Manchester is a town of around 50,000 people near Hartford, Connecticut. It is a relatively quiet place that was once at the center of the American silk industry. If you are thinking of moving your young family away from the big city, you won’t find a finer or more welcoming place in the Northeast than Manchester, Connecticut. Here are a few reasons you should consider moving to this small city in the heart of New England.
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Great For Kids
Manchester is a wonderful place to raise a family. It has a well-renowned public school system, the Lutz Children’s Museum and all sorts of attractions suitable for kids. There are lots of kids birthday party places in Manchester, and lots of outdoor spaces that kids can play in safely. Manchester has a low crime rate and high university attendance rates.
Fascinating Heritage
Take a trip to the Old Manchester Museum and discover some of the rich history that has come to define the area. Manchester was the home to Native American people before puritan colonizers began to settle in the area and farm the land. It has a history far older than the United States of America itself and is rightly proud of this fact. Manchester was once home to the biggest silk mill in the USA, and townspeople are very proud of their area’s industrial and industrio-cultural heritage.
Rich Cultural Hub
For a town of its size, Manchester has a surprisingly rich cultural life. There are plenty of museums, theatres and music venues in the town – enough to satisfy the cultural fanatic that cannot take the bus into Hartford for the night or the train into New York City. While Manchester is a modestly sized town, it more than pulls its weight in terms of nightlife and culture.
Green Space
Despite being relatively urban, Manchester, Connecticut has plenty of green space. Thanks to some rather considerate planning (for an American Suburban area), there are lots of wonderful public parks and trails for local folk to stroll and play in. Charter Oak Park is one of the most popular green spaces in the city – located right in the middle of the urban center. The Devil’s Hopyard state park is only a short drive away. This 860-acre park consists of beautiful forests and stunning waterfalls. An easy but stunning day out that locals can take into the heart of the beautiful Northeast.
Responsible Government
The local government of Manchester, Connecticut has a reputation for treating residents with a degree of respect that is sadly missing in many localities within the United States. Town officials hold regular Springfield-style town hall meetings for residents. Online, residents can use the ‘Your Voice Matters’ portal to talk directly to town administrators in a reciprocal fashion. This portal allows residents to have their say on building, repurposing and budget allocation issues. While the government in Manchester is by no means perfect, it is at least accountable to the population of the town.