About Manchester-by-the-Sea

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1. About Manchester-by-the-Sea
2. Bike Trails
3. Community Resource Directory
   1. Places of Worship
   2. Social Clubs
   3. Sports & Recreation Groups
4. Commuter Rail Schedule
5. Essex North Shore Technical School
6. Fourth of July Events
7. Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce
8. Longevity Benches
9. Manchester Essex Regional School District
10. Manchester Federal Credit Union
    1. Current Rates
    2. Fee Schedule
    3. Loan Committee
    4. Supervisory Committee
    5. Who May Become A Member
11. Manchester Housing Authority
12. New Residents

1. Home
2. Community
3. About Manchester-by-the-Sea

About Manchester-by-the-Sea

The municipality of Manchester, Massachusetts was incorporated by an act of the Great and General Court (legislature) of the Commonwealth in 1645. More recently, in 1989, approval was granted by the State through a Special Act to officially change its name to Manchester-by-the-Sea.

Manchester-by-the-Sea is located in what is traditionally known as the “North Shore”, approximately 30 miles north of Boston, within Essex County. Situated within a region known as “Cape Ann”, the Town is bordered by the communities of Beverly, Hamilton, Wenham, Essex and Gloucester. Manchester-by-the-Sea is a residential seaside community approximately 8 miles wide featuring sandy beaches and a beautiful harbor perfect for commercial fishing and recreational boating. The Town is serviced by a commuter rail branch of the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) connecting directly to the City of Boston. The Town’s population remains at a relative constant of just below 6,000.

The Town maintains a full service government including a regional K-12 school system. The Town is governed by a five-person Select Board and is managed by the Town Administrator. The Town maintains the traditional New England style “open” Town meeting which convenes annually on the fourth Monday in April.

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