MANCHESTER -- THE MAGIC CITY

MANCHESTER
THE MAGIC CITY

Copied with the permission of the author Mr. William L. Butch.

Miss Woodall's Class
Miss Mattie Woodall's 2nd & 3rd Grade classes at Woodland school.
Mr. Butch seated far right.

Mr. William L. Butch

The following article appeared in The Manchester Mercury in 1944
and was written by Mr. Butch when he was 12 years old.

NOTE-The following article was prepared as an English assignment at Manchester High school.

Anyone realizing the growth of Manchester during the past 35 years will readily understand why its nickname has been changed from "Mudchester" to "The Magic City."

"The Magic City" is located in Meriwether County, half way between Columbus and Newnan. It is surrounded by Pine Mountain and has an altitude of 1000 feet above sea level. This gives it an ideal climate all the year.

Manchester was laid out in 1908 but was not chartered until 1909, at which time it was a railroad junction town with a small population, muddy streets, a few wooden stores and only one brick store-The City Drug Co. However according to the legal books, tile district which is now the site of the city of Manchester was known as College Park in the year 1895.

The bank was completed in 1909, and Mr. J. S- Peters was Cashier. The bank now has a much greater capital and Mr. J. S. Peters is President with an efficient staff of workers under him.

It has been said that a neighboring town refused to have the railroad yards smoking' up her town, so the railroad terminal 'was placed in Manchester in 1907, and the railroad has .proved to be one of the main contributions to the growth of Manchester. The old wooden bridge over the railroad tracks has been replaced with a modern cement structure with "daytime lights." The old wooden railway depot was destroyed by fire in 1984 and was re-placed by a two-story brick building.

In 1909 Puller E. Callaway founded a branch of Callaway Mills in Manchester. Its section of the town takes in a large percentage of the population and is a small community in itself, complete with grade school, churches, community building, pool, playground, barber shop, store, clubs, kindergarten and nursery school. The mill is now engaged in making cloth for the war effort. Three flags proudly fly from her flag-post--Old Glory, the Army-Navy E, and the Minute Man.

In 1912 one building was sufficient to take care of the pupils. Manchester now has six school buildings. The modem high school is equipped with laboratories, library, lockers, home economics building and agricultural workshop. The grammar school is on the Georgia accredited list and the high school is a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The school lunchroom supplies the pupils with warm nourishing lunches. School buses bring in children from the neighboring communities. The two kindergartens do an excellent job of preparing the children for school work.

The Manchester citizens have long felt the need for cooperation with the neighboring communities. The first fairs were held in the park behind the bank building. In 1987 the modern fair-grounds with exhibit buildings were completed and each year the Tri-County Fair is held here by Meriwether, Talbot and Harris Counties.

The first picture show was a small room over a store on Main Street. The present movie is one of a chain of Martin Theatres, one of the finest theatre chains in the South.

The government advanced the Post Office from third to second class, and in 1939 its quarters were moved from one small room on Broad Street to its present large brick building on Main Street.

Although there is very little lawlessness in the city, Manchester has kept her jail modern also. The small brick jail has been replaced with a brick and cement structure surrounded by beautiful lawns.

The first religious services were held at bush harbor meetings in front of the Manchester Hotel, with Mr. Elliott doing the preaching. Manchester now has churches of five denominations.

The large community building and well stocked library with its pleasant librarian add much to the pleasure of the citizens.

The well-trained fire department with its modern equipment adds to the safety.

The community nurse and capable, well-trained doctors help keep the citizens well and ready for the active business of a growing town like this. One clinic has been approved by the government for medical attention to soldiers' families.

Manchester has her share of clubs and organizations. The Kiwanis Club has an outstanding record in its division. The American Legion Post has a lively organization. The Junior Chamber of Commerce has done much to increase business and bring new industry to the town. These organizations are already making post-war plans for the benefit of Manchester. The Girl Scouts, Brownie Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Cub Scouts are a great aid in the moral and physical development of our youth. The Rose Garden Club, Garden Club, Junior Woman's Club, and Woman's Club have done their share in helping to put Manchester on the map. The State President of the Woman's Club, Mrs. R. C. Fryer, Jr., is a Manchester citizen.

The citizens of Manchester have always been noted for the splendid co-operation they have given in affairs of county, state and nation. Her citizens will be found in all branches of the armed services. Her citizens are the sad, but proud, possessors of gold star flags and Purple Hearts. She always exceeds her quota in all bond drives, Red Cross Roll Calls, Blood Bank donations, etc. The Red Cross workroom is a popular gathering place for the patriotic minded citizens. The well-organized Home Guard is ready to do its share if needed.

Manchester being the largest town in Meriwether County, her citizens are very proud of the recent official notice that a transport is being built in the ship yards on the west coast and is to be named Meriwether, after this county.

The first cannery started in 1943 proved such a success that this year it was moved to larger, better equipped quarters, where more than 200 families have made use of its facilities helping Uncle Sam by "canning more in '44.'

Compared to the old days of wells and outdoor toilets, Manchester now has plenty of pure spring water which is piped four miles by gravity to the plant in town; and the modem filter plant, completed in 1932, has sufficient capacity to supply all needs. The sewage and drainage systems were reconstructed and modernized during the days of the "W. P. A."

No longer do you see homes with dimly lighted windows, for the days of kerosene lamps, lanterns, Rayos, etc. has passed long ago. The city is supplied with power by Georgia Power Co. and which can be used in an emergency. The Mill has power of its own. Georgia Power Company has a branch office here so the homes are supplied with all modern electrical appliances.

There are so many peaches and peppers grown around Manchester that the Fruit Growers Express has a modern icing plant to take care of these industries.

The Manchester Mercury keeps the citizens well informed on local affairs. It has one of the best equipped plants in middle Georgia and is prepared to do any type of commercial work.

Of course as Manchester grew the old mode of horse and buggy or wagon travel were also outgrown. The younger generation hardly know what a buggy is. The well-paved streets are busy with cars, trucks, bicycles and motorcycles. A line of the Greyhound Bus helps the A. B. & C. Railroad take care of intercity travel, and several Victory Line buses help bring employees to work.

As the town has grown from a small population to its present population of over 4000, so has its business establishments had to grow to keep up with the ever-increasing demands, until now Manchester has practically any type of business or pleasure found in any town of this size, such as: home owned and chain grocery stores, furniture stores, dry goods stores, meat markets, shoe repair shops, drug stores, auto agencies, picture studio, jewelry shops, feed stores, sundries, radio repair shops, ten cent stores, beauty parlor, dental offices, lumber company, planing mill, cotton gin, textile mill, fertilizer plant, community buildings, city hall, churches, schools, parks, play-grounds, theater, garages, filling stations, ice plant, coal company, newspaper office, pool room, restaurants, optician, lawyers, doctors, nurses, telephone company, light company, etc.

Now what about the future History of Manchester? We do not need to look into a crystal ball or magic mirror to know that its future will be even more magical than its past. "As the twig is bent, so the tree is inclined;" so with the leaders she now has and the example they are setting for the future leaders, how can Manchester help but keep on climbing ever upward on the ladder of success?

The City Council of Manchester has engaged expert advice to assist in formulating plans for post-war development, which at present includes new school and fire-fighting facilities and a system of parks and recreational centers. The civic organizations, such as the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club are taking an active part in furthering these projects, along with their efforts to encourage expansion of local industry and commerce.

And so we say. "May God continue to shower His blessings upon Manchester in the future, as He has so bountifully done in the past."