"Hard Luck to High Tech" a Manchester Travel Page by gilescorey

I have family nearby, and always fly in and out of the snazzy airport. Manchester seems as though it could use a little polish, but the millyard & adjacent neighborhoods look like a tale from Dickens...not unlike Society Hill in Philadelphia. And, if you want a cosmopolitan experience in New Hampshire, Manchester is a best bet. Some lovely shops line downtown, as well as some stellar restaurants.

The "Queen City" began as a small farming village at the beginning of the 18th Century. However, an ambitious industrialist named Samuel Blodget envisioned Derryfield(as it was then named) as an industrial giant. The promise was in the crashing Amoskeag falls, and the goal was not only to harness these for power, but to build canals allowing shipping of goods between points North, and Massachusetts Bay Colony/Boston to the South. Blodget succeeded, and the Amoskeag Mills were born. Derryfield became "Manchester", named for that British capital of the Industrial revolution, and tens of thousands immigrated to the New Hampshire city for work - the lion's share, French Canadiens. This early immigration is reflected in the Manchester of today. Few cities in New England can boast of the diversity Manchester holds. Furthermore, Manchester is still the second French-speaking city in the U.S.(after New Orleans).

The rise of the South towards the turn of the 20th century, meant the fall of Manchester. The Amoskeag Corporation declared bankruptcy, and prominent Manchester citizens banded together trying in vain to rejuvenate the city.

In the grand scope of events, Manchester has only found considerable new footing since the early-mid 1990's. High tech landed in the region, taking advantage of New Hampshire's friendly tax base, and the airport became an important alternative to Boston's clogged Logan. Money from both has streamed into the city and urban renewal has taken firm footing. The crown of Manchester's tech-achievements is DEKA. Dean Kamen's corporation settled in the once-decrepit Millyard. Mr. Kamen has nearly single-handedly brought new attention to the city, and his Segway transporter, based in Manchester, brings modern prestige to a city rich in history