Manchester, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Manchester, Maryland, is a small incorporated town in Northeastern Carroll County
, Maryland located on the Eastern coast of the United States of America just South of the Pennsylvania
State line and North of Baltimore, Maryland. The population was 4,808 at the 2010 census making it the 21st most populous town in Maryland.
Manchester was incorporated in 1834 and is the second oldest incorporated area in Carroll County after Westminster, Maryland
, which was incorporated in 1818. The town was originally formed as a part of Baltimore County, Maryland
, before the creation of Carroll County in 1837. It is governed by an elected mayor and an elected five person town council.
Manchester lies in the humid continental climate region, marked by cold and snowy winters but humid and hot summers. This climate is ideal for growing farmed crops in the summer such as sweet corn and squash, leaving much of the outlying area marked with large tracts of farm
land. Manchester is a rural
commuting town where residents travel to work in the greater Baltimore Metropolitan Area
and the greater Washington Metropolitan Area
.
, and remained apart of the county until the creation of Carroll County, Maryland
, on January 19, 1837.
Previous to European colonization, the people of Susquehannock
occupied the territory within the borders of Manchester. At the center of town stands an intersection of what were once two important Native American
trails. 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). The latter trail was laid out in 1737 as the first public road in what is now Carroll County by Robert Owings.
The first land grant of 150 acre (0.607029 km²) in the area was given to Samuel Stevens, known as "Steven's Hope," it was laid at the intersection of present day Lineboro Rd. The first 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". In 1765 Captain Richard Richards was granted a tract of 67 acre (0.27113962 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.
From the 18th century until the earliest parts of the 20th century, the primary languages spoken by the residents were 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. Beginning after the American Civil War until around 1930 when the mass production of cigars made the manual method in use in the town less economical.
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 American Civil War the success of the school was greatly hampered with 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.
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. 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 called the Manchester Enterprise and in 1888 the Telephone Messenger was established.
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. 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.
Manchester is a typical "Main Street" town that continues expanding to accommodate a growing population. Manchester has its own post office
and home mail delivery is available to most residents. A majority, an estimated 95%, of town residents commute to work. There are no large employers inside the town limits but there are many small business
es. Manchester is mostly residential buildings with some restaurants, a bank and other small retail store fronts. A large portion of the businesses are located on or around Main Street which Maryland Route 30
becomes once entering "downtown" Manchester.
of 2010, there were 4,808 people, 1,632 households, and 1,269 families residing in the town. The population density
was 2,530.5 people per square mile (981.2/km²). There were 1,713 housing units at an average density of 901.6 per square mile (349.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.6% White, 3.07% African American, 0.02% Native American, 1.58% Asian, 1.64% from other races
, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.09% of the population.
There were 1,134 households out of which 44% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 18.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
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.
, the town has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), all of it land.
Manchester is located within the Piedmont Plateau, west of the coastal lowlands of the Chesapeake Bay
, rolling upland with many deep gorges eroded by rivers. Manchester's environs are the highest point in the state of Maryland east of the Appalachian Mountains
.
The hottest summer month is July where temperatures average a high of 87 °F (31 °C) and 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) Manchester has an annual precipitation of 43.67 inches (110.9 cm).
with vendor's selling different items, food stands
as well as games, rides and live entertainment.
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 as well to celebrate the holiday.
Once a year a female member of the Manchester Community is chosen as "Miss Manchester Fire Queen
".
area of any other town in Carroll County.
and town council. The mayor and individual councilors are elected for a term of four years. In 2011 Mayor Ryan Warner was elected for the first time, previously serving as a Town Council member.
Members of the town council are Todd A. Benner (2013), Douglas Myers (2013), Daniel C. Riley (2013), Tammy Black (2015), Vincent C. Pacelli.
Manchester is in Maryland District 5A and is represented in the Maryland House of Delegates
by Justin D. Ready (R
) and Nancy R. Stocksdale (R). In the Maryland State Senate
residents are represented by Joseph M. Getty (R).
At the federal level Manchester is located in the Sixth Congressional District of Maryland and is represented by Roscoe Bartlett
(R) in the United States House of Representatives
.
Manchester Elementary School was originally built in 1932 as Manchester High School. The school's current population is 604 students in pre-kindergarten
, kindergarten
, first grade
, second grade
, third grade
, fourth grade
and fifth grade
.
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.
Manchester Valley High School
opened in August 2009 to help alleviate overpopulation at North Carroll High School
in Hampstead, Maryland
. Teaching ninth grade
, tenth grade
, eleventh grade
and twelfth grade
students; it's first graduating class will be on June 1, 2011.
Traffic congestion is high, southbound, in the morning as commuters make their way to the greater Baltimore, area. Traffic is also high, northbound, in the evening as commuters make their way to Pennsylvania
via Pennsylvania Route 94
and Westminster, Maryland
, via Maryland Route 27
. There are plans to introduce a Manchester bypass relocating Route 30 outside of town limits.
was granted rights to operate a telegraph and telephone line in Manchester but telephone service was not utilized until 1921. 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.
Cable television is provided to residents by Comcast
inside Carroll County. 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.
Carroll County, Maryland
Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 167,134. It was named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton , signer of the American Declaration of Independence. Its county seat is Westminster....
, Maryland located on the Eastern coast of the United States of America just South of the Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
State line and North of Baltimore, Maryland. The population was 4,808 at the 2010 census making it the 21st most populous town in Maryland.
Manchester was incorporated in 1834 and is the second oldest incorporated area in Carroll County after Westminster, Maryland
Westminster, Maryland
Westminster is a city in northern Maryland, United States. It is the seat of Carroll County. The city's population was 18,590 at the 2010 census. Westminster is an outlying community within the Baltimore-Towson, MD MSA, which is part of a greater Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV...
, which was incorporated in 1818. The town was originally formed as a part of Baltimore County, Maryland
Baltimore County, Maryland
Baltimore County is a county located in the northern part of the US state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 805,029. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Towson. The name of the county was derived from the barony of the Proprietor of the Maryland...
, before the creation of Carroll County in 1837. It is governed by an elected mayor and an elected five person town council.
Manchester lies in the humid continental climate region, marked by cold and snowy winters but humid and hot summers. This climate is ideal for growing farmed crops in the summer such as sweet corn and squash, leaving much of the outlying area marked with large tracts of farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
land. Manchester is a rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
commuting town where residents travel to work in the greater Baltimore Metropolitan Area
Baltimore Metropolitan Area
The Baltimore-Towson Metropolitan Statistical Area, also known as Central Maryland, is a Metropolitan Statistical Area in Maryland as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget...
and the greater Washington Metropolitan Area
Washington Metropolitan Area
The Washington Metropolitan Area is the metropolitan area centered on Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The area includes all of the federal district and parts of the U.S...
.
History
The Town of Manchester, officially incorporated in 1834, was originally known as "Manchester Germantown", however the name Germantown referred to a community west of Manchester that was later incorporated with the town. The town was originally laid out in Baltimore County, MarylandBaltimore County, Maryland
Baltimore County is a county located in the northern part of the US state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 805,029. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Towson. The name of the county was derived from the barony of the Proprietor of the Maryland...
, and remained apart of the county until the creation of Carroll County, Maryland
Carroll County, Maryland
Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 167,134. It was named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton , signer of the American Declaration of Independence. Its county seat is Westminster....
, on January 19, 1837.
Previous to European colonization, the people of Susquehannock
Susquehannock
The Susquehannock people were Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans who lived in areas adjacent to the Susquehanna River and its tributaries from the southern part of what is now New York, through Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Susquehanna in Maryland at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay...
occupied the territory within the borders of Manchester. At the center of town stands an intersection of what were once two important Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
trails. One part of the trail connected the Potomac
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
and Susquehanna
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
rivers, and the other ran from the Conewago River
Conewago Creek (west)
Conewago Creek is an tributary of the Susquehanna River in Adams and York counties in Pennsylvania in the United States, with its watershed also draining a small portion of Carroll County, Maryland. The source is at an elevation of , east of Caledonia State Park, in Franklin Township in Adams County...
to the Patapsco River
Patapsco River
The Patapsco River is a river in central Maryland which flows into Chesapeake Bay. The river's tidal portion forms the harbor for the city of Baltimore...
(Hanover, Pennsylvania
Hanover, Pennsylvania
Hanover is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, southwest of York and north-northwest of Baltimore, Maryland.The town is situated in a productive agricultural region. The population was 15,289 at the 2010 census. The borough is served by a 717 area code and the Zip Codes of 17331-34...
to Baltimore, Maryland). The latter trail was laid out in 1737 as the first public road in what is now Carroll County by Robert Owings.
The first land grant of 150 acre (0.607029 km²) in the area was given to Samuel Stevens, known as "Steven's Hope," it was laid at the intersection of present day Lineboro Rd. The first 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". In 1765 Captain Richard Richards was granted a tract of 67 acre (0.27113962 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.
From the 18th century until the earliest parts of the 20th century, the primary languages spoken by the residents were German, or Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
. 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
Cigar
A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...
manufacturing town. Beginning after the American Civil War until around 1930 when the mass production of cigars made the manual method in use in the town less economical.
Manchester was the home of one of the first colleges in Carroll County when, in 1858, Irving College, named after poet Washington Irving
Washington Irving
Washington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works...
, was established by Dr. Ferdinand Dieffenbach. During the American Civil War the success of the school was greatly hampered with 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.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Manchester was used as a camping area for the Union Sixth Army Corps under General John Sedgwick
John Sedgwick
John Sedgwick was a teacher, a career military officer, and a Union Army general in the American Civil War. He was the highest ranking Union casualty in the Civil War, killed by a sniper at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.-Early life:Sedgwick was born in the Litchfield Hills town of...
on July 1, 1863. The next day, the army made its march to the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
.
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 called the Manchester Enterprise and in 1888 the Telephone Messenger was established.
Steeple (architecture)
A steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
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. 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
Newsletter
A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers. Newspapers and leaflets are types of newsletters. Additionally, newsletters delivered electronically via email have gained rapid acceptance for the same reasons email in...
was named "Oaknotes" as an homage to the large White Oak tree.
Manchester is a typical "Main Street" town that continues expanding to accommodate a growing population. Manchester has its own post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
and home mail delivery is available to most residents. A majority, an estimated 95%, of town residents commute to work. There are no large employers inside the town limits but there are many small business
Small business
A small business is a business that is privately owned and operated, with a small number of employees and relatively low volume of sales. Small businesses are normally privately owned corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships...
es. Manchester is mostly residential buildings with some restaurants, a bank and other small retail store fronts. A large portion of the businesses are located on or around Main Street which Maryland Route 30
Maryland Route 30
Maryland Route 30 is a state highway in Central Maryland region in the U.S. state of Maryland. It serves as one of the major north–south routes of central Maryland.-Route description:...
becomes once entering "downtown" Manchester.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 4,808 people, 1,632 households, and 1,269 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,530.5 people per square mile (981.2/km²). There were 1,713 housing units at an average density of 901.6 per square mile (349.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.6% White, 3.07% African American, 0.02% Native American, 1.58% Asian, 1.64% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.09% of the population.
There were 1,134 households out of which 44% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 18.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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.
Topography
Manchester is located at 39°39′42"N 76°53′17"W (39.661762, -76.888014). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), all of it land.
Manchester is located within the Piedmont Plateau, west of the coastal lowlands of the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
, rolling upland with many deep gorges eroded by rivers. Manchester's environs are the highest point in the state of Maryland east of the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
.
Climate
Manchester lies in the humid continental climate zone, and experiences higher annual snowfall and colder temperatures than the southern half of Maryland, which has a humid subtropical climate.The hottest summer month is July where temperatures average a high of 87 °F (31 °C) and 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) Manchester has an annual precipitation of 43.67 inches (110.9 cm).
Events
Every year in early summer a date is chosen to celebrate Manchester Day. Events such as a Flea MarketFlea market
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent...
with vendor's selling different items, food stands
Food booth
A food booth is generally a temporary structure used to prepare and sell food to the general public, usually where large groups of people are situated outdoors in a park, at a parade, near a stadium or otherwise...
as well as games, rides and live entertainment.
During the summer Manchester hosts the Manchester Volunteer Fire Department
Volunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
Carnival
Funfair
A funfair or simply "fair" is a small to medium sized travelling show primarily composed of stalls and other amusements. Larger fairs such as the permanent fairs of cities and seaside resorts might be called a fairground, although technically this should refer to the land where a fair is...
. The carnival lasts several nights and usually coincides with Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
. A fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
display is set off as well to celebrate the holiday.
Once a year a female member of the Manchester Community is chosen as "Miss Manchester Fire Queen
Fire Queen (Fire Department)
A Fire Queen is typically a female member of the community chosen by the local Fire Department to represent the Fire House and town....
".
Parks
Manchester has three major parks, totaling 82 acre (0.33184252 km²) of developed and undeveloped land. Manchester has the most parkPark
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
area of any other town in Carroll County.
- Christmas Tree Park is located in the north eastern part of Manchester and has the largest developed park land in the area. It is also the home of several baseball diamonds, three tennis courts, multiple playgroundPlaygroundA playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
s for children and picnic and grilling areas. In the less developed and wooded area there are three small to large pondPondA pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
s. The park is mostly populated with pine trees that resemble Christmas TreeChristmas treeThe Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
s.
- Pine Valley Park, located in the northern part of town, has more than 60 acre (0.2428116 km²) of land and over 4.5 miles (7.2 km) of trails, a natural spring, a pond and pine and hardwood forests. 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.
- Westside Memorial Park is a small park running parallel with Maryland Route 27Maryland Route 27Maryland Route 27 is a state highway in the central part of the U.S. state of Maryland.-Route description:MD 27, also known as Ridge Road and Manchester Road , begins in Germantown at MD 355...
located in the western part of town. The park has the only Skateboard facilitySkateparkA skatepark is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, aggressive inline skating and scooters. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, spine transfers, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, pools, bowls, snake runs stairsets,...
within the town.
Government
Manchester has a democratically elected mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and town council. The mayor and individual councilors are elected for a term of four years. In 2011 Mayor Ryan Warner was elected for the first time, previously serving as a Town Council member.
Members of the town council are Todd A. Benner (2013), Douglas Myers (2013), Daniel C. Riley (2013), Tammy Black (2015), Vincent C. Pacelli.
Manchester is in Maryland District 5A and is represented in the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
by Justin D. Ready (R
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
) and Nancy R. Stocksdale (R). In the Maryland State Senate
Maryland State Senate
The Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland...
residents are represented by Joseph M. Getty (R).
At the federal level Manchester is located in the Sixth Congressional District of Maryland and is represented by Roscoe Bartlett
Roscoe Bartlett
Roscoe Gardner Bartlett, Ph.D. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party, and a member of the Tea Party Caucus...
(R) in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
Education
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
Pre-Kindergarten
Pre-kindergarten refers to the first formal academic classroom-based learning environment that a child customarily attends in the United States. It begins between the ages of 3-5 depending on the length of the program...
, kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
, first grade
First grade
First grade is a year of primary education in schools in the United States and English-speaking provinces of Canada. It is the first school year after kindergarten...
, second grade
Second grade
In the United States, second grade is a year of primary education. Second grade is the second school year after kindergarten. Students are traditionally 7–8 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....
, third grade
Third grade
In the United States, third grade is a year of primary education. It is the third school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 8 – 9 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....
, fourth grade
Fourth grade
Fourth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fourth grade is the fourth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 9 or 10 years old, depending on their birthday. It is a part of elementary school. In some parts of the United States, fourth grade...
and fifth grade
Fifth grade
Fifth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fifth grade is the fifth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 10 – 11 years old, and are preteens...
.
Ebb Valley Elementary School opened in August 2008 with a student population of 467. Ebb Valley is a two story school accommodating kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through fifth grade
Fifth grade
Fifth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fifth grade is the fifth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 10 – 11 years old, and are preteens...
students.
Manchester Valley High School
Manchester Valley High School
Manchester Valley High School is a high school located in Manchester, Carroll County, Maryland on the eastern coast of the United States of America....
opened in August 2009 to help alleviate overpopulation at North Carroll High School
North Carroll High School
North Carroll High is a high school located in Hampstead, Maryland, in Carroll County.North Carroll is located at 1400 Panther Drive. The school mascot is a panther, and the school colors are red, white, and black. The school is a part of the Carroll County Public Schools system...
in Hampstead, Maryland
Hampstead, Maryland
Hampstead is a town in Carroll County in the U.S. state of Maryland. The population was 5,060 at the 2000 census. Hampstead School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.-Geography:Hampstead is located at ....
. Teaching ninth grade
Ninth grade
Ninth grade is the ninth post-kindergarten year of school education in some school systems. The students are 13 to 15 years of age, depending on when their birthday occurs. Depending on the school district, ninth grade is usually the first year of high school....
, tenth grade
Tenth grade
In majority of the world,Tenth grade is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten. The variants of "10th grade" in various nations is described below.-Australia:...
, eleventh grade
Eleventh grade
Eleventh Grade is the eleventh, and for some countries final, grade of secondary schools. Students are typically 16 or 17 years of age, depending on the country and the students' birthdays.-Brazil:...
and twelfth grade
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
students; it's first graduating class will be on June 1, 2011.
Transportation
Manchester has three state designated highways within the town limits.
Maryland Route 30Maryland Route 30Maryland Route 30 is a state highway in Central Maryland region in the U.S. state of Maryland. It serves as one of the major north–south routes of central Maryland.-Route description:...
Maryland Route 27Maryland Route 27Maryland Route 27 is a state highway in the central part of the U.S. state of Maryland.-Route description:MD 27, also known as Ridge Road and Manchester Road , begins in Germantown at MD 355...
Maryland Route 86Maryland Route 86Maryland Route 86 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Lineboro Road, the state highway runs from MD 30 in Manchester north to the Pennsylvania state line in Lineboro, where the highway continues as Pennsylvania Route 516...
Traffic congestion is high, southbound, in the morning as commuters make their way to the greater Baltimore, area. Traffic is also high, northbound, in the evening as commuters make their way to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
via Pennsylvania Route 94
Pennsylvania Route 94
Pennsylvania Route 94 is a 29 mile long north–south state highway located in southern Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at the Mason-Dixon Line, where PA 94 continues into Maryland as Maryland Route 30...
and Westminster, Maryland
Westminster, Maryland
Westminster is a city in northern Maryland, United States. It is the seat of Carroll County. The city's population was 18,590 at the 2010 census. Westminster is an outlying community within the Baltimore-Towson, MD MSA, which is part of a greater Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV...
, via Maryland Route 27
Maryland Route 27
Maryland Route 27 is a state highway in the central part of the U.S. state of Maryland.-Route description:MD 27, also known as Ridge Road and Manchester Road , begins in Germantown at MD 355...
. There are plans to introduce a Manchester bypass relocating Route 30 outside of town limits.
Utilities
In 1907, AT&TAT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
was granted rights to operate a telegraph and telephone line in Manchester but telephone service was not utilized until 1921. 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
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
deregulated the electricity industry
Maryland Electric Deregulation
Maryland Electric Deregulation is the result of a bill passed in 1999 by the Maryland General Assembly. This bill changed the entire face of the Maryland utility industry.The past several years have seen a flurry of changes in the energy industry in Maryland...
. As the result, residents of Manchester may choose from eleven electricity suppliers in the Baltimore Gas & Electric service area.
Cable television is provided to residents by Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
inside Carroll County. 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.
Notable natives
- Doug FlutieDoug FlutieDouglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
was born in Manchester, Maryland, on October 23, 1962. Flutie, a Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner, played college football at Boston CollegeBoston CollegeBoston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, and played professionally in the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, and United States Football LeagueUnited States Football LeagueThe United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
.
Media
A video depicting some of the main streets in ManchesterSee also
- Incorporated town
- Lineboro, MarylandLineboro, MarylandLineboro is an unincorporated community located in northeastern Carroll County, Maryland, in the United States. The community was named for its location on the Mason-Dixon Line.-History:...
- List of incorporated places in Maryland
- Mason-Dixon LineMason-Dixon lineThe Mason–Dixon Line was surveyed between 1763 and 1767 by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon in the resolution of a border dispute between British colonies in Colonial America. It forms a demarcation line among four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and...
- Millers, MarylandMillers, MarylandMillers is an unincorporated community in Carroll County, Maryland, United States. The Jacob F. Shaffer Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.-References:...