Manchester, Connecticut
| Town of Manchester | ||
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| Town | ||
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| Nickname(s): Silk City | ||
| Motto: City of Village Charm | ||
 Location in Hartford County, Connecticut |
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| Coordinates: 41°46′31″N 72°31′27″W / 41.77528°N 72.52417°WCoordinates: 41°46′31″N 72°31′27″W / 41.77528°N 72.52417°W | ||
| Country | United States | |
| State | Connecticut | |
| NECTA | Hartford–West Hartford–East Hartford | |
| Region | Capitol Region | |
| Founded | 1672 | |
| Incorporated | 1823 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council–manager | |
| • General Manager | Scott Shanley | |
| • Board of Directors | Jay Moran (D), Mayor; Margaret H. Hackett (D), Deputy Mayor; Timothy M. Devanney (R); Cheri A. Eckbreth (R); Matthew S. Galligan (R); Steve Gates (D); Wally Irish (R); Sarah L. Jones (D); Rudy C. Kissmann (D) |
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| Area | ||
| • Total | 27.7 sq mi (71.7 km2) | |
| • Land | 27.3 sq mi (70.6 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km2) | |
| Elevation | 272 ft ((at Town Hall) 82.9 m) |
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| Population (2010) | ||
| • Total | 58,241 | |
| • Density | 2,133/sq mi (825/km2) | |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | |
| ZIP codes | 06040–06042, 06045 | |
| Area code(s) | 860 | |
| FIPS code | 09-44700 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 208693 | |
| Website | www |
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Manchester is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 58,241. The urban center of the town is the Manchester census-designated place, with a population of 30,577 at the 2010 census.
Manchester was settled by colonists around 1672 as a farming community, although at the time it was known just as Orford Parish (the name that can be found on the memorial to the Revolutionary soldiers from the town). The many rivers and brooks provided power for paper, lumber and textile industries, and the town quickly evolved into an industrial center. The town of Hartford once included the land now occupied by the towns of Manchester, East Hartford, and West Hartford. In 1783, East Hartford became a separate town, which included Manchester in its city limits until 1823.
The Pitkin Glassworks operated from 1783-1830 as the first successful glassworks in Connecticut. The Pitkin Glassworks Ruin have been preserved by a historical society.
In 1838, the Cheney family started what became the world's largest silk mill. Eventually, Manchester became an ideal industrial community. The mills, houses of the owners, and homes of the workers are now part of the Cheney Brothers Historic District, a National Historic Landmark.
Also of note are the E.E. Hilliard Company Woolen Mills. Founded ca. 1780 by Aaron Buckland and later sold to the Hilliard family, The Hilliard Mills are the oldest woolen mill site in the country.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 27.7 square miles (71.7 km2), of which 27.4 square miles (71.0 km2) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.7 km2), or 1.00%, is water. The Manchester census-designated place consists of the urban center of the town and has a total area of 6.5 square miles (16.8 km2), or about 23% of the town's total area. 6.4 square miles (16.7 km2) of the CDP is land, and 0.039 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.56%, is water.
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