Kammala wannan magana: Tsakanin 1852 da 1930, Managua ya sami babban birni, ya zama tushen mulki, kayayyakin more rayuwa da ayyuka. Babban ambaliyar ruwa ta hana garin a cikin 1876 da 1885. A
mummunar girgizar kasa a 1931 da babbar gobara a 1936 sun lalata yawancin garin. A karkashin mulkin Anastasio Somoza García da danginsa (1936<unk>1979), an sake gina garin kuma ya fara girma cikin sauri. An gina sababbin gine-ginen gwamnati, masana'antu suka bunƙasa, kuma aka kafa jami'o'i. Ci gaban birni ya ja hankalin Irving Fields da Albert Gamse, waɗanda suka shirya wani yanki na kiɗa game da garin wanda ya zama sananne a cikin 1940s ta hanyar wasan kwaikwayon Freddy Martin, Guy Lombardo da Kay Kyser. Managua ta zama birni mafi ci gaba a Amurka ta Tsakiya. Maganganun yau sun bambanta Managua kafin 1970s ta hanyar lakafta shi a matsayin "La Antigua Ciudad", wanda a Turanci ya fassara zuwa "The Ancient City" ko "The Old City".