Manchester, Kentucky's History.

Manchester was a lively little town from the very beginning, which by all accounts, seems to have been in the early 1790s when the area's first commercial salt-making operation started up on the banks of Goose Creek at the mouth of present-day Y Hollow (in East Manchester). When in 1807 the Kentucky Legislature created Clay County as a way to keep a better eye on the gritty feuding known as the "Cattle War" the first county court met at this little community, known as the Langford Salt Works. The county officials first called their new town Greenville, and began constructing it a stone's throw down stream and on what became known as "Courthouse Hill".

From that time until the Civil War in 1861 Manchester more or less existed according to the whims of the powerful salt entrepreneur families who came to the wilderness to make their fortunes on the manufacture of salt at works like Langford's (later called the Lower Goose Creek Salt Works), White's (Upper Goose Creek Salt Works), Garrard's (Union Salt Works), the Bates brothers, Francis Clark and several others owned and operated by the Reid, Horton, May, Chastain, Gibson and other families.

The Civil War wreaked havoc in Manchester as foragers from both sides came to the town on numerous occasions looking for food for their troops and animals. The Confederates were especially interested in the salt, apparently having less access to it than the Union. But the Union was just as keen on keeping it out of Rebel hands as the Rebels were on getting it. This resulted in the Union Army destroying the salt works in 1862, even though one of their celebrated officers, Brigadier General T. T. Garrard, was the owner of the Garrard works.

Garrard had recruited a substantial number of men in Manchester in the summer of 1861 when he organized the Third Kentucky Volunteer Infantry there. Hundreds of Clay County men served in the Third (later referred to as the Seventh) and other regiments in the Union Army. Most of the local men fought outside the state, but while they were gone from home considerable action was taking place in Manchester and all over Clay County. 

The Confederates held the upper hand when it came to causing mischief in and around Manchester, and the mischief led to several deaths at the hands of the Rebels. Though the Union was in town in huge numbers at times there is no evidence that they did any physical harm to the citizens. Nevertheless, the period following the war was a time of unrest and distrust. Animosities developed during this time fed fuel to the fire of growing resentment between some of the powerful salt families, primarily the Whites and Garrards and their supporters.

By the end of the century Manchester was the unchallenged capitol of violence in America, or at least it seemed that way as the little town became famous -- or infamous -- far beyond the borders of Clay County for the gun-play that seemed to be an everyday thing around town. Scores of newspaper articles in papers such as the "New York Times" created an image of runaway lawlessness in the town, and some of its citizens seemed to feed on the attention like fish in a feeding frenzy.

Gradually, the feud violence disipated after the 1930s and Manchester settled down into an almost idealized version of small town America. After World War II the town pretty much kept pace with the rest of the country, albeit with an Appalachian patina. Coal and timber had long since replaced salt as the income-generating industries but before long they, too, dwindled as an economic force. Poverty slowly gained the upper hand in the 1960s and 70s and the character of Manchester seemed to loose some of it's former tone.

Like many Appalachian towns Manchester developed a drug problem in the 1980s as dealers took advantage of the remote Daniel Boone National Forest surrounding it to grow marijuana at a rate that drew newpapers such as USA Today and the Wall Street Journal to town to see what was going on. In the 1990s the pot trade was overshadowed by a more insidious threat from prescription drugs and home-manufactured killers like meth. Finally, in 2004, the town decided to fight back. A famous banner headline in the Manchester Enterprise spelled it out in one word, printed in huge letters. "ENOUGH!" read the headline over a story about a march of hundreds of church affiliated protesters who made their way through Manchester. The march was publicized nationwide when TV's 700 Club learned of it and reported on it in several programs. Newspapers from around the U. S. followed suit with numerous stories of how one small mountain town fought back with notable success. Inquiries started coming in from states far and wide seeking advice on how other small towns might follow Manchester's example. Manchester gave itself a new moniker: "The City of Hope" which it displayed on signs, logos and in interviews with city and church officials .

While marchers were protesting drug dealing in Manchester and Clay County, federal agents came to town to back them up, which developed in a much wider, and widely publicized, investigation into official corruption in the county by the FBI. Manchester voters elected a progressive new mayor, and embarked on a binge of community pride projects that led to a palpable change in the character of the town that is evident to this date.

Wet Phone

Ok so I was coming home from work around 4 am  yeah I know i got off early. Anyways I was on the parkway and it was raining like no other (cats and dogs) XD. I was speeding well speeding would be an under statement not going to say a speed. But anyways, when I got to my moms house where I was heading because I just heard a family member had passed away that night. I was coming to see my mom. as I was driving I was trying to make a couple calls to my wife and to my mother no answer from either. I placed my phone in between my legs on the seat in my car once I got to my moms house I put the car in park and got out of the car without thinking went to the door knocked no answer. went back to my car tried to call my wife again only this time I couldn't find my phone. I searched my car not realizing I had the phone between my legs earlier then after I looked the car over I realized where I had put my phone before I had got out of the car. It was still raining just as hard as before I was out in the rain looking for my phone didn't find it so I thought maybe it was under driver seat to where I couldn't reach. So I went to my friends house mike. it stopped raining by the time I arrived there and I looked under my seat still didn't find it. I stayed at mike's for a  couple hours. I called my wife from mikes phone I got an answer she had me pick her up. We then went back to my moms house. Only to find my phone was laying in the parking lot and it was soaked with water. when I picked it up it would vibrate every few seconds I put it on charge and it still works fine except for a spot on the screen from the water.

Late for work

I woke today at 10:15pm that's when I usually leave for work. In my mind I thought it was 11:15pm, I clock into work at 11pm, so I thought I was late. I pick up my phone dial my suprivisors cell number it rings twice I realize its 10 not 11pm think full he didn't answer the phone. He would have said OK but I will have to point you, and when I arrived at work he would have said I thought you where going to be late, and I would have explained my situation and his reply would have been you are from clay county that explains why. (in a joking manor) I didn't get much sleep I went to bed at 6pm.

OK so I have a friend (Steve), hes is a little to rich for my blood, He will buy a million computer games. Ok here is a quick background. I play Xbox Live not much but I play. Steve plays Xbox, PlayStation 3, PC, PS Vita, and there is no telling what else the guy plays. He has 140 Games on Steam and no telling about the other systems. Anyways so I decide to try Steam, because there is this game I was wanting to play Sims 3. I made a Steam account purchased Sims 3, Had it for two days now I have 18 hours of game time. XD I have found myself browsing the game market a million times, every game I see I want, but right before I click the Purchase button I remember I'm BROKE!. But anyways This was an attempt at my first Blog XD