National Register of Historic Places

Hancock Village Historic District

Hancock, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
Listed
March 8, 1988
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
88000178

About this property

The Hancock Village Historic District encompasses the town center of Hancock, New Hampshire. It extends the length of Hancock's Main Street, from Pine Ridge Cemetery and the common to the west, and the junction of Bennington, Norway Hill, and Forest roads to the east. It then extends a short way up Bennington Road. The common was laid out in 1785, and the village developed nearby over the next 100+ years. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. 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. National Register of Historic Places listings in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire

Location

Hancock, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
42.97337, -71.98108

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Hancock Village Historic District

This page lists Hancock Village Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Hancock Village Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Hancock-Greenfield Bridge
Industrial
2.6 mi
Glenchrest
Industrial
3.2 mi
Eaton, Moses, Jr., House
Industrial
3.3 mi
Bennington Village Historic District
Listed
3.5 mi
Gilchrest
Industrial
3.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Hancock Village Historic District listed on the National Register?

Hancock Village Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 8, 1988.

What type of historic resource is Hancock Village Historic District?

Hancock Village Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Hancock Village Historic District?

The period of significance for Hancock Village Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Hancock Village Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Hancock Village Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Hillsborough County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Hillsborough County.

Explore HillsboroughCounty ›

More historic places in New Hampshire

Browse all historic places in New Hampshire.

View New Hampshirehistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

New Hampshire history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

New Hampshirehistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Hancock Village Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report