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Real Estate & Homes in Manchester - New Hampshire - Manchester, New Hampshire homes and communities
Manchester
Photo credit: (1)
Manchester Background
Manchester tops the charts in quality of life, and it's not hard to see why. This beautiful Northeastern city is within commuting distance from Boston, but it's also within an hour of coastal beaches and a stunning mountain range, not to mention the beautiful rivers and lakes that grace its boundaries. Straddling the banks of the Merrimack River, Manchester offers geographical and cultural diversity. More than 900 acres of parks and playgrounds are interspersed among beautifully preserved Victorian architecture, renovated mill structures and suburban communities.
A clean and healthy environment, the lowest state crime rate in the nation, eight colleges and universities, and numerous cultural institutions and organizations make Manchester the perfect place to raise a family. Tax-free shopping brings people from all neighboring states to fuel the vibrant retail industry. Businesses are prospering, maintaining a high standard not only of operation but also of general quality of life. This eclectic city is both an urban center of vitality and a clean and peaceful natural wilderness. In Manchester, the best of both worlds is possible.
Manchester History
The Abenaki called the fertile place near the 54-foot waterfall on the Merrimack River “Amoskeag,” meaning “place of many fish.” In 1720, European settlers gathered there and created a settlement they called “Derryfield.” The population increased over the years, relying on fur trade and agriculture until the early 1800s, when Samuel Blodget created a transportation canal around the waterfall allowing boats to pass on to Concord. Blodget envisioned “the Manchester of America” as a prosperous manufacturing city, and that vision quickly became a reality as investors from Boston came in search of a location for the New England textile industry. The town of Derryfield was renamed “Manchester” in 1810.
The Amoskeag Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1835, quickly growing to become the world's largest producer of textiles. Architect Ezekial Straw, chief engineer at Amoskeag, planned the downtown area, and by 1846, the town of Manchester was officially incorporated as a city. Manchester continued to prosper into a beautiful Victorian city with a thriving business district and gorgeous mansion-style homes.
The Great Depression hit Manchester especially hard, and on Christmas Eve 1935, the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company declared bankruptcy. It took a long time for the city to bounce back from the loss of its manufacturing industry, but Manchester has made a full recovery and is flourishing.
 
Photo credits: (2) (file)
Manchester Fast Facts
Location: Manchester is 58 miles from Boston and 253 miles from New York
Land area: 33 square miles
*Population: 107,006
*Median age: 34.9
*Median household income: $40,774
*Median home price: $156,762
Average temperatures: 14.8ºF in January, 70ºF in July
Average rainfall: 3.38 inches per month
Average snowfall: 60.6 inches annually
*Information provided by 2000 Census
 
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Business and Economy Once again, Manchester drives the economy of northern New England. A diverse combination of manufacturing, service and retail industries — combined with more than 16,000 college students attending eight colleges and universities — fuel a well-educated workforce. The city's location is key: Only an hour from Boston and four hours from New York City and Montreal, Manchester is located at the junction of New Hampshire's highway system.
Expansion Management Magazine (2000) gave Manchester a Five-Star Quality of Life rating as one of the communities best suited for business expansion and relocation. The city and state governments work together with local businesses, providing a low tax burden, financial incentives and numerous organizations dedicated to seeing your business succeed.
Manchester is again home to several names in big business, including Comcast Cable Communications, Inc.; Summit Packaging Systems; Allegro Microsystems, Inc.; and DEKA Research and Development, which was founded by Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway Human Transporter. Money Magazine ranked Manchester No. 3 among northern U.S. cities in its 2003 Best Places to Live Survey.
Culture and Recreation
Manchester's setting is ideal for anyone, located less than an hour from New Hampshire's seacoast beaches, the city of Boston and the famous White Mountain Region. Whether you like to ski, hike, bike, swim, surf or fish, this city has something to offer. The Merrimack River, running right through the heart of downtown Manchester, provides kayaking and scenic parks, and Lake Massabesic is an excellent place for boating or fishing.
For the sports enthusiast, the Verizon Wireless Arena is home to the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League. Singer Family Park is another popular soccer and concert venue. Other sports teams include the Manchester Wolves (arena football) and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (baseball).
This culturally diverse city is also home to the Currier Museum of Art, an internationally renowned gallery; the Palace Theatre, a historic vaudeville theater that books national tours; the New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra; the New Hampshire Philharmonic; and the Opera League of New Hampshire. The SEE Science Center, an interactive learning museum, and the Millyard Museum, specializing in Manchester history, are also popular family destinations. For the design buff, be sure to check out the Zimmerman House, designed in 1950 by Frank Lloyd Wright and now open to the public as a museum.
 
Photo credits: (file) (4)
Education There are eight colleges and universities in the Manchester area:
- University of New Hampshire at Manchester, established in 1985
- Southern New Hampshire University
- New Hampshire Community Technical College
- Hesser College, founded in 1900
- Springfield College School of Human Services, established in 1976
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services, founded in 1823 as the second-oldest pharmacy school in the Nation
- Chester College of New England, founded as White Plains College in 1965
- Franklin Pierce College, chartered in 1962
Where is Manchester?
Written by Erin Johncox exclusively for HomesParadise.com.
(1) Photograph courtesy of the Manchester Convention and Visitors Bureau.
(2) Photograph courtesy of Bob Raiche.
(3) Photograph courtesy of Intown Manchester.
(4) Photograph courtesy of Professor Jeffrey Howe, Boston College.
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