Introduction
The records of Mayor Robert Baines comprise 43 cubic feet of correspondence, memos, reports, budget information and meeting minutes. There is also six cubic feet of scrapbooks and newspaper clippings representing his activities in the City of Manchester during his time in office.
Biographical Note or Agency Information
Robert A. Baines
2000-2005
Robert Baines was born in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1946 to Henry Baines and Rena Knee. His siblings are James, Shirley Brulotte, Alfred and Susan Fischer. He has spent his entire life in Manchester, graduating from Manchester Memorial High School in 1964. In 1968, Mayor Baines graduated from Keene State College with a Bachelor of Education degree in music education, and he received his Master of Education degree in school administration from Rivier College in 1976. He did additional graduate work in music education at the University of New Hampshire. From 1970-1976, he served in the New Hampshire National Guard in the 39th Army Band. Mayor Baines married Maureen McCaugney of Nashua in 1974 and they have three children: Christina, Timothy and Catherine and two grandchildren: Jacob McCaugney Miller and Lucas Patrick Miller.
Prior to serving as mayor, Mayor Baines taught music at Alvirne High School from 1968-1977 and was director of fine arts for the Hudson School District. He was named prinicipal of Manchester High School West in 1980 and served until December 1999. He was named New Hampshire Principal of the Year in 1990 and Educator of the Year by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce in 1996.
In 1996, Mr. Baines served as vice-chairman of the Manchester Charter Commission. This commission’s work provided the document for the present Manchester City Charter.
Scope and Content
During Mayor Baines’ tenure, many important land development projects were completed. In 2001, the Verizon Arena was opened and is now the home of the Manchester Monarch’s hockey team and the Manchester Wolves’ football team.
In 2003, groundbreaking began for the William B. Cashin Senior Center located on Manchester’s West Side. Other building projects included the expansion and renovation of City Schools and the construction of a new water treatment plant. Gill Stadium was renovated in 2003 to be the temporary home of a minor league baseball franchise and in 2005, the Fischer Cats Stadium was opened.
Merrimack Place on Elm Street was developed under Mayor Baines tenure, taking a long abandoned site and turning into luxury apartments, conveniently located to the downtown area.
Arrangement
Mayor Baines’ papers are arranged topically by folder. The material in each folder is then arranged chronologically.
Administrative Information
The mayoral papers of Robert A. Baines were surveyed and described by archivist Sally Fellows in 2007-2008.
Access
The records are open for research without restrictions under the conditions of the Archives' access policy. Records may be copied for use in administrative, scholarly or personal research. Researchers are responsible for obtaining copyright permission to use the material from the Archivist.
Citation
The records of Robert A. Baines, Office of the Mayor, City of Manchester, New Hampshire.
Accession 2008.1
Topics
- Art Builds Community
- Civic Center (Verizon Center)
- Derryfield Restaurant Renovation
- Elderly Services Department
- Granite Street Widening and Enhancement Project
- Hands Across the Merrimack
- Heath Department Fire
- Manchester Economic Development Corporation
- Manchester Employees Contributory Retirement System
- School Committee Board
- Valley Cemetery Master Plan