The village of Hancock was first plotted in 1872 by the railroad. This came about after a steady migration in 1865, following the Civil War, of people to the west. These pioneers from a variety of nationalities homesteaded in this area with the hope and promise of a wonderful new life on the prairie.Some of the early businesses included a livery station, general store, lumberyard, saloon, implement shop and meat market.
The Hancock School District No. 3 was organized on Sept. 8, 1912. This later grew to include a full elementary and high school. New school buildings were constructed in 1912, 1922, 1960, and 1998, replacing the 1912 building.
Through the years the community has grown and changed. In it’s prime in the 1930’s and 40’s, Main Street and its side streets featured 35 to 40 businesses. Some of these included multiple grocery stores, restaurants, banks, and implement dealers. The town also had it’s own theater for Saturday night movies.
Circumstances changed for a lot of small towns in the 70’s and 80’s. The automobile and good roads led to greater mobility of residents. Shoppers took their business out of town and slowly businesses began to close in small towns.
Each year the community celebrates it’s past, present and future on July 4. The tradition dates back as far as the 1870’s and 1880’s. Activities include baseball, meals, parades, dances, and the popular fireworks at dark.
In 1998 and 1999, the city underwent some major upgrading. City sewer and water lines were replaced throughout the majority of the city with new streets replacing the old. The old 1912 school building was torn down and replaced by a beautiful new addition. The city water tower was replaced in 2000. In 2004 the city began to work on replacing the city's sewer palnt with a modern pond system. Construction is set to begin in late 2007 and finished in late 2008.
The city of Hancock is facing the future with a bright new look. It is a small town with a briliant future. A future that has been shaped by its past and many people who have made it the community it is. A community with a strong history, confident present and positive look toward the future.
