Hancock Village Historic District
Description and history
Hancock Village is located near the geographic center of the rural hill town. The town was settled in the 1770s and was incorporated in 1780, but without provision for any public spaces. Because the exact geographic center of the town was located in a large marshy area, the residents were unable to agree on an alternative, and a state commission was appointed to choose the site of the common in 1785. The common and its immediate surrounding were dedicated to civic buildings and sites, including the town's first cemetery and animal pound, as well as the meeting house and an early school. An armory built on the common in the late 19th century was converted into a Grange hall. The common also has structures related to its conversion in the early 20th century to a public park, including a bandstand, fountain, and war memorial.
The Main Street area east of the common developed in the 19th century as a commercial and residential area for the town, with much of its development taking place in the first half of the 19th century. Almost all of the houses are vernacular Greek Revival or Federal in their styling. There are commercial buildings lining a portion of Main Street which are also predominantly vernacular mid-to-late 19th century in their construction.
See also
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "NRHP nomination for Hancock Village Historic District". National Park Service. Retrieved May 19, 2014.