Manchester is a town in northeastern Carroll County, Maryland, United States, located south of the Pennsylvania state line and north of Baltimore. The town was incorporated in 1833 and is the second-oldest incorporated municipality in Carroll County after Westminster. As of the 2020 census, Manchester had a population of 5,408.
Manchester originated as part of Baltimore County before the creation of Carroll County in 1837. It is governed by an elected mayor and a five-member town council. The surrounding area is largely residential and agricultural, with many residents commuting to jobs elsewhere in Carroll County and the Baltimore metropolitan area.
History
Manchester was incorporated by the Maryland General Assembly in 1833. Manchester was originally part of Baltimore County and became part of Carroll County when Carroll County was created in 1837 from portions of Baltimore and Frederick counties.
Before European settlement, the area that became Manchester was occupied by the Susquehannock people. The center of town developed near the intersection of two important Native American trails, one connecting the Potomac and Susquehanna rivers and another connecting the Conewago Creek area with the Patapsco River.
The first land grant in the area, a 150-acre tract known as "Steven's Hope", was granted to Samuel Stevens near present-day Lineboro Road. Early European settlers included English settlers, followed by settlers of German descent. In 1758, a land grant touching the present town limits was issued as "German Churche". In 1765, Captain Richard Richards received a 67-acre tract called "New Market", adjoining "German Churche", and laid out the town, naming it after Manchester, England. Manchester was also a cigar-manufacturing town from after the Civil War until about 1930, when mechanized cigar production made hand production less economical.
Manchester was the site of one of Carroll County's early colleges. Irving College, named for Washington Irving, was established in 1858 by Dr. Ferdinand Dieffenbach. The school was affected by the Civil War and by Dieffenbach's death, later became Irving Institute in 1886, and closed by 1893.
During the Gettysburg campaign of the American Civil War, Manchester served as a camping area for the Union Sixth Army Corps under General John Sedgwick on July 1, 1863. The corps marched toward the Battle of Gettysburg the following day. According to the National Park Service, contemporary estimates placed the Sixth Corps column at about ten miles long, with the corps numbering 15,697 men as of June 30, 1863. The same account described the march from Manchester to Gettysburg as covering thirty-seven miles in seventeen hours.
Manchester has had several local newspapers. The Manchester Gazette began weekly publication in 1870 and ceased in 1872. The Manchester Enterprise began publication on December 11, 1880, and the Telephone Messenger was established in 1888.
thumb|right|"Lutheran White Oak"
The official seal of Manchester depicts a church steeple and a leafless white oak tree, with the words "Founded 1765 Incorporated 1834". The white oak represents the Lutheran White Oak, a local symbol associated with Manchester's early German church community.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Manchester had a population of 5,408. The town's 2025 population estimate was 5,426.
There were 1,632 households, of which 44.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 22.2% were non-families. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.26.
The median age in the town was 37.3 years. The gender makeup of the town was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.
Geography
Manchester is located at . According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.33 square miles (6.04 km²), of which 2.32 square miles (6.02 km²) is land and 0.0039 square miles (0.01 km²) is water.
Manchester is located on the Piedmont Plateau, west of the coastal lowlands of the Chesapeake Bay, in an area of rolling upland.
Events
Manchester's annual community events include the Manchester Volunteer Fire Department Carnival, which is traditionally held during the summer and includes Independence Day fireworks.
Parks and recreation
Manchester's parks include Christmas Tree Park and Pine Valley Park, also associated with Charlotte's Quest Nature Center. Pine Valley Park includes wooded areas, trails, and nature-center programming, while Christmas Tree Park includes athletic fields and recreational facilities.
Government
thumb|right|Town office
Manchester has a democratically elected mayor and five-member town council. The mayor and council members serve four-year terms. Town Hall is located at 3337 Victory Street.
As of 2026, the mayor is Melinda Smith. Members of the town council are Jennifer L. Miller, Vincent Pacelli, Steve Miller, Ryan Nazelrod, and Chris Cuneo. Smith previously served two terms on the town council before becoming mayor.
In the Maryland General Assembly, Manchester is represented in Senate District 5 by Justin D. Ready and in House of Delegates District 5 by Christopher Eric Bouchat, April R. Rose, and Chris L. Tomlinson.
At the federal level, Manchester is located in Maryland's 2nd congressional district, represented by John "Johnny O" Olszewski Jr.
Education
Manchester is served by Carroll County Public Schools. Public schools located in Manchester include Manchester Elementary School, Ebb Valley Elementary School, and Manchester Valley High School.
Manchester Elementary School serves students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Ebb Valley Elementary School opened during the 2008–2009 school year and serves students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Manchester Valley High School is located at 3300 Maple Grove Road and serves high-school students in the area.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Manchester is served by three Maryland state highways: Maryland Route 30, Maryland Route 27, and Maryland Route 86. Route 30 serves as the town's Main Street and connects Manchester with Hampstead to the south and the Pennsylvania state line to the north. Route 27 connects Manchester with Westminster, and Route 86 connects the town with Lineboro.
Utilities and public services
Water, wastewater, parks, and maintenance functions are handled by the town's Public Works Department. The town also maintains a municipal police department and zoning office.
Notable people
- Darren Flutie, professional football player and Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee
- Doug Flutie, football quarterback and 1984 Heisman Trophy winner, born in Manchester
- Jacob Shower, physician, Maryland legislator, and U.S. representative from Maryland, born and died in Manchester
- Steve Suter, former Maryland Terrapins football player and return specialist