Manchester is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. Nicknamed the "Silk City" -- Manchester was a center of the American silk industry from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. Today it is home to numerous businesses small and large, many public parks and trails, and the location of the great Thanksgiving Tradition: The Manchester Road Race which attracts thousands of participants each year. Manchester is organized under the council-manager form of government and as of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 58,241 residents. The Town of Manchester provides its own Police Department, Fire Department, Public Schools, Municipal Water Service, Waste Water Treatment Service, and Landfill. The Public Works Department is comprised of eight divisions providing a wide breadth of in-house services.