Manchester Village Hall is located at 8 Clifton Street, Manchester NY 14504.
Phone: 585‑289‑4340.
Beginnings [1]
The Village, founded in 1811, is the oldest settlement in the Town of Manchester and has served as a hub of transportation from its earliest days. It was founded around "The Landing"; the farthest point along the Canandaigua Outlet that the "Durham Boats" could travel. The Landing had been in use since the late 1700's and for more than 20 years was the head of navigation for the outlet and an important port on the frontier. By the early 1800's the Village and surrounding area boasted mills for grain, lumber, wool and paper. Even after construction of the Erie Canal ended commercial boat travel along the outlet, the Village continued to play a major role in local commerce. By the 1890's the population had grown to 365 and the Village voted to incorporate.
In 1892, after 80 years as a small quiet mill town, Manchester saw the arrival of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. It changed the face of the Village for decades. As the railroad yards grew, so did the Village in the form of sidewalks, a public water supply, street lighting and improved roads. By the 1940's the railroad yards in Manchester were the largest transfer facility in the world. But by the 1960's traffic slowed considerably and the rail yards finally saw their last train pass through on March 31, 1976.