringing them on lines outside their homes would give the town the nickname "Noodle Doosey". Later, Manchester would receive another nickname when the German custom of making ginger cakes brought on "Gingercake Town". Manchester was also a relatively large cigar manufacturing town, from after the Civil War until around 1930, when the mass production of cigars made the manual method in use in the town less economical.{{cite book| last=Schkichter| first=Harvey G.| title=Two Centuries of Grace and Growth in Manchester| year=1984| page=241}}

Manchester was the home of one of the first colleges in Carroll County when, in 1858, Irving College, named after poet Washington Irving, was established by Dr. Ferdinand Dieffenbach. During the Civil War the success of the school was greatly hampered by the death of Dr. Dieffenbach and the low number of young men returning from the front lines. The school changed its name to Irving Institute in 1886 and finally ceased operation by 1893.{{cite news| last=Getty| first=Joe| title=Manchester School Dedication| publisher=Carroll County Times| date=June 10, 1990| url=http://hscc.carr.org/research/yesteryears/cct1990/900610.htm| access-date=August 1, 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516081956/http://hscc.carr.org/research/yesteryears/cct1990/900610.htm| archive-date=May 16, 2008| df=mdy-all}}{{cite book| last=Schkichter| first=Harvey G.| title=Two Centuries of Grace and Growth in Manchester| year=1984| page=236}}

During the American Civil War, Manchester was used as a camping area for the Union Sixth Army Corps under General John Sedgwick on July 1, 1863.{{cite book| last=Frank Moore, Alexander Hay Ritchie, George Edward Perine, John Chester Buttre, Henry Bryan Hall| title=The Portrait Gallery of the War, Civil, Military, and Naval| location=United States| year=1864| page=171| isbn=978-1-4328-1692-6}} The next day, the army made its march to the Battle of Gettysburg.

Manchester has had three newspapers. The first, called the Manchester Gazette, began publishing weekly in 1870 and ceased in 1872. The second went into print on December 11, 1880, and was called the Manchester Enterprise, and in 1888 the Telephone Messenger was established.{{cite web| title=Maryland State Archives, Guide to special collections| url=http://speccol.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/catalog/newspapers/cfm/dsp_countyresults.cfm?county=cr| access-date=August 2, 2009}}

Image:White Oak Tree Manchester, Maryland.jpg"]]

The official seal of the town of Manchester is a church steeple in the foreground and the likeness of a leaf-less tree in the background with the text "Founded 1765 Incorporated 1834".

The image of the tree is a representation of a White Oak and is considered the town symbol. The "Lutheran White Oak", as it has come to be known, is estimated at 320 years old.{{cite web| last=Krueger| first=Jeff| year=2001| title=Historic Tree:List of Trees; Maryland| url=http://home.earthlink.net/~jeffkrueger/treelist.html| access-date=July 29, 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710004554/http://home.earthlink.net/~jeffkrueger/treelist.html| archive-date=July 10, 2009| df=mdy-all}} The large oak became a fixture of the town when, in 1758, King George III granted a charter to German colonists to erect a church near the tree. The town newsletter was named Oaknotes as an homage to the large White Oak tree.{{cite web| title=Official Manchester Newsletter| url=http://manchestermd.org/Newsletter.html| format=PDF| access-date=July 29, 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://archive.today/20090125144757/http://manchestermd.org/Newsletter.html| archive-date=January 25, 2009| df=mdy-all}}

Manchester is a typical "Main Street" town that continues expanding to accommodate a growing population. Manchester has its own post office,{{cite web| title=USPS PO Search| url=http://webpmt.usps.gov/pmt003.cfm?PostOfficeName=Manchester&stat_state_name=MARYLAND| access-date=July 29, 2009}} and home mail delivery is available to most residents. A majority, an estimated 95%, of town residents commute to work.{{cite web| title=Manchester, Maryland Facts, Schools, Colleges, Weather, Zip Code, and More| url=http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/maryland/manchester| access-date=July 29, 2009}} There are no large employers inside the town limits, but there are many small businesses.{{cite web| title=MAMA Businesses| url=http://www.manchesterareamerchantsassoc.org/directory.htm| access-date=July 29, 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804221102/http://www.manchesterareamerchantsassoc.org/directory.htm| archive-date=August 4, 2012| df=mdy-all}} Manchester is mostly residential buildings, with some restaurants, a bank and other small retail storefronts. A large portion of the businesses are located on or around Main Street which Maryland Route 30 becomes once entering "downtown" Manchester.

{{US Census population

|1850= 517

|1860= 646

|1870= 755

|1880= 640

|1890= 273

|1900= 609

|1910= 523

|1920= 546

|1930= 643

|1940= 763

|1950= 1027

|1960= 1108

|1970= 1466

|1980= 1830

|1990= 2810

|2000= 3329

|2010= 4808

|2020= 5408

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}

}}

The median income for a household in the town was $57,390, and the median income for a family was $62,679. Males had a median income of $37,794 versus $29,118 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,956. About 0.9% of families and 2.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

As of the census{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 25, 2013}} of 2010, there were 4,808 people, 1,632 households, and 1,269 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|2054.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,713 housing units at an average density of {{convert|732.1|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 92.0% White, 3.3% African American, 1.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.5% of the population.

There were 1,632 households, of which 44.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 22.2% were non-families. 18.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.26.

The median age in the town was 37.3 years. 27.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.6% were from 25 to 44; 26.7% were from 45 to 64; and 10.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.

Image:piedmontmap.png plateau region (shaded)]]

Manchester is located at {{Coord|39|39|42|N|76|53|17|W|type:city}} (39.661762, -76.888014).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}} According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|2.35|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|2.34|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.01|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 25, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112090031/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|archive-date=January 12, 2012}}

Manchester is located on the Piedmont Plateau, west of the coastal lowlands of the Chesapeake Bay, in an area of rolling upland.{{cite web| title=Maryland - Topography| url=http://www.city-data.com/states/Maryland-Topography.html|access-date=July 29, 2009}} Manchester's environs are the highest point in the state of Maryland east of the Appalachian Mountains.

Manchester lies in the transition zone between the humid subtropical and humid continental climate zones, and experiences higher annual snowfall and colder temperatures than the southern half of Maryland, which lies in the humid subtropical climate zone.

The hottest summer month is July, during which temperatures average a high of 87 °F (31 °C) with an average low of 63 °F (17 °C). The coldest month is January with an average high of 38 °F (3 °C) and average low of 21 °F (-6 °C){{cite web| title=Manchester, MD Typical Weather| url=http://www.accuweather.com/us/md/manchester/21102/forecast-normals.asp?partner=netweather&traveler=0&zipChg=1&metric=0| access-date=July 29, 2009}} Manchester receives an annual precipitation of 43.67 inches (110.9 cm).{{cite web| title=Manchester Weather| url=http://www.idcide.com/weather/md/manchester.htm| access-date=July 29, 2009}}

{{Manchester, Maryland/Weather Table}}

During the summer, Manchester hosts the Manchester Volunteer Fire Department Carnival. The carnival lasts several nights and usually coincides with Independence Day. A fireworks display is set off to celebrate the holiday.{{cite web| title=Manchester Carnival| url=http://www.manchestervfd.org/carnival1.htm| access-date=July 29, 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714022618/http://www.manchestervfd.org/carnival1.htm| archive-date=July 14, 2009| df=mdy-all}}

Once a year, a female member of the Manchester community is chosen as "Miss Manchester Fire Queen".{{cite web| title=List of Manchester Fire Queens| url=http://www.manchestervfd.org/Queens1.htm| access-date=July 29, 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416000803/http://manchestervfd.org/Queens1.htm| archive-date=April 16, 2009| df=mdy-all}}

Image:Charlotte's Quest Pine Valley Park Manchester, Maryland.jpg

Manchester has three major parks, totaling {{convert|82|acre|km2}} of developed and undeveloped land. Manchester has the most park area of any town in Carroll County.{{cite web| title=Parks & Recreation| url=http://manchestermd.org/Parks&Rec.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919214548/http://manchestermd.org/Parks%26Rec.html| url-status=dead| archive-date=September 19, 2008| access-date=July 27, 2009| df=mdy-all}}

• Christmas Tree Park is located in the northeastern part of Manchester and has the largest developed park land in the area. It is the home of several baseball diamonds, three tennis courts, multiple playgrounds for children, and picnic and grilling areas. In the less developed and wooded area there are three small to large ponds. The park is mostly populated with pine trees that resemble Christmas trees.
• Pine Valley Park, located in the northern part of town, has more than {{convert|60|acre|km2}} of land and over {{convert|4.5|mi|km}} of trails, a natural spring, a pond and pine and hardwood forests.{{cite web| title=About Pine Valley| url=http://www.charlottesquestnaturecenter.com/aboutus.html| access-date=July 27, 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923224735/http://charlottesquestnaturecenter.com/aboutus.html| archive-date=September 23, 2017| url-status=dead| df=mdy-all}} Opened in July 1995, it was created as an "open classroom" for nearby Manchester Elementary School. The school students voted and selected the name "Charlotte's Quest" for the classroom as a tribute to Charlotte B. Collett, the then Town Councilwoman who oversaw the project.{{cite web| title=Charlotte's Quest History| url=http://www.charlottesquestnaturecenter.com/history.html| access-date=July 27, 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402013218/http://www.charlottesquestnaturecenter.com/history.html| archive-date=April 2, 2009| df=mdy-all}}

Image:Manchester_Maryland_Town_Office_October_2017.jpg

Manchester has a democratically elected mayor and town council. The mayor and individual councilors are elected for a term of four years.{{cite web| title=Manchester's Elected Officials| url=http://manchestermd.org/ElectedOfficials.html| access-date=July 27, 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://archive.today/20090124160054/http://manchestermd.org/ElectedOfficials.html| archive-date=January 24, 2009| df=mdy-all}} In 2011 Mayor Ryan Warner was elected for the first time, previously serving as a Town Council member. In 2023, Warner would lose his bid for re-election to Melinda Smith, who previously served on the Town Council between 2013 and 2021.{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/news/latest/cc-manchester-election-results-2023-20230517-hngiqil3gbfslbwbldpoqukjiu-story.html|title=Melinda Smith says she's 'honored' to be the next mayor of Manchester|first1=Sherry|last1=Greenfield|first2=Molly Fellin|last2=Spence|publisher=Baltimore Sun|date=May 17, 2023|accessdate=May 17, 2023}}

It was announced in September 2015 that a new Town Hall building would be erected several blocks from the current location on property purchased by the town on Victory St.{{cite web| title=Manchester approves $2.1M for new town hall| url=http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/ph-cc-manchester-town-hall-construction-20150910-story.html| access-date=September 15, 2015}}

Members of the town council are Todd A. Benner (2013), Douglas Myers (2013), Daniel C. Riley (2013), Tammy Black (2015), and Vincent C. Pacelli.

Manchester is in Maryland District 5A and is represented in the Maryland House of Delegates by Susan Krebs (R), Haven Shoemaker (R) and April Rose (R). In the Maryland State Senate residents are represented by Justin D. Ready (R).{{cite web| title=Maryland Legislator List by District| url=http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmmain.aspx?pid=legisrpage&tab=subject6&s=dist| access-date=September 28, 2015}}

At the federal level Manchester is located in the 1st Congressional District of Maryland and is represented by Andy Harris (R) in the United States House of Representatives.

Image:Manchester Elementary School Manchester, Maryland.jpg

Manchester hosts three public schools. Two of which are primary schools and the other is a secondary school.

Manchester Elementary School was originally built in 1932 as Manchester High School. The school's current population is 604 students in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 through 5.{{cite web| title=Manchester Elementary School History| url=http://www.carrollk12.org/man/welcome/history/default.asp| access-date=July 29, 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607005456/http://www2.carrollk12.org/man/welcome/history/default.asp| archive-date=June 7, 2017| url-status=dead| df=mdy-all}}

Ebb Valley Elementary School opened in August 2008 with a student population of 467. Ebb Valley is a two-story school accommodating kindergarten through fifth grade students.{{cite web| title=Ebb Valley Elementary School| url=http://www.carrollk12.org/eve/question/default.asp| access-date=July 29, 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171031170452/http://www2.carrollk12.org/eve/question/default.asp| archive-date=October 31, 2017| url-status=dead| df=mdy-all}}

Manchester Valley High School opened in August 2009 to help alleviate overpopulation at North Carroll High School in Hampstead.{{cite news| last=Knauer| first=Carrie Ann| title=School board approves budget| publisher=Carroll County Times| date=March 6, 2007| url=http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2009/03/06/news/local_news/newsstory7.txt| access-date=July 29, 2009}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Teaching grades 9 through 12, its first graduation ceremony occurred on June 1, 2011.{{cite web| title=Manchester Valley High School FAQ| url=http://www.carrollk12.org/mvh/faq/default.asp| access-date=July 29, 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614041832/http://www.carrollk12.org/mvh/faq/default.asp| archive-date=June 14, 2009| df=mdy-all}} The two high schools, Manchester Valley and North Carroll, merged as one school once again after North Carroll was shut down in 2016.{{cite web| url=http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/education/ph-cc-first-day-of-school-2016-manchester-valley-20160829-story.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160831155923/http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/education/ph-cc-first-day-of-school-2016-manchester-valley-20160829-story.html|archivedate=August 31, 2016|title= Manchester, North Carroll students work to unite as schools merge on first day }}

File:2019-05-20 15 51 43 View north along Maryland State Route 30 (Hanover Pike) just north of Maryland State Route 86 (Lineboro Road) in Manchester, Carroll County, Maryland.jpg

Manchester has three state designated highways within the town limits.

• 16px Maryland Route 30
• 16px Maryland Route 27
• 16px Maryland Route 86

Traffic congestion is high, southbound, in the morning as commuters make their way to the greater Baltimore area. Traffic is also high in the evening as commuters make their way north to Pennsylvania via Pennsylvania Route 94 and southwest to Westminster via Maryland Route 27.{{cite news| last=Leiter| first=Kathryn| title=Traffic concerns residents| publisher=Carroll County Times| date=June 6, 2007| url=http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2007/07/06/news/local_news/newsstory3.txt| access-date=July 29, 2009}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} There are plans to introduce a Manchester bypass relocating Route 30 outside of town limits.{{cite news| last=Marshall| first=Ryan| title=Plan calls for improvement in transportation| publisher=Carroll County Times| date=May 26, 2007| url=http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2009/05/26/news/local_news/5_carroll_pathways.txt| access-date=July 29, 2009}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In 1907, AT&T was granted rights to operate a telegraph and telephone line in Manchester, but telephone service was not utilized until 1921.{{cite book| last=Schkichter| first=Harvey G.| title=Two Centuries of Grace and Growth in Manchester| year=1984| page=278}} Land line-based telephone service has been provided by Verizon since its creation on June 30, 2000.

Glen Rock Electric Light and Power Company first ran electric lines through town in 1922. In 1999, Maryland deregulated the electricity industry. As the result, residents of Manchester may choose from eleven electricity suppliers in the Baltimore Gas & Electric service area.{{cite web|title=Maryland Electricity Supplier Search |url=http://webapp.psc.state.md.us/intranet/supplierinfo/electricsupplier_new.cfm |access-date=August 14, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621061658/http://webapp.psc.state.md.us/intranet/supplierinfo/electricsupplier_new.cfm |archive-date=June 21, 2009 }}

Cable television is provided to residents by Comcast inside Carroll County.{{cite news| last=Schutt| first=Bryan| title=Competition lacking in cable service industry| publisher=Carroll County Times| date=July 6, 2008| url=http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2008/07/06/news/local_news/newsstory2.txt| access-date=August 14, 2009}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Comcast began operations in the county after purchasing the now defunct Adelphia Communications Corporation on July 31, 2006.

Water is provided to town residents by the town's Public Works Department.{{cite web| title=Manchester, Maryland Public Works| url=http://manchestermd.org/PublicWorks.html| access-date=August 14, 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://archive.today/20090124102419/http://manchestermd.org/PublicWorks.html| archive-date=January 24, 2009| df=mdy-all}}

A video depicting some of the main streets in Manchester

500px

• List of incorporated places in Maryland
• Lineboro, Maryland
• Mason–Dixon Line
• Millers, Maryland

{{Reflist|2}}

{{commons category|Manchester, Maryland}}

• [http://www.manchestermd.org/ Town of Manchester official website]

{{Carroll County, Maryland}}

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Category:German-American culture in Maryland

Category:Pennsylvania Dutch culture in Maryland

Category:Towns in Carroll County, Maryland

Category:Towns in Maryland

Category:Populated places established in 1834

Category:1834 establishments in Maryland

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