The town of Manchester is a flourishing, diverse community of about 55,000 residents located 10 miles north of Hartford, Connecticut's capital. Manchester was settled in 1672 as a farming community, but because of the town's many rivers and brooks, eventually printing and textile industries began to thrive in the 19th century. Today, Manchester includes more than 1,000 acres of open parkland, a bustling mall and retail area, a thriving community college, an attractive downtown, a pair of popular libraries, a community hospital, a renowned public school system and many, many more enticing aspects that make it one of the more desirable communities to reside east of the Connecticut River. Town Hall, located at 41 Center St., functions as the hub of Manchester's municipal services. Residents can usually find the answers to most questions or be directed to the proper municipal department that can handle their inquires through either the General Manager's office, located on the second floor of Town Hall, or the Customer Service and Information Center, located on the first floor.