Manchester

Introducing Manchester

Once home to the world’s largest textile mill, Manchester is an intriguing riverside town that still retains, both historically and culturally, a bit of its blue-collar roots. Exploiting the abundant water power of the Merrimack River, the massive Amoskeag mills made the city into a manufacturing and commercial powerhouse in the early 19th century up until its bankruptcy in the 1930s. Nowadays the iconic brick mill houses a museum, an arts center, a college, several restaurants and a changing array of local businesses.

Although manufacturing still plays a role in Manchester’s economy, the city has undergone radical changes since its early laboring days. Attracted by low taxes and a diverse work force, the high-tech and financial industries have long since moved in, bringing city culture on their heels. Manchester has opera, several orchestras, a growing gallery and dining scene and the state’s most important art museum.

Last updated: Nov 18, 2008